The "Real Woman's" Workout
When you're busy with a growing family, it's hard to fit in fitness. But that may be because you are overlooking many opportunities right in front of you. Mother of four, Carrie Myers Smith, explains how you can get fit by doing ordinary things.
Please note: Rather than diagnosing the problem and solution yourself, please consult with your child's pediatrician or specialist. This is a guide to help you gather information so you can have a productive discussion with your health provider.
Can the foods you eat really irritate or cause allergies in the breastfed baby? Possibly. There are two separate issues here. Irritants are different from allergens. Irritants might just make a baby temporarily fussy because they can cause gas to build up in their tiny intestines. Allergens could cause an actual allergic reaction, which typically lasts longer and could cause long-term allergies to particular foods.
Temporary Irritant or Sensitivity Common irritants include: chocolate (may also cause diarrhea), and "gassy" vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, and onions). If you suspect that your newborn is "fussy" or irritated by certain foods you are eating, one approach to determine the irritants, and to provide useful information to your pediatrician, is to keep a food journal. Be sure to note each food, the quantity consumed, and both the time you ate it and breastfed your baby. You may also want to note your infant's reaction and when it appeared to happen (during feeding, 1 hour later, etc.). If your baby is temporarily irritated by the foods you eat, it usually subsides as your baby grows and his/her gastro-intestinal tract matures. Discuss possible irritants with your health care provider.
"Our breastfed son, at 3 months, had rashes that covered most of his head and many parts of his body. We first thought it was creeping cradle cap, but when his skin started seeping clear liquid on his forehead and parts of his legs we knew there was a serious problem. Under the guidance of our pediatrician, we first stopped dairy and it immediately improved, but not completely. So after 2 weeks, we stopped soy (much more involved!) and it improved dramatically, but not 100%. After another mon..." -- JOSUNAE
"Since I have Celiacs (gluten intolerance) and don't really process most of the foods on that list very well anyways, I had already decided to go off most of them after the baby comes anyways *laughs* I am CURRENTLY eating a really varied diet of everything but gluten-containing products to make sure that my developing baby gets all of of the nutrients needed. Since I don't eat much meat, this means he especially needs the calcium, protien, good fats and vitamins from dairy products. Now that I'm..." -- PEARLKITTY
"My little boy is 4 months old now and is almost exclusively breastfed. I work full time and so pump milk while at work, but keeping up with his growth spirts is fun! I love breastfeeding. It is just such a beautiful bonding experience. I had a few problems with him latching onto one breast, but found a great lactation consultant and she taught us both how to do it properly. My advice... don't give up on breastfeeding until you've seen a consultant. It can be the smallest thing, but if it affects..." -- BELINDAR
Rachel Von Nida
Rachel contributes to the growth and development of BabyFit while keeping up with her growing family. Her two children are healthy products of the BabyFit program.
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