Come in if you eliminated dairy while BFing

[scm1011]

DS (4 months) is a gassy baby. We can usually get some quality farts by working his legs on the regular, but sometimes during nursing he will arch his back and pull away. I suspect that may be due to the fact he prefers bottles (he's a lazy guy), but his chiropractor thinks it could be a dairy intolerance and I should eliminate it from my diet. She went on to suggest lots of dairy free options and mentioned everyone in her family is dairy free, so there may be some anti-dairy bias there, but this seems to be a commonly suggested thing on the internet too.  

I consume a shitload of dairy. In an average day I drink a tall glass of milk, have 2 servings of greek yogurt, a cheese stick, and a big bowl of ice cream, nevermind all the other things I consume that contain butter. I'm having trouble maintaining my weight and I feel like all the full fat dairy I consume gives me a big bang for my buck, calorie and nutrition wise. I'm resistant to giving it up unless necessary.

What led you to give up dairy? Did it help? Am I right to assume that if dairy was the culprit he would be experiencing these symptoms at most feeds, or it would involve more than just arching back/mild fusiness? I'm a fairly habitual eater.

[barefootcontessa]

Because dealing with the crying and such was too much. Yes, it helped and yes it sucked. I would try giving it up for a day or two and see if you notice a difference. It may him just being a baby.

[mskitkat]

DD was a super gassy baby, but for her I had to cut out all sorts of veggies. Cabbage, broccoli, anything even remotely spicy, etc. So really it could be any food. If you do an elimination diet, you need to give it at least 2 weeks to clear your system And see if it worked.

[scm1011]

Mar 23, 2017 11:44:16 GMT -5 barefootcontessa said:

Because dealing with the crying and such was too much. Yes, it helped and yes it sucked. I would try giving it up for a day or two and see if you notice a difference. It may him just being a baby.

That's kind of what I'm thinking, but it may just be wishful thinking. He's not like inconsolably crying or anything.

Mar 23, 2017 11:48:25 GMT -5 mskitkat said:

DD was a super gassy baby, but for her I had to cut out all sorts of veggies. Cabbage, broccoli, anything even remotely spicy, etc. So really it could be any food. If you do an elimination diet, you need to give it at least 2 weeks to clear your system And see if it worked.

2 weeks?

[redpenmama]

DD2 is 1 month and also dealing with pretty bad gas. I mentioned it to our pediatrician at her 2-week checkup. The first thing he said was: Don't immediately think you need to eliminate dairy. He suggested avoiding gas-causing foods like green leafy veggies, tomato sauces, and berries late in the day. He said he hates to say don't eat broccoli and strawberries, so he suggested consuming them earlier in the day since gas usually is worse at night. I have done that, and she's still gassy but it seems to have improved a bit ... so I don't know if it's my diet or her just getting bigger or dealing with gas better.

Anyway, our pedi said that he'd only suggest cutting out dairy if there was blood in the stool, which can be indicative of a milk protein allergy. Obviously, that's just one pediatrician's line of thinking. I would probably try an elimination diet to see if dairy is actually the trigger before committing to stopping it entirely, especially because you eat a lot of it (I do too!).

[scm1011]

redpenmama, I've been avoiding broccoli (no big loss for me, ha), but I eat spinach a couple nights a week. I didn't know leafy greens were on the gas-causing list. Good to know! DS' gas is definitely worse overnight.

[jsillyfun]

I did it bc of blood in stool and fussiness/back arching and excema. I noticed major improvements after a week off dairy. I subbed almond milk for milk, found a good brand if almond milk yogurt, did coconut milk ice cream and coffee creamer. I hate fake cheese so I subbed avocado or hummus on sandwiches, pizza, burgers. Easy to find brad without dairy, just check labels. Baked with Earth balance and subbed it for butter.

[simpsongal]

I eat a ton of dairy too - e.g., DH and I buy 4 or 5 gallons of milk when we grocery shop.

DD seemed to have extra gas her first couple months too. And she'd scream/cry b/c should couldn't pass it easily (stinky stools too, even though she was EBF). So I cut back a little on the dairy -- didn't eliminated it though. She seemed to get better around 5 months. I think her gut has matured and now I'm back to my regular dairy consumption and she's doing just fine.

Definitely consult your pedi, not just the chiro. If it were me, I'd cut back as you have, but if it's not extreme, keep cycling those legs and hopefully his gut will mature and adjust. Unless it's a major cause of concern or allergy, I'm hesitant to cut things from baby's diet. Just look how the recommendations have changed w/peanuts.

[missbella]

I gave up dairy and soy when DD was 2 weeks old at the suggestion of our Dr. She was fussy, projectile vomiting and had a rash. The vomiting and rash stopped/cleared up within 2-3 days. She continued to be fussy until she was 6 months old so that might have been a personality issue. It definitely sucked/sucks but after nearly 10 months it is doable. I also have a low BMI and miss it for calorie/fat/protein purposes but there are lots of alternatives and if you are ok with making your own stuff it's not too bad. I eat a lot of peanut butter. 

To truly test it out you need to give it up for at least 2 weeks but a month is better.


If you have any specific questions or want some product recommendations, let me know. Good luck.

[genet313]

Mar 23, 2017 12:17:29 GMT -5 simpsongal said:

I eat a ton of dairy too - e.g., DH and I buy 4 or 5 gallons of milk when we grocery shop.

DD seemed to have extra gas her first couple months too. And she'd scream/cry b/c should couldn't pass it easily (stinky stools too, even though she was EBF). So I cut back a little on the dairy -- didn't eliminated it though. She seemed to get better around 5 months. I think her gut has matured and now I'm back to my regular dairy consumption and she's doing just fine.

Definitely consult your pedi, not just the chiro. If it were me, I'd cut back as you have, but if it's not extreme, keep cycling those legs and hopefully his gut will mature and adjust. Unless it's a major cause of concern or allergy, I'm hesitant to cut things from baby's diet. Just look how the recommendations have changed w/peanuts.

This.  DD also had the horrible stinky stools and toots, and very gassy. I also cut back but didn't eliminate, I think it helped some but honestly I think she was just sensitive, not full on MSPI.   We just started her on solids and she's having trouble again with gas, so I think she has a sensitive stomach in general.  Some babies just do, and I wouldn't automatically assume that your baby is dairy sensitive and go nuts eliminating.  I'd just be careful generally about gassy foods and hope she'll grow out of it.

[scm1011]

Mar 23, 2017 12:34:16 GMT -5 genet313 said:

Mar 23, 2017 12:17:29 GMT -5 simpsongal said:

I eat a ton of dairy too - e.g., DH and I buy 4 or 5 gallons of milk when we grocery shop.

DD seemed to have extra gas her first couple months too. And she'd scream/cry b/c should couldn't pass it easily (stinky stools too, even though she was EBF). So I cut back a little on the dairy -- didn't eliminated it though. She seemed to get better around 5 months. I think her gut has matured and now I'm back to my regular dairy consumption and she's doing just fine.

Definitely consult your pedi, not just the chiro. If it were me, I'd cut back as you have, but if it's not extreme, keep cycling those legs and hopefully his gut will mature and adjust. Unless it's a major cause of concern or allergy, I'm hesitant to cut things from baby's diet. Just look how the recommendations have changed w/peanuts.

This.  DD also had the horrible stinky stools and toots, and very gassy. I also cut back but didn't eliminate, I think it helped some but honestly I think she was just sensitive, not full on MSPI.   We just started her on solids and she's having trouble again with gas, so I think she has a sensitive stomach in general.  Some babies just do, and I wouldn't automatically assume that your baby is dairy sensitive and go nuts eliminating.  I'd just be careful generally about gassy foods and hope she'll grow out of it.

This is encouraging, especially if things start improving around 5 months. I can scale back the dairy, but eliminating altogether seems overwhelming. DS also has stinky toots.

[starryfish]

Yup my baby had those symptoms and seemed VERY uncomfortable at night (especially early AM), as she would really have to "work/grunt" the farts out. At the recommendation of the pedi GI specialist we saw (for her other digestive issues-pyloric stenosis/projectile vomiting), I gave up dairy. I immediately noticed an improvement in her. The GI said that I can occasionally have a bowl of ice cream or whatnot and it won't hurt her. I gave up dairy starting Feb 1 and only had my first real cheat 2 weeks ago. Try cutting back and see if you notice a difference. S sleeps better at night now bc of it, although is still fussy in the evenings.

[sillygoosegirl]

I cut dairy because my baby was pooping blood. Her poop looked like currant jam.

What you are describing sounds to me like a baby who needs to go potty and doesn't want to do it in a diaper.

[starryfish]

Mar 23, 2017 13:09:57 GMT -5 sillygoosegirl said:

I cut dairy because my baby was pooping blood. Her poop looked like currant jam.

What you are describing sounds to me like a baby who needs to go potty and doesn't want to do it in a diaper.

Her baby is ~4.5 months old

[waitwhat]

Dairy shouldn't have anything to do with the issue you're experiencing while nursing. Could it be an overactive letdown? I wouldn't rush to cut dairy for no reason without other stuff going on. People are quick to recommend cutting dairy and most of the time it's unnecessary.

[waitwhat]

Also back arching is usually a reflux symptom.

[starryfish]

Mar 23, 2017 13:22:44 GMT -5 jamaicam said:

DS1 was a very very fussy baby. Screamed for hours every night etc. He grew out of it by the time he was 6 months. I hadn't heard about dairy with him so didn't make any changes. Now, at 4, he doesn't like dairy at all (he won't eat cheese or drink milk but he does like icecream!) and I wonder if he had a mild issue.

DS2 wasn't as bad, but I noticed he had bad nights whenever I had a lot of dairy (like a huge icecream and pizza). I got rid of a lot of dairy (no icecream, cheese or milk) but didn't get rid of hidden dairy, and he was an easy baby after that. Now, at 2, he loves dairy.

I do this, I don't worry about hidden dairy and still use butter at a restaurant (don't really use it much at home)

[scm1011]

Mar 23, 2017 13:19:48 GMT -5 waitwhat said:

Also back arching is usually a reflux symptom.

I've wondered if it could be reflux. His 4 month apt was last week, I don't know why I didn't ask about all this then. Ugh.

[scm1011]

Mar 23, 2017 13:26:59 GMT -5 starryfish said:

Mar 23, 2017 13:22:44 GMT -5 jamaicam said:

DS1 was a very very fussy baby. Screamed for hours every night etc. He grew out of it by the time he was 6 months. I hadn't heard about dairy with him so didn't make any changes. Now, at 4, he doesn't like dairy at all (he won't eat cheese or drink milk but he does like icecream!) and I wonder if he had a mild issue.

DS2 wasn't as bad, but I noticed he had bad nights whenever I had a lot of dairy (like a huge icecream and pizza). I got rid of a lot of dairy (no icecream, cheese or milk) but didn't get rid of hidden dairy, and he was an easy baby after that. Now, at 2, he loves dairy.

I do this, I don't worry about hidden dairy and still use butter at a restaurant (don't really use it much at home)

That's good to know. As much as it would suck to give up dairy, it was the hidden dairy that seemed really overwhelming to me. I feel like there is butter in everything.

[genet313]

Mar 23, 2017 13:18:16 GMT -5 waitwhat said:

Dairy shouldn't have anything to do with the issue you're experiencing while nursing. Could it be an overactive letdown? I wouldn't rush to cut dairy for no reason without other stuff going on. People are quick to recommend cutting dairy and most of the time it's unnecessary.

Oh yeah, also this.  I noticed with DD as she grew and became more used to my letdown, the hiccups and pulling and arching lessened significantly.  Try taking DS off your breast for the initial letdown and put him back on after the initial flow slows down a bit.   It's a bit tough to do at first, but once you get the hang of it and "feel" your letdown, you'll know when to take him off.

[Jalapeñomel]

D was gassy and had reflux. Eliminating foods did nothing for him, but I figured it couldn't hurt to try.

[starryfish]

Mar 23, 2017 13:54:15 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

D was gassy and had reflux. Eliminating foods did nothing for him, but I figured it couldn't hurt to try.

This is where I was at. I also notice that if she doesn't like something I ate, I usually see it around 8-12 hours after I ate it. 

[jene]

DS had a lot of mucus in his stools, and they would be bright green, he had gas. I stopped drinking milk, but left all other dairy in my diet and his diapers when back to normal. After 6 months or so, I started adding it back in to my diet. He has no issues and is now a dairy fiend.

[kitty]

My first had a dairy intolerance. She was colicky/inconsolable, needed to be held all the time, couldn't stay asleep without being held or in a carrier, plus all of the gas issues. At 11 or 12 weeks, I saw frank blood in her diaper so we went to the pedi and I cut out all dairy and soy. Within a week, she was noticeably better and after 3-4 weeks she was like a different baby. It took me so long to go to the pedi because as a FTM I had no idea how much fussiness was "normal."

With my second and third, I have gone off dairy preventatively because I the colic was so, so bad I cannot go through that again. I knew every little gas attack would have me second guessing or feeling guilty about what I was eating. My second still was pretty gassy (but but he had a tongue tie we didn't figure out until he was 10 months old.

My third had his tongue tie clipped at two weeks and I have been 100% dairy free since 3 weeks before he was born. I am avoiding all dairy, including hidden/baked dairy and have not cheated at all. He is still pretty gassy! My DS2 is almost the same age as your LO so I think is it likely just an age/gut maturity thing. You could cut back but I'm not sure there's enough evidence to fully eliminate.

[ssmjlm]

Mar 23, 2017 13:14:04 GMT -5 starryfish said:

Mar 23, 2017 13:09:57 GMT -5 sillygoosegirl said:

I cut dairy because my baby was pooping blood. Her poop looked like currant jam.

What you are describing sounds to me like a baby who needs to go potty and doesn't want to do it in a diaper.

Her baby is ~4.5 months old

It's widely well known that sillygoosegirl is not one to take parenting advice from.

I have nothing to add except when I thought E had a dairy intolerance I sobbed to DH that we would have to switch to formula b/c I couldn't give up cheese.  I may have been just slightly hormonal at the time.

Oh and oreos are dairy free. YWIA

[lifetaketwo]

I did because she was super gassy, but I'm not sure it helped. I think she may have just grown out of it. I used half sweetened almond milk as my sub. It was okay. The pedi told me there are lactase drops that we could give her directly, I think the brand is Colief, but it was a bit of a pita so I just went without.