Going dairy/soy free in advance of baby's birth?

[D_McG]

Hi - DS (2) had problems with dairy and soy. When we finally did the RAST at 12 mos he tested negative for allergies but if he drinks either milk right now he gets diarrhea and up until 12 mos or so if I so much as had a potato chip fried in soy oil we had 3 days of constant nursing/rash. And if I had explicit dairy/soy he had bloody stool.

So now his sister is due at the end of October and I'm contemplating going dairy/soy free from 37 weeks on. Then after we're nursing well I'll slowly introduce both and hope for the best.

WDYT? I just hate the idea of another baby in pain and having to wait that time before things improve. With DS it took a full 3 weeks to see a difference from my diet.

But I'm wondering if it's necessary to do 3 weeks seeing as I won't be lactating at that time? (as in - I won't lactate until after she's born so is there any point in doing the elimination before birth?).

I would appreciate any input/experience you have to offer.

Thanks!

[changingseasons]

I think it's a great idea. Dairy can sometimes take 2-3 weeks to completely leave your system, so your BM should be dairy free by the time your LO is born!

Also, have you done any gut healing for yourself? If your DS had issues with food through your BM, chances are good that you have leaky gut. That would be something else to look at too. Pregnancy can exacerbate a leaky gut, so the new LO might end up with even more food intolerances if you don't work on some healing.

[Chinese Pistache]

I have an allergic child, but with my newest lo, I went dairy-free at 37 weeks and have mostly remained so (I have had some goat dairy, but not much). I also did a lot of gut-healing before and during my pregnancy, including probiotics, clo, and enzymes. I'm still doing all of that now that my lo is 4 mths. If you look at the "resources" sticky in this forum, scroll down toward the end where I've compiled a few really informative (imo) threads, including "how not to have an allergic baby" and what to do for gut-healing. Good luck!

[Red Sonja]

I didn't, but I really wish that I had. Both DS and DD1 were sensitive to dairy and soy but during my last pregnancy I decided I would rather be in denial that the new babe would likely be sensitive too. DD2 is also sensitive, and I wish I had eliminated both of those before she was born to avoid the wait for it to get out of my system.

[Chinese Pistache]

Originally Posted by Red Sonja

I didn't, but I really wish that I had. Both DS and DD1 were sensitive to dairy and soy but during my last pregnancy I decided I would rather be in denial that the new babe would likely be sensitive too. DD2 is also sensitive, and I wish I had eliminated both of those before she was born to avoid the wait for it to get out of my system.

It's okay. There's still hope. Are you doing anything for gut-healing for you and your lo? Read the sticky, too. There's a lot you can do to heal and hopefully stave off a long term problem.

[D_McG]

Thank you very much! This seals the deal for me. I was KIND of hoping someone would say it was pointless (the last 3 weeks of pregnancy without brie? and chocolate? ) but happy if I think it can really make a difference.

I need to look into the leaky gut thing. I have heard of it but don't know a whole lot. I'll check out the sticky.

Thanks again!

[xekomaya]

Can I plug the healing the gut tribe thread?

Its going to take some brave posters to revive the tribe, but I think it can and should be done

Congratulations on the birth of your lo! By 37 weeks I had a strict diet of spicy food, basil, pineapple, and eggplant parm :-P I'm sure you can make that work without dairy and soy

[Red Sonja]

Originally Posted by Chinese Pistache

It's okay. There's still hope. Are you doing anything for gut-healing for you and your lo? Read the sticky, too. There's a lot you can do to heal and hopefully stave off a long term problem.

Not yet, off to check it out!

[JaneS]

I think it would be important to learn what you are reacting to. Allergies to certain proteins are not encoded in the genes/inherited. You only inherit the potential to be allergic (atopic). So it could just as likely be peanuts or eggs rather than dairy if the environmental triggers (such as antibiotics!) damage the gut barrier. There are studies that show that moms passing on their higher levels of cytokines could be a factor in kids developing food allergies (Joneja's book Dealing with Food Allergies in Babies and Children).

I would also get the new babe on the best strain of baby probiotics I could find starting with his first sip of colostrum. No antibiotics and no vaxes to disturb natural gut barrier of bifidobacteria that nature designed as first defense for the developing immune system.

[elanorh]

I was egg-free for the duration with my pregnancy with SJ (and also peanut/treenut free, and don't eat fish/shellfish anyway). The last month, I cut dairy, soy, and wheat as well (Ina had reacted to all of those but outgrew those allergies as opposed to her egg which persists).

I also started probiotics that last month.

My OB and the Ped were both supportive (it's a wacky diet to tell the hospital dietician you want to follow) .... We introduced wheat first (what Ina outgrew first) and had no reaction. Ina does react to dairy and soy though (still even). We haven't tried eggs, since her sister is still allergic and SJ isn't 2 yet anyway.

So - it didn't necessarily prevent allergies (although who knows, there may have been more?) - but, she was a rolypoly, chubby happy baby who never had weight gain issues, never had reflux, never had eczema or rashes or etc. (until I tried adding dairy to my diet when she was 6 months). I'll take that anyway in the end, it was worth it because she never had to go through that full-on allergic reaction healing process.

I'll do the same with our next one although am looking into what I might be able to do besides probiotics to hopefully reduce the allergy likelihood more. I honestly don't think I have Leaky Gut but maybe I do, I don't know .... Can't hurt to work on it though!

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by elanorh

I was egg-free for the duration with my pregnancy with SJ (and also peanut/treenut free, and don't eat fish/shellfish anyway). The last month, I cut dairy, soy, and wheat as well (Ina had reacted to all of those but outgrew those allergies as opposed to her egg which persists).

I also started probiotics that last month.

My OB and the Ped were both supportive (it's a wacky diet to tell the hospital dietician you want to follow) .... We introduced wheat first (what Ina outgrew first) and had no reaction. Ina does react to dairy and soy though (still even). We haven't tried eggs, since her sister is still allergic and SJ isn't 2 yet anyway.

So - it didn't necessarily prevent allergies (although who knows, there may have been more?) - but, she was a rolypoly, chubby happy baby who never had weight gain issues, never had reflux, never had eczema or rashes or etc. (until I tried adding dairy to my diet when she was 6 months). I'll take that anyway in the end, it was worth it because she never had to go through that full-on allergic reaction healing process.

I'll do the same with our next one although am looking into what I might be able to do besides probiotics to hopefully reduce the allergy likelihood more. I honestly don't think I have Leaky Gut but maybe I do, I don't know .... Can't hurt to work on it though!

What a tremendous committment! Good job mama!

I think either homemade bone broths or glutamine is essential for healing leaky gut. Also high vitamin cod liver oil. Both provide important nutrients shown to be lacking in both leaky gut and allergic people.