Help me with an elimination diet

[justmandy]

Actually, is that what I need to do? None of my other kids had sencitivities so this is new.

Ds is almost 3 weeks old and eats like a champ...he's gaining more then a half a pound a week. I learned early that broccoli was not his friend but otherwise have not changed my diet. He spits up a bit, is gassy, has diaper rash that I can't get to go away and after he poops, he's more-then-average uncomfortable...like the poop irritates his bottom.

I've thought maybe that dairy may bother him a bit but I have lots of dairy consistantly and he's okay a lot of the time. I also love dairy and really wanted eliminating it to be a last resort.

Yesterday he was really fussy. He was uncomfortable and very gassy, not like normal. The night before I had eggs, can eggs make baby feel so bad?

Where do I start, how do I know what it is that's bothering him? How long does it take to work?

Any other advice is very welcome. Sorry this is rambly-did not get much sleep last night

[dachshundqueen]

You typically start by eliminating dairy, a lot of mothers see improvement in 24 hours although it can take two weeks for the proteins to clear your system.

Then you work your way through the next common allergens, gluten, soy, corn, eggs and so on.

I was not able to tolerate doing the Sears elimination diet (on their website), and this elimination works well for many nursed dyads.

Liz

[Mrsboyko]

my DD had issues with eggs. I as trying to up my protein intake using eggs and noticed a huge change in her. I stopped eating them, and she went back to how she was. Also citrus can make poops really acidic (did for my DD) and cause the rashes. Are you eating / drinking a lot of citrus or juices? What about tomatoes (acidic again)?

Truly, for a fussy, gassy baby only, you probably don't need to do an ED. They are horribly restrictive. Maybe a food journal would be helpful though. Jot down what you eat, when, and how baby is acting . You may be able to see a corelation more easily that way. Then just try removing foods for a few days and see how baby acts. Just be aware of what you replace that food with as that may be an issue too.

[ratrodgrl]

I had to eliminate dairy for DS1 but he had an actual milk protein intolerance with green mucousy poops, and tested positive for occult blood in his stool, which means it was irritating his intestines. We discovered it at 8 weeks. There was a secondary intolerance which we didn't discover til he was 8 months old, and it was egg... I figured it out by feeding him egg yolk directly Egg is a fairly common problem, but not as common as dairy; I would cut out the egg for a week and then try it again. Also, if it is egg, you may only have to cut it out for a month or two.

Definitely ditto on PP about cutting out citrus & tomato for a few days to see if it helps, that can certainly hurt their bums.

One more thing on dairy; you can try just cutting straight milk and keep on with cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc. Those tend to be a bit more broken down. Soy can also be a problem if you have a lot of it, so I've taken to drinking oat milk (don't really like rice/almond milk taste) which you can also make yourself. Hope that helps!

[Usually Curious]

I usually have to go off of dairy, cruciferous veggies, onions, garlic, tomatoes and basically anything yummy. Tomatoes gave my last two babies fits! I could not believe the pain they were in w/in hours of my eating tomatoes, cooked or raw.

[justmandy]

Originally Posted by Mrsboyko

my DD had issues with eggs. I as trying to up my protein intake using eggs and noticed a huge change in her. I stopped eating them, and she went back to how she was. Also citrus can make poops really acidic (did for my DD) and cause the rashes. Are you eating / drinking a lot of citrus or juices? What about tomatoes (acidic again)?

Truly, for a fussy, gassy baby only, you probably don't need to do an ED. They are horribly restrictive. Maybe a food journal would be helpful though. Jot down what you eat, when, and how baby is acting . You may be able to see a corelation more easily that way. Then just try removing foods for a few days and see how baby acts. Just be aware of what you replace that food with as that may be an issue too.

Wow, thanks everyone. I have had lots of tomatoes so that could be it for the diaper rash. I'll cut back on the acidic stuff and we'll see.

I called my mw (who's also a LLLC) and she said basicly the same thing about the ED. I started a journal today and we'll evaluate it at my next appointment. In the mean time I'm eating normally so we can see his reaction...and I can possibly get some "last meals" If I can't have dairy or wheat or...anything, I'd like to have a few favorite meals one last time before my 2 year hiatus.

[hildare]

not 2 years...

i'm currently doing the TED, but that's another story...
it's my understanding that they'll grow out of an irritant type allergy/intolerance at around 6 months.. i don't think you have 2 years of the dreaded diet restriction either way. good luck!

[bean-e]

Give the allergy forum a try as well. Those mamas have lots of experience with elimination diets and knowledge about which foods are more allergenic than others.