06 November 2008

And so it goes...



We think Ruby has a milk allergy. Le sigh. This means eliminating ALL dairy items from my diet for at least 3 weeks to see how she reacts. Okay, no milk, cheese, yogurt - simple enough. Not. It means no products that contain any milk proteins, which means nothing with milk, butter, whey, or casein in the ingredients. It's amazing what that cuts out. Some breads, frozen french fries, rice-a-roni's, and on and on. Basically, 80% of what I eat has some trace amount of dairy in it - usually in the form of cheese (cream cheese, Parmesan, etc). It also means I have very little options when it comes to dining out since I have no way of knowing what is in what I'm eating, and since my husband is working evenings and Ruby hates being put down, cooking dinner is close to impossible so I need quick, easy choices. And yes the moby wrap lets me "hold" her without using my hands, but since it puts her right up against me and she is notorious for spitting up ALL THE TIME, I limit how much I use it right now - one can only handle smelling like spoiled milk for so long! With that, wish us luck that either 1) she isn't allergic to milk and it is something simpler like a simple stomach bug or allergy to something I rarely eat or 2) this dairy free dining gets easier. In the end, as long as Ruby is happy and healthy, it is all worth it.

4 comments:

Jen said...

Sorry to hear that. Going dairy free is very hard to do. I found out I was lactose intolerant about a year ago and it's such a struggle. Dairy is in everything. Especially when you go out because of butter!

http://www.godairyfree.org/ is a great resource and has information about how to eat out dairy free. Can you use soy replacements like soy milk/cheese/yogurt? For me, I can digest goat and sheep milk so that's been a lifesaver.

Good luck!

Anonymous said...

Oh, I am sorry to hear that. Hopefully she is not allergic and just a simple bug. I guess you will be eating lots of fresh fruits and vegies. Omellettes (using EVOO spray) are always good with chopped vegies and salsa! Flour Tortillas with sauted meat and veggies or spread with PB and sliced bananas! You can always try "Amy's Kitchen" frozen meals, several are labeled dairy free and pretty good tasting (according to my sister)

Good luck and Congrats on such a beautiful little girl!

Cassie said...

Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear that. I hope she's not allergic. Good luck on your journey to dairy-free eating!

Kristen said...

I happened to stumble on your blog today. We have been dairy free for 2 weeks now for the same reason and let me tell you it's like we have a new baby! Although it was very hard at first, it does get easier. I just thought I would share some websites I found helpful.
http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes/lactose

http://www.recipezaar.com/Busy-Day-Hash-219541

http://www.beanmom.com/nomilk.html

http://www.godairyfree.org/Table/Dining-Out/Fast-Food-Restaurants/

http://www.angelfire.com/md2/moodyfamily/nondairy.html

http://www.colichelp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1506

http://www.kellymom.com/store/freehandouts/hidden-dairy01.pdf

Hope those help!