HAPPY FIVE MONTH BIRTHDAY AVA!!!!!!!
Did I mention she's sitting up tripod-style (with her hands bracing in front of her) for short periods?? So proud!
Despite it being D's birthday, yesterday sucked. Long story short, the D's dog ate a tube of sunscreen in it's entirety (packaging and all), and so he had to be rushed to the animal hospital (well, after puking about 15 times, many of which were in my SUV). Then, while out for dinner at The County Line, Ava had a disaster of a diaper that took 30 minutes and an entire travel package of wipes to clean up, only for me to discover I hadn't put a second outfit in the diaper bag. She wore he swimsuit bottoms and a sweater home. It just felt like one (extremely messy) thing after another.
Today, though, is going to rock. I have faith. I'll be getting my car detailed, courtesy of the D's, and am heading back to Home Depot (for the fourth time since last Friday!) to get some more plants and the materials to build a garden box. Wish me luck!
Regarding A's accident yesterday, though, it seems as though her dairy allergy is getting worse. Whereas it seemed like the triggers were mainly obvious dairy sources (milk, cheese, ice cream, etc.), now it seems as though she's reacting to whey as well, along with other hidden sources of dairy. What are some hidden sources? Let me fill you in:
*Whey, like I've previously mentioned, is in EVERYTHING. I mean, seriously, any snack food ever. Graham crackers, cereal bars, granola, most cereals, you name it. If it has a D on the package next to the circled U or K for "kosher", it contains dairy. Wah.
*Butter is something that's easy to overlook. That BLT you thought was safe to order? Nope - the bread is typically buttered. Same goes for many other sandwiches, breads, pastries (which typically contain dairy anyhow..).
*This is the one that really gets me. Breading for many products, most inconveniently CHICKEN STRIPS, contains dairy in most cases. Kill me.
*Obviously anything with chocolate, including chocolate flavoring. The only chocolate thing that doesn't contain dairy is cocoa roasted almonds. I eat probably 1,000 calories worth a day (eek) trying to satisfy my chocolate cravings!
So I ask...what the crap am I supposed to eat? I'm now having to eliminate ALL dairy, which leaves me grasping for ideas.
My go-to foods?
Apple w/ PB
Anything w/ PB really. I crave PB like crazy!
Fruits
Steamed Veggies
Cocoa Almonds
Cashews
Craisins
Beans. I seriously eat like a can of beans a day. Black, Charro, Refried Black, you name it.
Salad
Tortillas
Please help. A gal cannot subsist on these foods alone!
Alright...off to get the car detailed and hit the hardware store.
Sorry for all the mishaps. I had a few days like that myself. Our washer broke mid-load on Tuesday and water overflowed. That was a blast! Jack and I each bathed twice in a 12 hour period. Me, because I was elbow deep in dirty laundry water fishing out the wet clothes (eww!), and Jack, because he pooped up his back in the morning and it was easier to give him a bath. The joys of parenthood! At least it's the weekend!! I'm sorry you're going through all of this dairy stuff with Ava. I'm somewhat convinced that Jack now has some sort of dairy intolerance. I don't get it! Why haven't I heard more about this? I know you don't want to stop breastfeeding, but with the allergy getting worse, is that even an option now? Good luck with it. I'm impressed with all you are giving up!!
ReplyDeleteWhat about non-wheat bread products? Rice noodles, etc.Is she tolerant to corn? There are a lot of corn substitutes you can use. Have you been to the GFCF website?
ReplyDeleteYou are a darn good momma!
As much as I am sure you hate to hear this...have you tried a non-dairy, hypo-allergenic formula with her to see if it helps? Even a day or two worth. An allergy getting worse instead of better is not a normal thing. What does her doctor say?
ReplyDeleteAt some point, if the allergy gets much worse, you either restrict your diet completely or find an alternative way to feed her that doesn't upset her.
What matters is that she gets nutrition, not necessarily that it's from you...and I know that's hard to hear.
Just food for thought...as your post points out, there's not much in this world that doesn't contain some kind of dairy.
Are you also restricting soy from your diet? What I read while researching dairy intolerance for Asher is that about 50-60% of babies with a milk allergy are also allergic to soy. It's called "Milk Soy Protein Intolerance" (MSPI). If Ava's allergy seems to be worse, despite cutting all dairy out of your diet, it could be because she's also sensitive to soy. You could try eliminating that too...which I know is really hard, but might be worth a shot, if she seems to getting worse reactions.
ReplyDeleteAfter 2 weeks of me being off dairy, Asher seems to be tolerating my breast milk much better. He is still getting bottles of 1/2 BM, 1/2 hypoallergenic formula but I'm transitioning him to less formula everyday.