So I hadn't added a new food in for soooooo long and I had the hardest time trying to decide what would be next. Finally I decided that a pure protein source would be best for my body as I had no pure proteins. So eggs it was...and the first 7-8 days went great! I was so excited, being able to eat eggs was amazing; both for my attitude and for my physical health on such a restricted diet.
Something just began to be off with Noah. He wasn't napping as long, became pretty restless at night and just wasn't right. Then around day/night 9-10 he began waking from a deep sleep at night, in our arms, screaming. Just SCREAMING and inconsolible. It was horrible! We literally had to jump out of bed and bounce him to sleep he was so upset. One night my hubby had him out on the couch while I was getting a break in bed, and he pooped in the middle of the night. Very unusual, he barely did that as a newborn. My hubby came in to get a diaper and wipes, and then was back in the bedroom 5 minutes later, flipped the lamp on and was shoving a poopy diaper in my face! It just looked weird, and our hearts sank. I told him to scrape some into a baggie and we'd take it to the doctors in the morning.
Our doctor called the next morning, and sure enough. Blood, full of it. And Noah had begun to spit up reddish brown streaks of mucous in his spit-up that morning. I mentioned that to the doc and she commented that his stomach was probably bleeding as well as his intestines. I felt so sick to my stomach that something I had eaten had done this....and that we had 10+ days of eggs to get out of Noah's system. It was such a discouraging day....I cried off and on the whole day. Its a feeling like none other to be doing all that you possibly can for your baby and be inadvertantly causing them pain and agony. It was so hard emotionally!
I've been off of the egg for 7 days now and Noah seems better. We had begun to try transitioning my hubby back into the bedroom since he's been on the couch for 6 months, but that has been placed on hold. Noah needs to be "normal" first! We also are putting his solids on hold for now until his tummy heals a bit more. I'm hoping by next weekend, the kiddo is so ready for food!!! He watches us with this completly absorbed concentration while we eat; those eyes never leave our food! It's hilarious! What a little trooper I have. I just adore him so much and can't wait for his little body to heal more. I know it has to get better soon! I'm just so relieved I can eat wheat/bread. That has been the biggest blessing ever, I would have ended this diet weeks ago as it's just too hard with all the other foods I am avoiding to also avoid bread. Thank you LORD for allowing the bread. I fevently prayed for bread and my prayers were answered!
Showing posts with label My Food Journey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label My Food Journey. Show all posts
Monday, March 2, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
To Eat Bread Or To Avoid...That Is The Question!
It's been awhile since I posted...I need to get back into cooking more meals during the week! I've been eating gluten/bread for the past 3 weeks and it opens up so many more meal possibilities. My goal was to only eat it once a day, as it does make Noah a little uncomfortable. It's amazing, though, how once you add it in, it's hard to remember how to eat without it!
It was a pretty rough week last week. Our 4 1/2 year old got a stomach virus (again!) and didn't feel good. She ran a fever, as did Noah for about 24 hours. We could only assume that Noah felt pretty icky also. He continued to nurse well and seemed to have a good appetite, however was so horribly fussy. HORRIBLY. He wasn't so bad when awake, but when he got tired it was this awful event to get him to sleep. He would scream, and only be soothed by this outrageous bouncing/jumping/jiggling act cuddled in our arms that actually felt like it had his body suspended for a millisecond. Hubby and I both had the thought independently that we were giving him shaken baby syndrome from such hard bouncing. It was THE ONLY thing that would stop his screaming and put him to sleep. We were so uncomfortable with it, that we stopped and let him scream it out in his crib. If we were taking 20 minutes to get him to fall asleep in our arms, walking around, bouncing, etc., screaming the entire time, he might as well just scream in his crib. It worked quite well! If only we had tried sooner. It did take quite a toll on our 4 1/2 year old....she was very bothered by him crying so much. She's a tender soul!
So we really deliberated. Was Noah upset because of the likely tummy issues, or did the gluten finally catch up to him? Or could he normally semi-tolerate gluten, but with the tummy upset it pushed him over the edge? We resorted to formula for the next 18-20 hours while I avoided gluten so my milk could clear out. Interesting factoid...while on formula, he still had some gas. While nursing with me avoiding gluten, he still had some gas. When I eat gluten, he still has some gas. I'm at a total loss! I'd rather eat it and have a bit more sanity on the TED diet if he's still going to be gassy. So it's back to the old guessing game and just not knowing how to proceed! I began eating gluten again yesterday after a 2-3 day break, so we'll see what the future holds! Other than bread, I haven't added in any new foods. Oh, I did have oatmeal Friday and Saturday. I couldn't see any change in his behavior.
This is week 18 on the TED - no meat, soy, dairy, eggs, corn/corn syrup, bread (for 4 months), nuts, chocolate, many fruits and vegetables. I'm not sure how much longer I will last...
It was a pretty rough week last week. Our 4 1/2 year old got a stomach virus (again!) and didn't feel good. She ran a fever, as did Noah for about 24 hours. We could only assume that Noah felt pretty icky also. He continued to nurse well and seemed to have a good appetite, however was so horribly fussy. HORRIBLY. He wasn't so bad when awake, but when he got tired it was this awful event to get him to sleep. He would scream, and only be soothed by this outrageous bouncing/jumping/jiggling act cuddled in our arms that actually felt like it had his body suspended for a millisecond. Hubby and I both had the thought independently that we were giving him shaken baby syndrome from such hard bouncing. It was THE ONLY thing that would stop his screaming and put him to sleep. We were so uncomfortable with it, that we stopped and let him scream it out in his crib. If we were taking 20 minutes to get him to fall asleep in our arms, walking around, bouncing, etc., screaming the entire time, he might as well just scream in his crib. It worked quite well! If only we had tried sooner. It did take quite a toll on our 4 1/2 year old....she was very bothered by him crying so much. She's a tender soul!
So we really deliberated. Was Noah upset because of the likely tummy issues, or did the gluten finally catch up to him? Or could he normally semi-tolerate gluten, but with the tummy upset it pushed him over the edge? We resorted to formula for the next 18-20 hours while I avoided gluten so my milk could clear out. Interesting factoid...while on formula, he still had some gas. While nursing with me avoiding gluten, he still had some gas. When I eat gluten, he still has some gas. I'm at a total loss! I'd rather eat it and have a bit more sanity on the TED diet if he's still going to be gassy. So it's back to the old guessing game and just not knowing how to proceed! I began eating gluten again yesterday after a 2-3 day break, so we'll see what the future holds! Other than bread, I haven't added in any new foods. Oh, I did have oatmeal Friday and Saturday. I couldn't see any change in his behavior.
This is week 18 on the TED - no meat, soy, dairy, eggs, corn/corn syrup, bread (for 4 months), nuts, chocolate, many fruits and vegetables. I'm not sure how much longer I will last...
Friday, January 9, 2009
My Food Journey
Noah's inability to digest through my breastmilk the foods I was eating prompted me to begin a Total Elimination Diet (TED). This was not an easy decision to make, as I knew that once begun it would likely be months and months before I had a normal diet again. But after several days of my poor 4 week old son screaming and passing extremely painful gas, I just didn't know what else to do. So, I began the journey on October 7, 2008.
The TED only allows several foods for the first two weeks to allow your system and your baby's system to clear out. Then you add a new food in ONE at a time and try it for four days. If there is no reaction, the baby has "passed" that food and you can begin a new food trial. These foods can be found at: http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T041200.asp
Another good site is the Joneja Allergen Scale at:
http://www.allergynutrition.com/resources/FAQ/15/Foods%20Most%20Frequently%20Associated%20with%20Allergy.pdf
This lists the majority of foods from highest to lowest allergen factor.
white or sweet potato
range fed turkey or lamb
cooked yellow or green squash
pear or pear juice
millet
rice
sea salt
olive oil
Well, give a vegetarian the above list and that is pretty scary! I seriously tried several times to eat turkey and just couldn't do it. Being raised vegetarian and thinking of meat as a dead animal is hard to reverse.
So I began the diet but also added in quinoa, a grain that is a complete protein and also the lowest on the allergen scale. I began on a Tuesday, and on Thursday morning I woke up with a red speckled rash all over my face, neck and chest. And I was itchy! I scratched, although I shouldn't have, and soon had raised welts all over my face. Since the quinoa wasn't on the original list, I assumed that must be the culprit. So I stopped eating it. Friday morning I woke up with more of a rash extending to my shoulders, down my back and chest, ears and also hundreds of little white pimples on my jawline, chin, eyelids and around my mouth. It was freaky! So that day I only ate potatoes and pears. That was a hard day, just felt icky and weak.
The next day I added in some zucchini with lunch, and noticed I was itchy again that afternoon. I had zucchini again for lunch the next day, and within an hour I had a rash and was itchy.
So, 6 days on the TED and I couldn't eat the meat, or the zucchini. I was down to potatoes, sweet potato, millet, rice, quinoa and pear. I kept at it until about a week later when Noah was still fussy, gassy and upset. I talked with Dr. Leeper from MilkWorks who advised me that some babies can't handle rice! What?! Don't take away rice! But sure enough, I cut out the rice and Noah immediately improved. In exchange over the next few weeks, I added in baked beans (I know! I couldn't resisit one day as I put them away from Jer and Abbie's meal, and somehow they worked.) lentils, avocados, peaches, and then bananas. Eight - 12 days later I took a leap and added in carrots, onion and celery at the same time. Thank goodness those all passed! Then I could make a "stir-fry" or a potato soup. Then sunbutter, made from sunflower seeds. Again over the next weeks I added in mushrooms, garlic powder and tried different gluten free flours. No flours would work, which was discouraging.
My theory was to look at the scale and assume that I should safely be able to eat everything from the middle down. I tried to never add in more than one food at a time since if Noah did react I wouldn't know what he was reacting to! I also tried to really think about what would affect my quality of eating....what could I actually make SOMEthing out of, like a dish.
By Thanksgiving, I was also eating broccoli and green beans, which Noah then promptly failed. He still hasn't been able to tolerate green beans, but we are good with broccoli. It's been such a hard thing, and I have been sick many, many days because my nutrition was so inadequate. I have discovered that I feel the best when I try to eat a little bit of most of my available foods every day. So, the journey continues. It's hard and I wish I could stop almost every day, but honestly where do you go from here? We've tried several formulas to no avail and what else can I do? Before I successfully added in rice and broccoli I was getting pretty sick. Headaches, nauseated, weak, and probably TMI for most people, but was having 10-12 loose BM's a day. Defnitely not the sign of a healthy body. I had stopped my multi-vitamin because I was afraid he would react to it, and still haven't added it back in. Or calcium! I need to make those a priority........
And it's frustrating beyond belief. Abbie never nursed well and it was painful for 9 months. I had every nursing problem you could imagine with her. So I didn't really enjoy nursing, I just did it because it was best and we couldn't afford the horribly expense dairy/soy free formulas. Noah is an awesome nurser. Fast, efficient, great latch and no pain. However, I don't really get to enjoy this nursing experience either because of this horrible restrictive diet. It's really been hard, to say the least.
Foods Noah has failed:
wheat/gluten
corn
dairy
soy
chocolate
nuts
green beans
coconut
sorghum flour
chickpeas/garbonzo beans
rice burger from Akins
eggs
mayonnaise
rice - but I was able to add it in about 5 weeks ago, after 10 weeks without!
Foods Noah can eat:
white potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, mushrooms, carrots, garlic, onion, celery, broccoli, avocado, pear, peach, banana, blueberries, ketchup :-), mustard, lettuce, pickles, cucumber, rice, millet, quinoa, sugar (but not too much or he'll get really spitty) brown sugar, honey, sunflower seeds
As I can add in new foods I'll post a new update. I am desperate for a bread. We've made several GF breads and the texture and taste is just so off I don't enjoy them.
I keep praying that God will heal Noah, and enable him to eat more foods (and me too!). I just want my baby boy to be happy all the time, and not have to go through what must be some pretty awful pain. Horribly gas, green, slimy, mucousy, stringy sour smelling poops, will NOT sleep at night unless he is in our arms and often with the pacifier firmly implanted in his mouth. He has NEVER slept all night in his crib, EVER. Which means my hubby and I haven't slept good for 19 weeks either! And for me, I haven't slept good since May of 2008 when I was uncomfortable at night with my pregnancy and frequently got up to use the bathroom. Add this on top of my peripartum cardiomyopathy that I developed at 28 weeks pregnant and my body is exhausted, worn out and nutritionally depleted; still attempting to recover from the pregnancy, c-section and stress that my heart went through.
Noah is such a little trooper though, still smiling and laughing and happy most of the time when my foods aren't bothering him. It's been so hard, but such a blessing to have this child in our lives. I love you little Noah Noah!
The TED only allows several foods for the first two weeks to allow your system and your baby's system to clear out. Then you add a new food in ONE at a time and try it for four days. If there is no reaction, the baby has "passed" that food and you can begin a new food trial. These foods can be found at: http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T041200.asp
Another good site is the Joneja Allergen Scale at:
http://www.allergynutrition.com/resources/FAQ/15/Foods%20Most%20Frequently%20Associated%20with%20Allergy.pdf
This lists the majority of foods from highest to lowest allergen factor.
white or sweet potato
range fed turkey or lamb
cooked yellow or green squash
pear or pear juice
millet
rice
sea salt
olive oil
Well, give a vegetarian the above list and that is pretty scary! I seriously tried several times to eat turkey and just couldn't do it. Being raised vegetarian and thinking of meat as a dead animal is hard to reverse.
So I began the diet but also added in quinoa, a grain that is a complete protein and also the lowest on the allergen scale. I began on a Tuesday, and on Thursday morning I woke up with a red speckled rash all over my face, neck and chest. And I was itchy! I scratched, although I shouldn't have, and soon had raised welts all over my face. Since the quinoa wasn't on the original list, I assumed that must be the culprit. So I stopped eating it. Friday morning I woke up with more of a rash extending to my shoulders, down my back and chest, ears and also hundreds of little white pimples on my jawline, chin, eyelids and around my mouth. It was freaky! So that day I only ate potatoes and pears. That was a hard day, just felt icky and weak.
The next day I added in some zucchini with lunch, and noticed I was itchy again that afternoon. I had zucchini again for lunch the next day, and within an hour I had a rash and was itchy.
So, 6 days on the TED and I couldn't eat the meat, or the zucchini. I was down to potatoes, sweet potato, millet, rice, quinoa and pear. I kept at it until about a week later when Noah was still fussy, gassy and upset. I talked with Dr. Leeper from MilkWorks who advised me that some babies can't handle rice! What?! Don't take away rice! But sure enough, I cut out the rice and Noah immediately improved. In exchange over the next few weeks, I added in baked beans (I know! I couldn't resisit one day as I put them away from Jer and Abbie's meal, and somehow they worked.) lentils, avocados, peaches, and then bananas. Eight - 12 days later I took a leap and added in carrots, onion and celery at the same time. Thank goodness those all passed! Then I could make a "stir-fry" or a potato soup. Then sunbutter, made from sunflower seeds. Again over the next weeks I added in mushrooms, garlic powder and tried different gluten free flours. No flours would work, which was discouraging.
My theory was to look at the scale and assume that I should safely be able to eat everything from the middle down. I tried to never add in more than one food at a time since if Noah did react I wouldn't know what he was reacting to! I also tried to really think about what would affect my quality of eating....what could I actually make SOMEthing out of, like a dish.
By Thanksgiving, I was also eating broccoli and green beans, which Noah then promptly failed. He still hasn't been able to tolerate green beans, but we are good with broccoli. It's been such a hard thing, and I have been sick many, many days because my nutrition was so inadequate. I have discovered that I feel the best when I try to eat a little bit of most of my available foods every day. So, the journey continues. It's hard and I wish I could stop almost every day, but honestly where do you go from here? We've tried several formulas to no avail and what else can I do? Before I successfully added in rice and broccoli I was getting pretty sick. Headaches, nauseated, weak, and probably TMI for most people, but was having 10-12 loose BM's a day. Defnitely not the sign of a healthy body. I had stopped my multi-vitamin because I was afraid he would react to it, and still haven't added it back in. Or calcium! I need to make those a priority........
And it's frustrating beyond belief. Abbie never nursed well and it was painful for 9 months. I had every nursing problem you could imagine with her. So I didn't really enjoy nursing, I just did it because it was best and we couldn't afford the horribly expense dairy/soy free formulas. Noah is an awesome nurser. Fast, efficient, great latch and no pain. However, I don't really get to enjoy this nursing experience either because of this horrible restrictive diet. It's really been hard, to say the least.
Foods Noah has failed:
wheat/gluten
corn
dairy
soy
chocolate
nuts
green beans
coconut
sorghum flour
chickpeas/garbonzo beans
rice burger from Akins
eggs
mayonnaise
rice - but I was able to add it in about 5 weeks ago, after 10 weeks without!
Foods Noah can eat:
white potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, mushrooms, carrots, garlic, onion, celery, broccoli, avocado, pear, peach, banana, blueberries, ketchup :-), mustard, lettuce, pickles, cucumber, rice, millet, quinoa, sugar (but not too much or he'll get really spitty) brown sugar, honey, sunflower seeds
As I can add in new foods I'll post a new update. I am desperate for a bread. We've made several GF breads and the texture and taste is just so off I don't enjoy them.
I keep praying that God will heal Noah, and enable him to eat more foods (and me too!). I just want my baby boy to be happy all the time, and not have to go through what must be some pretty awful pain. Horribly gas, green, slimy, mucousy, stringy sour smelling poops, will NOT sleep at night unless he is in our arms and often with the pacifier firmly implanted in his mouth. He has NEVER slept all night in his crib, EVER. Which means my hubby and I haven't slept good for 19 weeks either! And for me, I haven't slept good since May of 2008 when I was uncomfortable at night with my pregnancy and frequently got up to use the bathroom. Add this on top of my peripartum cardiomyopathy that I developed at 28 weeks pregnant and my body is exhausted, worn out and nutritionally depleted; still attempting to recover from the pregnancy, c-section and stress that my heart went through.
Noah is such a little trooper though, still smiling and laughing and happy most of the time when my foods aren't bothering him. It's been so hard, but such a blessing to have this child in our lives. I love you little Noah Noah!
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