Can I pick your brains about dairy free?

[LurkyLurkerMcLurkface]

I've been BLW my 6 month old for the last couple of weeks, and he's developed a rash whenever he's had cows milk. He's also got a history of explosive poos, and poor sleep so I think this may have been going on for a while (feeling quite shit about not thinking CMPA earlier)
The GP has referred us to a paediatrician with an interest in allergies so that's in hand, and I'm cutting out dairy for both of us as he's breast fed.
Can you share your dairy free weaning foods? I'd also love an idea of treat type things that I can eat, I didn't have much luck poking around in the biscuit isle, and sadly have found that goats milk tea tastes awful

We have had exactly the same as you. My daughter is nearly 2 and I'm still breastfeeding but we 're weaning her soon.

Tesco do dairy free frozen garlic bread and icecream cones. In the free from aisle they do chocolate buttons, alpro deserts (the vanilla ones taste like custard), and apple pies, brownies etc.

My daughter loves Violife cheese.

My 2 year old is dairy free. She has almond milk in food/on cereal and loves it. Weaning wise I just stick to meat and veg, fruit, pasta bolognese, that sort of thing. Vitalite is dairy free to put on toast instead of butter (I also use it to make pastry for lies) and there are dairy free cheeses such as Violife. Dd likes the soft cheese but not the block of it.

Treats wise she has dairy free choc, ready salted crisps, jelly and we've found a few dairy free biscuits - Bourbons, party rings, rich tea, fruit shortcakes, most own brand Jaffa cakes, coco pops (Kellogg's, not own brand). Also, In sainsburys and asda they sell packs of 12 fairy cakes which are dairy free too.

It is just a matter of checking all labels, you'll be surprised by what is dairy free. Some of the biscuits mentioned above do have milk in them dependent on where they're bought so make sure you double check.

It does get easier, it's second nature for me now knowing what she can and can't eat. Good luck!

I am dairy free because ebf DD2 was very fussy when first born. Not started weaning her yet but likely to just give her what we have if possible.

I make fairy cakes and flapjacks with DD1 with stork margarine. Also Oreos and plain hobnobs are dairy free. I have oat milk in my tea which is nice.

Plenty of biscuits are dairy free - bourbons, oreos, fruit shortcake, rich tea just off the top of my head.

My favourite dairy free milk is Almond, but DS2 (who has been dairy free since he was a toddler) prefers soya.

Really good quality dark chocolate is usually dairy free. If you prefer "milk" chocolate then Tesco and several other supermarkets do one.

Lazy Day Bakery do dairy free cakes eg Millionaire's Shortbread and Rocky Road which are nice. Coop and Morrison's stock them.

Dairy free ice cream is lovely and I think nice than the usual versions. It's called Swedish Glacé and is in the ice cream section. Glad someone mentioned Oreos already as they were a revelation!

Good luck, hopefully the change in your diet will start to work, think it took about 4 weeks for me & DS was like a different child in a lot of ways, especially sleep. He didn't become a perfect sleeper or anything but so much more settled.

Stork isn't dairy free, it contains buttermilk. We use Vitalite or Pure, although I have just bought the new Flora one to try.

Another one who used oat milk (DD2 is allergic to dairy and egg, but we're on the verge of testing to see if she has grown out of them at almost 5). I bake with it, cook with it, it's great. The only things it hasn't gone well with is making custard and making white sauce for a lasagne.

For weaning foods, I went with plain fruits and veg, and then various bits of whatever we were eating.

For my own sanity - Oreos, and re-awakening my baking skills. I now make a mean vegan chocolate cake.

Coconut milk is nice too - particularly good in curries.

Neither DD nor I ever got along with dairy free cheese.

We were living in NZ when she was diagnosed, and there was an annual "gluten free and allergy show", I took her around it, tasting things - which is where we discovered that oat milk is nice and almond milk is vile in tea.

Also, we were told to stay away from all animal milks, as the proteins are too similar.

The blocks of stork (gold wrapper?) are dairy free. It's the soft tubs that aren't.

(Although a lot of the baking I do, as it's vegan, uses oil instead for some reason)

For you, there is so much now on offer - Tesco do loads of ice cream, their own brand as well as Swedish Glace. Chocolate - beware true dairy free ones as full of sugar. Dark chocolate - 70% - that doesn't have dairy ingreds should be fine for you (cocoa butter = not butter, but do check for butter oil in some), but may set off the LO if super sensitive.

Avoid soya for baby until older or agreed by allergist as frequent cross reactivity and it's not considered good for small children (under 5s I think).

Can't remember weaning but can't remember it being hard at all. Having a milk to mash stuff with was probably hardest - we were given prescription formula for that and can use oat milk - far better than even soya in tea/coffee according to DH who uses either DS's milk (oat) or mine (soya) when he's run out. The coconut milk - in the UHT sort of milk section, not for thai cooking (try Koko) - is good for things like custard as the oat milk is horrid heated. It's also better frozen if making ice pops - have no recollection of what a 6mth old eats! :D

I can't think what you would give to a baby that was dairy early on other than maybe cheese. Violife is ok as a dairy free cheese but there's no protein in it, so no real point giving it to a baby.

Do get read up on stuff before your appt tho as some are still a bit rubbish so it's good to have a good list of questions. Maybe check out Allergy UK website? For some it's a milk allergy (the protein) for others it is the sugar (lactose) that's the prob and I think then it's intolerance.

Remember not to panic too much. So many people in the world don't and have never had cow's milk (it gets weirder to think about it the more you don't have it in your life!) that your baby will be fine and will be able to eat normally. Try not to think too much of replacements as many 'free from' are packed with fat and sugar and no real goodness.

I do eat the Alpro dark chocolate desserts, but they are soya, so not for baby. DS and I also love fruit crumbles in this season. Chuck a load of mixed fresh berries in a dish, make some crumble topping with Pure spread, chuck in the oven - best treat ever! :D

This is a jumbled reply - apologies! Feel free to pm. It's daunting to start with, but sounds like it may become a way of life soon and you'll soon get used to it.

My DS has severe CMPA. Oat milk yes for
milk replacement and there is a CMPA weaning page on Facebook which is helpful but had no problems really, he can still have spag bol/cottage pie type main meals, fruit purées at first, sandwiches etc etc

As for a treat for you while BF...coconut macaroons- dairy free and delicious! Good luck

My ds had a cmpa until he grew out of it by 3.
We swore by...
Oreos and bourbons
Tesco frozen garlic bread - the slices not baguettes
Swedish glacé icecream
Oatly and alpro +1 milk
Alpro vanilla custard pots

Thankyou everyone! I'm feeling a bit better, there is food out there!
Did you all avoid other animal milks? I gave LO a bit of hard goats cheese with tea and he seemed fine-no rash

Dairy free is relatively easy these days. Most supermarkets have a good free from range.

Coconut yogurt is delicious, love the koko ones and coconut collective. So is coconut ice cream.

It is just a case of reading the ingredients. Just be careful because it's sometimes listed as whey or whey powder.

I agree with pp that it seems huge at first but soon becomes normal. It's much easier than you think if you make meals from scratch - just find a dairy free milk you like and use instead of milk, and use vitalite or pure spread instead of butter.

A lot of people use Oatly milk, and they also do an Oatly cream. There is even a free 'Oatlifier' app that tells you how to adapt ordinary recipes (with Oatly )

In terms of treats, Koko yoghurts, crisps (salt & vinegar, ready salted french fries, hula hoop pufts (not cheese flavour) pom bears (not cheese flavour - spot the the theme?)space raiders..
Sainsburys rich tea fingers, plain hob nobs. Soreen banana loaf (not the original sadly, although Aldis version is dairy free).

If you google 'laurens list' that is a huge list of normal dairy free treats listed by supermarket.

My own favourite milk is coconut almond milk - delicious in tea, hot chocolate and mashed potatoes

Currently chasing 2 wild DD's around the house so don't have a lot of time but just wanted to add to the post that Aldi's cheapest garlic baguette (everyday essentials maybe?) is both dairy and soya free! Super cheap and don't taste half bad either. Aldi also do "mini macs" which are small individually wrapped macaroons which are dairy free and their own version of raspberry ruffles. I have 2 dairy intolerant DD's and DD2 is also soya intolerant. It's so great when you find new foods for them!

Also for you Costa (Starbucks and cafe Nero too) do say versions of all their drinks. I was addicted to their hot chocolate when Bfeeding my DD2, i felt it was the closest thing to a proper chocolate treat, I'm ab absolute chocoholic so dairy free was a struggle for me in that respect.

This is a fab and very supportive fb group that's been a lot of help to me www.facebook.com/groups/963388520398067/

*say should be soya stupid phone!