elimination diet

The good news from our pediatrician appointment is that Britton now weighs 10 pounds, 6 ounces. That is an average weight gain of an ounce per day! So at least now my fears that when she breastfeeds she is getting nothing are silenced. The bad news? Her severe gas pain is probably due a food allergy or intolerance, which she is getting from my breastmilk. He also pointed out that this is the age where the intestines go a little haywire, and she should grow out of most of her issues.

Now about the elimination diet. The doctor suggested just cutting out dairy since it is usually the biggest culprit. I thought I had been, but I have since learned that dairy comes in all forms, listed in the ingredient section by many different names than "milk." So for the next week I am eating only chicken, potatoes, squash, green beans, pears, bananas, apples, and all-fruit sorbet, and drinking only water. Ugh. I miss my creamer-filled coffee already. Who knew non-dairy creamer actually has dairy in it? After one week I can start adding foods slowly, one at a time, in the hopes that Britton will react to whatever it is she doesn't like in my diet. That way I won't have to eat like this for the entire time I breastfeed her.

The last couple of days have been really hard on her and me and the hub. Even Sadie has been shaking due to Britton's crying. It seemed that nothing we did gave her any relief and the gas was just so painful for her. Hopefully with these changes we've turned a corner.

Another first for us - today is the first day I am doing this by myself. The hub left for Vegas late this morning, and I'm on my own until his parents arrive tomorrow afternoon. It's not the nighttime I'm worried about - Britton has been sleeping for six hours straight so consistently that I count on it now. Even upon waking and eating, she's down for the count for another three hours afterwards. I'm mostly apprehensive about this evening, when she has had the most gas problems. And I'm scared to handle it without another rational adult who can remind me that she isn't being difficult on purpose. But luckily she seems content today, more content than I have seen her in a couple of days, so I'm crossing my fingers that everything goes well tonight. Sadie dog has been sick since last night, throwing up if she even looks at food (doesn't stop her from begging for it). So we all need a calm night to get back to normal.