Cutting out dairy before giving birth

[babyfromgod]

Hi my DS had a CMP intolerance and reflux which we only discovered when he was a bit older. I stopped breastfeeding him at 6 weeks and put him on formula which made him worse, big mistake. So i spoke to my midwife and she advised cutting out dairy about a month before i give birth to try to prevent having a screaming newborn this time.

Do you think i should wait to see if this baby shows signs of intolerance or if i should just cut dairy out to avoid the situation? I am just worried if i continue with dairy and baby is intolerant then i will resort to the easy option of dairy free formula. If i don't give baby the chance to show signs of intolerance then it may make my breastfeeding journey easier. I don't know what to do, i'm confused

 

[Ruth 1980]

Hi luv, first of all congrats on this baby and good luck with everything! My dd has CMPI and I have been dairy free now for over 4and a half months. When I found out initially and went off dairy it did take a few weeks for the proteins to leave our systems and make a difference to LO but the way I looked at it- I was determined to bf and I could handle another few weeks of screaming as I'd put up with a few already.
If it was me I would continue to take dairy and see if LO reacts, at the first sign then cut it out and ride out a (potential) couple of rough weeks. I don't think there's any point going off dairy as a "just in case" because a totally strict dairy (and soya lest we forget!!) free diet is hard work. Some places you go for lunch with friends there's nothing on the menu you can have; you go to a wedding and the menu is set and it sucks. There's dairy hidden everywhere. So if your LO does end up being CMPI and you go dairy free and bf- brilliant, you are doing the best thing for your child. But I would never do it as a just in case.
Ps: remember your breast milk will take the calcium it needs from your body and if you're dairy free you need to take a good calcium supplement, like a chelated calcium, twice a day. And it's pricey!! So that's another thing to think of if you're planning a "just in case" dairy free diet.

Best of luck x

 

[summer rain]

You can get calcium from other sources other than dairy and there are some studies showing that excessive amounts of dairy can inhibit calcium absorption; also if you take calcium it needs to be alongside vitamin D3 or the body cannot absorb it. Some dairy substitute milks contain naturally occuring calcium as well which is easily absorbed I know coconut milk and almond milk do. I think next time I will cut out dairy and soya just in case, my last two boys have had problems in the first week of life due to it and I am starting to realise it is the only way to avoid it xx

 

[summer rain]

https://www.vegkitchen.com/nutrition/calcium/

 

[babyfromgod]

Thanks for your replies. I think i am going to just go dairy free for now and if LO reacts to soy i will go soy free too. Which will be extremely hard. I think it will be reasonably easy for me to go dairy free after writing down lots of alternatives for me to eat.