Our story, please advise. Thanks!

[Bookworm]

My daughter is 4 months old. When she was a few weeks old - don't remember how many, it's all a blur, we could tell we were heading down the colic road, and I eliminated dairy and soy, and she quit fussing. Her supposedly normal newborn congestion vanished, her supposedly normal newborn pimples vanished, too.

THEN... at Christmas, we went to visit the in-laws. She was 3 months old, exactly. I packed ALL and yes, I do mean ALL my own food, including water. I did not eat ANYTHING unusual. When we got home, she had a poop that looked exactly like someone had blown their nose in her diaper. The next few days her poops were mucousy, including one day like 7-8 of them. They were also a little greener than usual.

I took her to the doctor. Normal, they said. I just KNOW it's not. I KNOW. I knew what her poops looked like before, and these weren't normal. I tried to chalk it up to travel but it has never completely gone away, and it has been a month now. Now I think I see the beginnings of dark circles under her eyes.
She seems to feel good MOST days, and the days she is fussy, I don't know if it is just normal baby fussing or not, because I really have no frame of reference.

She's only four months old - I don't want her pricked with a whole bunch of allergens. But I don't want to leave a problem undiagnosed and keep exposing her to something she shouldn't have. I have not ever completely eliminated gluten but I did cut back to almost none and saw no improvement. I'm starving to death as it is, so that really seems like a challenge. I have the mega-metabolism from hell.

Do I need to keep on this road, or do I need to be glad we discovered the dairy and soy and let it rest? If I need to do more, what is it?

[coopnwhitsmommy]

could your inlaws have slipped her a little something? I know my Mom was trying to feed my nephew hot fudge sundae when he was about 2months old. and My SIL gave my DS1 cream cheese when he was 4months old. "it's just a little taste it won't hurt him" : People do weird things.

[delphine]

I would keep a food journal and note any changes etc. That type of stool and dark circles say allergies to me. I don't think testing is as accurate at a young age, even if you decide to go that route, though.

I definitely feel for you. My 20 month old suffered from many of the same symptoms. We've eliminated dairy, wheat, corn, and soy at different times but have yet to see a major improvement. He has severe eczema and the dark circles that vary from minimal to very noticable. We are still working with an allergist, an immunologist, our ped. and a dermatologist to try to figure out his allergies.

Good luck.

[Chanley]

could it possibly be gluten and not just wheat, delphine?

Bookworm, we eliminated dairy from the get go...I wish in hindsight that we had eliminated gluten as well. I thought I had a normal kid but on hindsight, I did not. ugh!

I would perhaps try a total elimination diet and see what happens.

Dr. Sears outlines one on his webpage I think.

[Panserbjorne]

If there is a true gluten problem cutting back will NOT yield results. The protein is the problem and needs to be completely eliminated for there to be a change. I would absolutely try eliminating gluten for at least a month and really educate yourself about it. It is everywhere. Once you get the hang of it it's quite easy. THere's nothing to lose, and you'll gain information either way. You'll either know he has a problem or find out that that isn't the thing. Blood testing is great, but not very accurate until after two years. It will tell you things he's got a problem with, but likely not ALL the things, so what's the point? ITA with not wanting to do a bunch of testing. I would also (and did) use homeopathy. It really accelerated healing time. I noticed a difference right away.

[Bookworm]

Thanks so much for the replies. I'm gathering advice/thoughts from you wise MDC mamas, friends with allergic kids IRL, and anyone I can, and just trying to synthesize it all into some semblance of a reasonable decision. I am really afraid to do a total elimination diet right now. I have such a fast metabolism, and I am already back into my size 0 pre-pregnancy clothes after just four months, and I do have to make milk, after all. But it may be what I need to do. I'm glad to hear some negatives of going to an allergist, since of course that's what the mainstreamers say to do.

Plus which, everyone is telling me she is fine. Which she mostly is, but I just know we're missing something.

Thanks again for the posts, Mamas.

[my2girlz]

Have you thought about applied kinesiology? My chiropractor does it. That way you don't have to go trying to figure out the foods? It's painless and they would do it through you.