Reflux, Breatfeeding, I'm giving up dairy and need advice.

[Confuzzeled]

Okay ds 9wks has reflux. We've had 3 sessions with cranial osteopath and it's made no difference. So I've decided to give up dairy for a few weeks to see if this helps.

I went out and bought lactose free milk but then I read that lactose is different from cows milk protein. So what can I have and how long will it take to see if it's making a difference?

You need to get rid of all cow's products altogether - milk, cheese, yoghurt, beef, butter, whey, etc. Check carefully any prepared foods as most of them will contain at least one cow's milk product, unless they are suitable for vegans.

Soya is also quite similar, so I was advised to cut it out as well.

It can take up to 4 weeks to completely leave your system but I noticed a difference within 48 hours.

Is the reflux being treated in any other way? Is he gaining weight well?

It's a nightmare having to do without dairy, but you do get used to it after a while.

I'm a veggie so no problem giving up the meat

I bought lactose free milk but think I'll have to buy rice milk instead. Can't believe I'll have to live without chocolate but it'll be worth it.

DS is gaining weight fine, he's a big boy. Dd (now 2.7years old) also had reflux but I never tried to give up dairy, she just had infacol and lots of clothes changes.

He's not having any other treatment, I want to try the no dairy rule first before I medicate.

There's plenty of vegan chocolate you can have! In fact most good quality black chocolate is dairy free.

sorry but what do you eat on a typical day if you can not eat dairy? How do you keep your calcium levels up?

Almonds are really good for calcium. I personally ended up eating a lot of japanese food, which I like and is dairy free. So is much of chinese food.

I also ate roasts, casseroles/stews, home made pies (pastry made with oil) - there is really a lot of choice.

What I found hardest was breakfast, which is usually yoghurt for me. But cereal with rice milk is acceptable, fruit, toast with almond paste and jam/honey. Almond paste (a bit like peanut butter but made with almonds) is delicious and a very good source of calcium.

It's really not that hard if you do your own cooking (or, as was my case, your dp/dh does). What's tricky is not getting caught out by, for example, eating a biscuit and realising afterwards it had whey in it.

Speak to your HV about this - they should be able to prescribe you calcium supplements and a list of calcium-rich foods (mine did for me, anyway). You can also ask to see a community dietician if you think it would be beneficial.

It's nearly 3 years since I did it so my memory is very hazy, and clouded by later giving up gluten too. But I remember being HUNGRY and all my usual 'filler' foods containing dairy (casein, whey, milk solids, soya, etc.). I think peanut butter was a good saviour, lots of fruit.

Believe it or not, because it's for your DC, you soon stop missing chocolate

You can get calcium from loads of other stuff, Oranges, Salmon, Brocolli, Spinich. I think as long as your aware to make sure your getting plenty then it's fine.

I didn't realise I could have peanut butter, woo hoo, thats my breakfast puzzle sorted. Rice milk just ain't that great but it'll be fine for using as a milk substitute in cooking.

I was trying to stop wheat at the same time and have been very very hungry, so I'm just going to try dairy first then if that doesn't make any difference I'll give up wheat.

I'm seeing my HV this Thursday when ds gets his first vaccines. Both HV's will probably be there, one is dead set on giving ds Gaviscon while the other suggested I try the no dairy or cranial osteopath first if I wasn't keen on medicating.

I would live on fruit and vegetable smoothies if it meant ds would stop vomiting. It doesn't seem to bother him but he gets soaked and it's so cold out, I don't want him getting ill. Dd was a spring baby so I guess it wasn't as hard with her and she liked the taste of infacol.

Does anyone know if I can have Goats milk?

I tried to raise the cot but he seems worse when I do. He sleeps really well at night so it's not a big problem.

I hold him up for 20-40 minutes after each feed, poor thing just vomits. He's a bit better today, I stopped dairy on Friday so maybe this is the beginning of the effects.

I'm glad your ds2 is almost better it's hard work I know, my dd was bad until she started weaning at 6 months.

No to goats milk - proteins are too similar.

Oat milk is better than rice milk for cooking imo. It makes great pancakes .

I didn't like dark choc before going dairy free, but do now .

I found cutting out milk rather than replacing was easiest.
You could try having sweets instead of chocolate (though if you're veggie then presumably no gelatine), or Swedish Glace (soya 'ice cream') is nice, particularly the blueberry flavour.

Lots of 'meat and 3 veg' meals or tomato-based dishes.

I lost a lot of weight.

With my ds, I also found cutting out orange juice made a huge difference to his nappies (though this may not be an issue for you)

I am surprised raising the cot hasn't helped though- made a huge difference to my dd, but you do have to raise it to a silly angle- 30 degrees probably. The paediatrician showed us a way to thread a sheet through the cot bars and between her legs to stop her sliding down into a heap at the bottom every night.