Infant Dairy Intolerance while Breastfeeding

For me, the realization that Joseph was dairy free came at around 3 months.  Initially I had thought that he was simply a fussier baby than Xavier, but due to the amazing breastfeeding support group in town, I realized it was actually a dairy intolerance.  I'd also note, that I think that dairy intolerance is probably more prevalent than some realize, as many of my friends who nurse have had dairy intolerant babies.  Perhaps it is due to pediatricians not wanting to add another hurdle to a nursing mother, or maybe it's the continuing idea that colic is the problem (not a symptom)...whatever the reason, this blog post is just a simple primer as to my experience and things I found helpful in being dairy free for the past six months.

First, I would highly recommend KellyMom's article on Dairy and other Food Sensitivities and in particular their Hidden Dairy Cheat Sheet.  Once you go dairy free, you will find out that many things that might seem dairy free (such as non-dairy creamer) DO contain dairy! Go figure!  Unfortunately, in most cases, Lactose-Free items are not necessarily helpful, as it is the protein caesin in dairy solids that is the culprit.

In going dairy free, one needs to pay in particular attention to any kind of processed foods (especially bread, and other things that might not initially jump out at you as offenders).  Prudent ingredient list reading is important.  Eating out is also a small hurdle, as often times I have needed to ask if something would be cooked with butter (such as a piece of chicken, steak, pastas, etc...).  More often than not, pasta sauces in restaurants will contain parmigiana cheese, although some canned sauces from the grocery store are a-okay.  When eating at chain restaurants or fast food, you can use the GoDairyFree.Org website to see what dairy free options they have.  It's fairly comprehensive, and I do recommend that you always double check before ordering (for example, McDonald's fries contain dairy in them! Go Figure!)..

Anything listed as "vegan" gets the green light.  A friend (who was also dairy free due to her son) joked that we never appriciated vegans until we had to cut dairy out!  In regards to butter, there are several vegan options, although the cheapest, and I think best tasting is Smart Balance Light (the only one that is vegan).  Supposedly, Ghee (clarified butter) from Purity Farms is also caesin free, although I have not tried it first hand.

So, in reading all this, you probably think "So, I can't eat anything..." because that's how I felt initially.  Then, I realized it's not as limiting as it may seem.  You just need to be a little extra vigilant.

Things that are my personal go to's at home haven't changed too much, we just cook with more oil and smart balance, and don't do cheese on italian dishes (and I am more frequently making my own pasta sauce).  We do not eat Italian out.  Indian is usually out in restaurants, but I make many curries at home with coconut milk rather than cream and butter.  Asian cuisine is a-okay, except for things such as cheese wontons (which, aren't really Asian anyway...).  Mexican is great to cook at home, but be mindful when ordering out that they 1) don't cook in butter, and 2) you order without cheese (I always forget to tell them no cheese on my beans!).

If you are in the Morgantown area, I highly recommend Black Bear, Terra Cafe, Madeline's, and also the Beanery, as they've always been increadibly accommodating!