[Mama_in_Maine]

Hey all!
I had twin boys back in May and I was wondering if I could have some suggestions on how to keep their guts healthy?
Their sister (3) has Autism by the way.
Thanks in advance!

 

[Kundalini-Mama]

First off, have the babes received anything other than breastmilk? Even one ounce of formula or anything in the NICU (if they spent time there)?

Have you been to the healing the gut thread? http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=493103 The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) has helped lots of kids w/autism. Its a great thread to help w/your lil' ones and your 3 yr old.

 

[Mama_in_Maine]

Baby B had an IV for three days and both boys had some ( 2 ounces or so a day) soy fomula in the first week and a half. Other than that they have been all breastfed.
I have spent some time on the healing the gut thread but wanted some more suggestions on prevention not healing.
I am gluten free ( I will eat something that might have cross contamination) and dairy free. I take an acidophilus mix pill everyday and started dabbing some on their tongues every couple of days. I watch my sugar and vinegar intake. What else?
DD is on the gluten and casein free diet and has been for a year. We have seen success with it except now we are having problems with eczema again.

 

[Kundalini-Mama]

Are the babes vaxed? Are they on solids?

And I understand what you mean about prevention v. healing, but w/the antibiotics and the formula you might need to be healing at this point---but that is dependent on each child.

I was GF for yrs, but still had reactions to, "hidden gluten", now that I'm on the diet, I'm actually healing, instead of maintaining, yk? Have you been to pecanbread.com? They have a yahoo group w/tons of children w/autism on it. If she is fighting eczema again I would hazard to say that she is not healing, just maintaining.

And feel free to post over there, we won't bite

to you on your journey
Amy

 

[Mama_in_Maine]

No vax..and no solids..not until they are interested and I'm hoping that won't be until after 9 months.
I ran across pecanbread.com when I first started researching special diets. I will visit again. Thanks!

 

[Kundalini-Mama]

I think that w/an exclusively b/f babe you are supposed to only be consuming bifidus. BUT, your babes had other stuff, so *I* am not sure. Presently they are discussing this very issue on the gut thread. Other mamas over there will help you out more than I can

 

[caedmyn]

The babies should only have bifidus. The mama can have whatever probiotics.

Natren Life Start is the only bifidus only infant probiotic as far as I know.

 

[krissi]

Quote:

Baby B had an IV for three days and both boys had some ( 2 ounces or so a day) soy fomula in the first week and a half. Other than that they have been all breastfed.

I hate to say it, but with Baby B you might want to go forth assuming you're looking at gut healing and not just prevention. We have been dealing with this very issue with DS. He had an IV for three days in the hospital and never a single drop of formula but still ended up with gut problems. I blame it directly on the antibiotics. We even ran the CDSA on him. He had 4+ overgrowth of K.pneumoniae -- potentially pathogenic bacteria linked to some autoimmune diseases -- that tested resistant to the exact antibiotic he was given in the hospital.

We seem to have it under control with probiotics but DS is showing a striking tendency toward food sensitivities, even though he was already past six months when he got his first taste of solids and we've proceeded extremely slow with introducing anything new. He developed eczema after his second exposure to rice -- and it went away completely when we cut all exposure to grains including through my diet. Presently we are feeding him a small amount of daily solids (only fruits and veggies) but avoiding all grains until after he turns 2 or 3. It will be tough, but I'll do pretty much anything to avoid a repeat of what we've been through with DD. Things look promising so far, he is within the normal range developmentally, but I am being ultra paranoid. It is shocking how much that one round of antibiotics seems to have affected his gut. He has not had a single drop of any medication or anything since then and has never even tasted formula and we still have these problems.

I'd recommend starting your babies off on SCD when they do start eating solids and keep them on it until they're 2 or 3 years old and they're showing no sign of any GI issues whatsoever. That's what we'll be doing with DS. I'm going to let out such a sign of relief as soon as he starts talking in sentences. I'm sure you know what I mean since it sounds like you're in a similar boat! Pecanbread is a great group for this issue.

 

[ZeldasMom]

I read that since ACOG changed their guidelines for managing group B strep (GBS) a few years back (which resulted in more women getting IV antibiotics during childbirth) there has been a big increase in thrush and infant gastrointestinal problems. So avoid IV antibiotics when you have your baby.

This article has recommendations about how to minimize GBS in you, but the same precautions are good for helping your baby have a healthy gut since probiotics can get to your baby through your breastmilk.

HTH!