Diet Changes for Breastfeeding « Back to Group Discussions

[HouseofPeace]

I quit dairy one week ago, and have been grain-free this entire pregnancy, and I'm missing my dairy something fierce!!!  I loved my grass-fed cream in in smoothies, tea, as an ice cream, and also have great local raw grass-fed (safe) cheese that I've cut out.

So now I'm on the dairy-free bandwagon for the next six months, but having a tough time w/ the shift... 

Other mama's who were/are going dairy free or making dietary changes for nursing have tips or can share their experiences?

Husband is going vegan for a 10 day season, so I'm not solo in this.  But he can do grains, and they wreck me.

[Chloe'sMama]

I am already off gluten and that seems to be the biggest problem with my kids, so I think it is safe for me to eat dairy... If I see any signs baby is having a problem I will take it out.  Neither of the girls had any problems with dairy though.

On a side note, I found a local source of raw milk for $4 a GALLON!!!!!

Seriously, the other option is almost $8 for a 1/2 gallon, so I am so excited!  It is a family that lives near my parents and it is super tastey milk!  I have almost drank a whole gallon (almost by myself) since wednesday when I got it.

[LadyCatherine185]

I am also on the dairy free bandwagon! Both of my boys reacted badly to it. I cut it out almost 2 weeks ago, but had one "bad" day this past week where I had some milk and some icecream. :/ It is hard hard hard.... But I am still eating butter and putting some cream in my coffee. Those 2 things I really don't want to live without unless I have to. If I see baby having issues then I will cut those out as well, but from my understanding it is the protien that babies react to and there isn't any protien in cream or butter.

[kellybeth]

i don't do dairy, so i don't have to worry about that. i have been wondering to cut down on my nut intake, though i've read/been told it's only something to worry about if you or your family have nut allergies. i have like 3 pieces of nut butter toast a day. 

the only thing i have to cut down on is spicy food  and broccoli/cabbage. i eat a ton of cabbage family veggies and that will give my baby some serious gas. haha

[Jennakay12]

Oh yeah, I 100% agree with the OP. :)

Personally, I found it more important about what I'm NOT eating, as in you know, what to avoid.

A lot of blogs out there about it, this one helped me out a ton! Hopefully helps you too, it's at http://foodstonevereat.blogspot.com

Good luck! :)

[loveandgarbage]

I'm lucky that my kids don't have food issues, so I didn't have to cut out a major food group when nursing. But this will be my first time nursing dairy free (I've been free for about a year due to my own GI issues). I did cut out gassy foods with both kids for about 4-5 months I think. I only realized it was "a thing" you could do to help your newborn with gas when DS1 was about 1.5 months and it made such a difference! The main triggers for each were garlic, onions, beans, tofu, broccoli and cabbage. Tofu and broccoli will be hard for me, because I LOVE them and eat them often. But I don't eat onions or garlic (again due to my own issues) and beans have been disgusting to me this pregnancy, so that won't be too much of a change.

[etsdtm99]

my babies have all had dairy issues to some extent - i cut it out for #2 and #3 only after they showed symptoms at a couple weeks old - after #3 when i tried to start eating dairy again I reacted to it horribly-  now my DH and all my kids are dairy free and i can't eat it either so that is that! its finally easy after 2+ years - the only dairy i have is in the occasional piece of fancy chocolate or bread when we eat out..

if this baby has issues i will first cut out the remaining dairy, then gluten and eggs (my DD1's other allergens, recently diagnosed so i don't know if cutting them would have helped her while nursing) and see where we go from there..  i've never had to cut out spicy food, garlic, beans, etc. .. dairy and caffeine were my kids big issues while nursing so far..

[HouseofPeace]

thanks all!

my mother and mother-in-law both approached me before i gave birth to my first (they've nursed 9 kids for at least a year each between them both) and warned me that their kids all reacted to dairy in the breastmilk. b/c i lived in the hospital and on Odwalla juice for the first 2 weeks w/ my first, i was dairy free w/out trying.  but then i tried cheese and my son reacted w/ horrible colic, so i go dairy free w/ all just to make that transition easier.

since i went gluten-free in 2001, i realized that my body only deals well w/ raw dairy (cream especially) and some cheese.  that's it.  i don't cook w/ dairy normally, and most cheeses aren't a good choice for me.  but totally dairy free is hard.  but being gluten-free healed me from so many things and i'm so grateful i figured that out when i was young.

i went ahead and had some cream this morning, and enjoyed it so much.  i don't usually give up butter, since i've never had issues with it at all.  and we get grass-fed butter too, so i know it carries a lot of nutrients i need in my fats.  

i also had to give up habaneros when my son was nursing.... the only spicy food that was a problem.  he also ate spicy thai food and other spicy foods while he was nursing.  after he weaned, he couldn't handle spicy foods anymore.  i think my breastmilk must have desensitized him!!!

the rest of the gassy foods i don't eat except in forms that are really easy to digest (fermented usually) so don't have too much problems w/ the babies.  THANKFULLY!  

Chloesmom- $4 a gallon for raw milk!!!  AMAZING!  i work for a farm and they are the most expensive in the state at $10 a gallon, but the quality and flavor is worth it.  but my friend is growing a raw milk dairy, and we got colostrum last week which i had in a smoothie.  The cheapest is $5 a gallon at a farm if you buy a 5gallon container.  most farms are $8 around here.

Kellybeth- i have also thought about trimming back nuts, but we'll see.  right now they're my favorite baking/filling item and i can't imagine cutting anything else out!!!  and none of my kids or family have nut issues, just the celiac disease on both my husband's and my side.  that's a doozey, so we'll face that one right now.  i bought 25lbs of raw almonds from justalmonds.com and have been making candied almonds, smoked paprika almonds, and grinding them and baking the best paleo desserts!  i know they won't help w/ weight loss..... 

[Chloe'sMama]

Well, looks like no gluten or dairy for us. I took gluten out already on new years.... but ds seems to be having lots of gas issues and stinky stinky toots.. I am guessing it is dairy so we took it out yesterday. We will see if it helps.

[HouseofPeace]

awwwww- not good.

so far, so good on no dairy.  husband picked up SALMON for me.  and has been making me smoked salmon omelets and tonight salmon and spinach (he said 'that looks like a plate of what you're SUPPOSED to be eating!') so delish!  and he's a good cook.

but i'm pretty dedicated after the baby is born.  i was having a harder time before.

i actually find after childbirth, eating omelets, squash, veggies, fruits, and good foods are easier than when i'm hugely pregnant.  when i eat lots more cookies.  

[Gillmoro]

HoP: I know what you mean about it being easier to eat the right way when baby is out.

I took out gluten and dairy a couple weeks ago. Baby girl had a difficult night when she was transitioning from meconium to breastfed poops but seems to be doing better now. I have a slight supply concern: this girl eats sooooo much but seems to be getting enough so far; we'll see what she weighs at her one week.

[cortinacolorado]

Hi, mamas. To those going non-dairy: have you found in the past that all dairy has been problematic, or primarily cow's milk? I do mostly goat with a little sheep here and there anyway for my own purposes, but I rely on it heavily for protein (goat yogurt is a major staple). It hasn't occurred to me that I may need to cut out dairy altogether while breastfeeding, as I guess I just assumed that since goat works for my sensitive GI tract it will be good for baby, too.... Anyone have experience to either confirm or deny this assumption?

[HouseofPeace]

Cortina-

i don't do well on goat, but was raised eating a lot more sheep's dairy (in greece) and healthier cow's milk (also in greece- delivered fresh and raw to our doorsteps daily) and didn't have problems w/ dairy until moving back to the states.  i find that the dairy that doesn't bother my sensitive GI tract doesn't bother my babies except cheese.  i do fine on butter and cream, and use the butter when dairy free b/c it helps soothe my body.  i give up cream though.  i also do well on raw cheese, but my babies react to that.  which means it's the protein and not the lactose which my babies react to, and i don't usually have that issue personally. 

how's the little one doing on goats milk yogurt?  i'm trying cream today (my farmer gave me a luscious jar of grass-fed raw jersey cream, and it's too hard to resist!!!) so will see if that has any affect.  my pregnancy was filled w/ such amazing cream and it did my baby's body good.

how's everyone else doing w/ diet?

i've stayed grain free since my production is about 24 oz a day over what the baby needs (that one breast is very enthusiastic), and very low carb, but my body weight is about down to where it stabilizes (at about 140-145 for a few months of early milk production) which means i'll probably be needing more carbs soon.  

[odinsmama]

Okay, so I'm cutting out dairy to see if my sweet girl will be happier for it.

For all you mamas who have btdt, how long after cutting it out do your LOs start feeling better?

sounds like many of you still eat butter, please tell me I can keep it on the menu?!

I never drink milk, so I'm really just cutting out cheese and yogurt.  Do you find that even if you eat a tiny bit (like in a piece of chocolate) your LO will react? 

[mama3blessings]

I'm dairy free too. My little guy was throwing up like crazy when I had anything dairy. He is still a bit spitty at times but nothing like before when I had dairy. The last 2 had issues with dairy as well and I had to cut it out for 6 months and after that they were fine with it.
 

[mama3blessings]

Originally Posted by odinsmama 

Okay, so I'm cutting out dairy to see if my sweet girl will be happier for it.

For all you mamas who have btdt, how long after cutting it out do your LOs start feeling better?

sounds like many of you still eat butter, please tell me I can keep it on the menu?!

I never drink milk, so I'm really just cutting out cheese and yogurt.  Do you find that even if you eat a tiny bit (like in a piece of chocolate) your LO will react? 

All mine reacted to the smallest amount. Everybody is different though and it's a lot of trial and error.

[HouseofPeace]

it took about 2 days (48 hours minimum) for me to see a big shift in getting the dairy out of the breastmilk and gas/colicky symptoms.  

i can always do butter.  the baby i'm sharing w/ now couldn't handle any formula w/ dairy in it, and her mom ended up using a soy formula (she used the BEST formulas too) and she has been doing great w/ no spitting up on my breastmilk, which is a big shift for them.

cheese and yogurt i have to cut out, and yes, even chocolate w/ milk solids in it.  i buy dairy free gluten free chocolate for this season (enjoy life) which is pricey, but sooo worth having some chocolate still in my diet!!!  but each baby is different.

[Amor Rays]

So I'm hoping and praying that last night it was the onions I ate that made my baby fussy and not the dairy.  I just can't see myself going without my milk.  I also only drink raw milk and I'm about to start working again. I work at home and my work is milking my two cows, so I would go insane if I couldn't drink my fresh milk.  

BTW, milk here goes for $12-15 a gallon minimum so $4 a gallon is almost free.

[HouseofPeace]

ugh- had some cream last night (and a little more this morning) and my guy just spit up for the first time....

NO!!!  here's for him settling down and having a bm to explain it..... otherwise cream is gone too.

$12-15 a gallon!  wow.  i thought it was high here.  whatever the price that stuff is totally worth it!  i would get a cow if i didn't work w/ so many farmers who are providing an amazing resource.

that said, i just sent out over a gallon of expressed milk , so in a weird way i feel like i've got my own dairy.  sterilizing equipment on the stove right now!