Family of food allergies/intolerances and just found out I'm pregnant with #3, our big surprise

[txtarheel]

I was around here a lot with #2 a couple years ago.  Then life was so busy, I wandered off.  I'm not sure how many people are still here from then.

Anyway, I'm intolerant of dairy, tapioca, almond, sugar cane, onion, garlic, clove, vanilla and a few other things.

DS#1 (4.5) is IgE to milk and peanut, intolerant of turkey, tomato, chocolate, vanilla, wheat and a host of legumes

DS#2 (2.5) is intolerant to a number of legumes, corn, squashes, onion, garlic and a few other things.  He's come a long way though, he used to get hives from rice, bananas and most every grain on the planet.

I've just found out I'm pregnant.  Honestly, the only reason we didn't plan on another was the food issue.  No one IRL understands it and it's so hard to deal with.  Especially with the corn, wheat split.  #1 slept terribly for a year.  #2 for nearly 2 years.  DH and my marriage really suffered from the complete and total exhaustion.

I already take a host of supplements and we eat a pretty decent whole foods diet.  If anyone has any suggestions or insight for me to help #3 have a good start, I'd love to hear it.  As long as it isn't harmful, I'm up to trying a lot!

Thanks for reading,

Katherine

[joybird]

I'd do some serious work on gut health while pg (although I did that with dd2 and it didn't make a difference, unfortunately)  Enzymes, probiotics, CLO, fermented food, all that good stuff.  Make sure you give the new babe probiotics from day one.  I'm pretty bummed that dd2 has basically all the same stuff going on that dd1 did, considering the enormous amount of effort I put into trying to make it otherwise.  If I could go back I would be more diligent with enzymes, probiotics and elimination during pregnancy.  I slacked quite a bit toward the end.  The positive side is that I know what I'm doing now and I don't have to start from square one with all of it.  Congratulations on your pregnancy!  Don't let the allergy stuff get you down.  Probiotics probiotics probiotics!

[txtarheel]

Thanks!  I do probiotics and fermented foods.  I've avoided CLO because both of my DS's have some serious reactions to a variety of seafoods, so I'm a bit concerned about them.  I've also had a lot of trouble with enzymes.  Every time I try and take them I end up with blood in my stools after a couple weeks of treatment.  I've tried several different forms and it's the only time I ever have that symptom.  Even my most problematic foods don't cause it.

I also take l-glutamine, make and use my own bone broths regularly, magnesium, floradix iron and herbs, biotin, calcium, iodine, vit D and probably a couple of things I'm forgetting.  

I was good with probiotics and fermented foods with DS2, but didn't start some of the supps until he was born and had so many problems with food.  Now though, he's better off than DS1, so I should be hopeful we're going in the right direction!

[corrabelle]

hi, Just curious what you mean when you say fermented foods? We've always done pro-biotics etc, our naturopath has  us all taking them. (My neice sounds like your children, lots of food intolerances. Garlic is one of the highest. She couldn't take the l-glutamine because she's even allergic to that (and msg...anything glutamine)

They did a mass illimination and are slowly re-introducing foods and it's working out well. She can now have corn, rice, rye, cheddar cheese, chicken egg whites, (they had been using quail eggs up until now with no problems.) Asparagus...and a few others. Some that are still a definite no are garlic, apples, pears, strawberries, tomatoes, wheat, milk, oysters, and a few others. (the list is plentiful.) poor kid.

Anyway, yes, I was just curious about your "fermented foods"?

[mama1803]

Originally Posted by corrabelle 

hi, Just curious what you mean when you say fermented foods? We've always done pro-biotics etc, our naturopath has  us all taking them. (My neice sounds like your children, lots of food intolerances. Garlic is one of the highest. She couldn't take the l-glutamine because she's even allergic to that (and msg...anything glutamine)

They did a mass illimination and are slowly re-introducing foods and it's working out well. She can now have corn, rice, rye, cheddar cheese, chicken egg whites, (they had been using quail eggs up until now with no problems.) Asparagus...and a few others. Some that are still a definite no are garlic, apples, pears, strawberries, tomatoes, wheat, milk, oysters, and a few others. (the list is plentiful.) poor kid.

Anyway, yes, I was just curious about your "fermented foods"?

Not the pp, but wanted to respond.  Fermented foods are things like sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir.  You need only a little bit of fermented foods to really improve gut health.  We've been doing them for a few years now with definite benefits.

[dollyanna]

Wasn't there a "what to do when you're pregnant" thread around here somewhere?  Or maybe it was a "where to start" thread.  I need to find that.

I just found out I'm pregnant with #2

I had a really rough time with my own allergies & digestive system last time around, and it's happening again -- already!  My guts hurt, & the hives I had for 6 months after DD was born are back.  Ugh.  DD has a few random allergies and I am just now starting to introduce peanuts, tree nuts next, and at some point shellfish.

I started back on probiotics & will start fermented foods (how much per day), but I know nothing about enzymes. 

[subtlycrunchy]

Good article on things you can during pregnancy to reduce allergy risk in kids:

Healthy foundations — steps to healthy conception and pregnancy

Congrats, Mama!