If there is one thing I’ve learned (and am still learning!) throughout this experience starting BLW with food allergies, it’s that sometimes I’ve got to swallow a little pride and push aside everything I thought I knew about baby led weaning in favor of what works.

When your kids have no food allergies - and, to be quite honest, when you have only one child and are a stay at home parent - not a situation most parents are in - it’s not such a challenge letting your child explore new foods, flavors and textures every day. And it’s so fun!

With my first two babies, I delighted in giving them something brand new every day - often because that’s how I enjoy eating and I was able to just offer them the food off of my plate most of the time with minimal modification. As a dietitian in the space, I preached offering as wide a variety of foods, flavors, and textures as possible while also ensuring a balanced plate with iron, fat, and a fruit or vegetable! And don’t forget to keep the allergens in the rotation as much as possible!

In fact, I would have encouraged the “100 new foods in 100 days” challenge that some parents choose to incorporate into their journeys with starting solids. And I would have found it a breeze to complete with my first two babes.

But having a baby with SO many food allergies has changed my perspective. A LOT.

Baby led weaning with multiple food allergies is mentally taxing. It’s a struggle to figure out foods that are texturally, physically and nutritionally appropriate AND are safe for my baby.

While also still trying to figure out what all she reacts to.

And what I can eat while breastfeeding.

And what the rest of the family (with no allergies) is going to eat.

Not to mention the anxiety of introducing each new food, not knowing if she will have an allergic reaction or not. It all feels a lot less joyful and a lot more like survival.

With an allergy baby, my rules, wishes and expectations around starting solids have had to change dramatically. I can’t be as rigid about getting a perfectly balanced plate. I’ve had to relax around letting some extra salt into her diet. Out of necessity, the importance of variety is necessarily limited. Introducing new flavors via sauces and dips - pretty much all of which are made with at least one major allergen - count that out for sure.

And I’ve especially had to let go of the fundamentalist notion that baby led weaning means that baby eats the exact same thing the family eats. Because with multiple food allergies, that’s just not our reality.

I used to shun meal prepping special foods just for baby. Now it’s the only way I get food on baby’s plate most weeks.

I used to stress about offering the same fruit or vegetable two days in a row. Now I offer the same few things over and over because I know they are safe and baby can and will eat them.

New flavors are now much less important than not causing a skin rash.

It all means I’ve had to majorly simplify in order to lower the mental load and save my sanity. So if that means repeating the same foods over and over, so be it. If that means offering plain steamed or roasted veggies with not much (if any) seasoning, okay. If that means I have to spoon feed sometimes (something my old self would cringe at) in order to get the very expensive supplements into her belly, that’s just fine.

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Maybe you’ll find it disappointing to see the same roasted butternut squash repeated throughout the week in our What We Ate meals. But it’s a safe bet for baby, so I will keep making it. (That, and I planted way too much butternut squash in the garden this year so we have a basement full and we all have no choice but to eat it.)

But maybe (hopefully?) you’ll find it reassuring that even a “professional” repeats simple meals over and over when it comes to feeding baby. Even an experienced mom who does this for a living gets overwhelmed by keeping everyone fed and just has to keep it simple.

All this to say, there is no shame in trading variety for your sanity. Not every meal has to be a perfect, fun exploration of new flavors and textures for your little one. (Though that is still nice sometimes when you can make it happen!) Especially if you’re an allergy mom, repetition and a little meal prep are essential. And while this may not always have been true, it certainly is now: no judgement here.

If this post resonated with you, would you share with a mama friend who could use some encouragement?

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And if you do struggle with what to feed your baby, could you answer a quick poll? I want to make sure I’m bringing you the most helpful content possible!

New on the blog this week…

This is a recipe I developed a while back - before baby was even born - so well before I knew she was allergic to coconut. If your little one can tolerate coconut, it’s a delightful little tropical escape that has all the creaminess of traditional overnight oats without the dairy. Prep it the night before to have breakfast done for both you and baby when you wake up!

Pineapple Coconut Overnight Oats

Baby led weaning friendly pineapple coconut overnight oats are easy to make with just a few pantry ingredients and bring delicious tropical vibes. They are dairy-free, sugar-free, allergy-friendly and a nutritious make-ahead breakfast for both baby and mom!

Get the recipe

Finally, a Sale for the Long Weekend!

When your little one has severe eczema, one of the first things that everyone will tell you is to make sure your environment (your home!) is free from chemicals as much as possible. That means swapping cleaning products, detergents, and skincare for options without harsh chemicals that can irritate skin, especially delicate baby skin. Unfortunately that wasn’t the fix for us, since we’d switched to nontoxic products years ago. But if you haven’t, that’s a great place to start.

This weekend, one of my favorite nontoxic swaps is on super sale! Force of Nature is a powerful cleaner and sanitizer that uses the simplest of safe, nontoxic ingredients so you can rest assured it won’t harm your baby’s skin. This weekend, use the code SUPER70 to get $70 off the Super Saver Bundle with free shipping!

My other favorite nontoxic cleaning swaps are Branch Basics (Use my link to get $10 off!) and Puracy.

What We Ate: Week 5

Here’s exactly what I fed my 7 month old baby in week five of baby led weaning with food allergies to egg, milk, wheat, peanut, sesame, chickpea… and now almost all tree nuts and coconut - yay!

*Recipes used:

• Balsamic Braised Beef Short Ribs I omitted the Worcestershire sauce.

• Apple Oatmeal Pancakes - To make them allergen free I swapped the wheat flour for KAF gluten-free blend, the egg for Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer and the buttermilk for club soda.

• Cinnamon Sautéd Apples

• Winter Minestrone from Ina Garten’s cookbook Foolproof. I browned some Italian turkey sausage to add to the recipe for more protein and left baby’s vegetables in stick shapes during cooking.

• Rosemary Garlic Pork Tenderloin - I omitted the Worcestershire sauce.

• Walnut Butter - I just blended walnuts in a mini food processor (this one is my all-time favorite and one of my most used kitchen items!) with a pinch of sea salt and cinnamon until smooth.

• Roasted Butternut Squash sprinkled with cinnamon before roasting

• Chipotle Shrimp Tacos turned into bowls instead. I reduce the chipotle by a lot to make it more baby friendly. If your baby is very intolerant of spicy food, rinse the seasoning off after cooking, or cook some plain shrimp for baby before adding the rest to the pan.

• How to Serve Green Beans for BLW

• How to Segment Citrus for Babies

• How To Serve Blueberries for BLW

• How to Serve Broccoli for BLW - The texture of frozen veggies is great for babies BTW!

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Meal prep and leftovers are saving my life…

With my first two babies, I honestly never would have prepped food specifically for baby. With a food allergy baby, it’s essential. As you can probably tell, I’ve been prepping ahead or making extra at family meals and setting aside food specifically for baby for later so that I know there is something in the refrigerator I can safely feed her at mealtimes. It’s lowering the mental burden of baby led weaning quite a lot… something you’ll read more on in my next email.

Baby Dishes I’m Loving

For 6 month old babies doing baby led weaning, I love the following dishes for serving mini meals. These are the best size and functionality for little eaters, while minimizing mess and cleanup for you!

• ezpz mini mat stays on the high chair tray without being TOO sticky - IYKYK.

• ezpz tiny bowl is the perfect depth for little hands to scoop oatmeal and grains out + tiny spoons are the best size and shape for 6 month olds to practice with. Get them both in a set with the open cup, too!

• I love a porcelain plate (no odors/flavors setting in!). Elk and Friends porcelain plate with silicone sleeve is the perfect size for little portions, and the non-toxic plate is microwave and dishwasher safe!

What We Ate: Week 4

Here’s exactly what I fed my 6 month old baby in week four of baby led weaning with food allergies to egg, milk, wheat, peanut, sesame, chickpea… and now almost all tree nuts and coconut!

*Recipes used:

• Roasted Butternut Squash sprinkled with cinnamon before roasting

• Homemade Prune Puree

• Classic Pot Roast - also by the Modern Proper! I omitted the brown sugar and Italian seasoning and reduced the wine to about 1/2 cup. I cut the carrots and potatoes into finger shapes for baby.

• Cinnamon Sautéd Pears

• Honey Garlic Turkey Skillet with Green Beans by from her new book Don’t Think About Dinner (I used ground beef, and scooped out baby’s portion of meat and veggies before adding the sauce. Honey should not be given to babies under 12 months.)

• Balsamic Braised Beef Short Ribs I omitted the Worcestershire sauce.

• Blueberry Turkey Breakfast Sausage (NEW recipe!)

• Winter Minestrone from Ina Garten’s cookbook Foolproof. I browned some Italian turkey sausage to add to the recipe for more protein and left baby’s vegetables in stick shapes during cooking.

• How to Segment Citrus for Babies

• Roasted Rosemary Chicken with Smaltzy Balsamic Cabbage by from her cookbook What To Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking

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The Focus This Week

We are continuing to focus on meat iron, protein and fat this week… especially with most of the high protein, high fat foods I would normally offer off the table. You see a lot of repeats and leftovers because we’re still trying to figure out what all baby reacts to, so it’s easier to offer the same few foods that are safe both allergy-wise and for her eating abilities.

And frankly, it’s just easier to have little bits of leftovers to serve her at meals without having to make every single family meal baby friendly. The mental load of multiple allergies AND baby led weaning is high, so anything you can to to reduce the mental strain is welcomed. I highly recommend embracing leftovers and frozen veggies.

Finally starting to get the hang of it!

If you’re starting to wonder whether your baby will ever take an interest in food or active role in eating, hang in there! I was alarmed when baby didn’t immediately start grabbing for ALL THE FOOD like my first two babies did. I’ll admit I was pretty bummed at the prospect of having to spoon feed her for a couple of months. But this week things finally seemed to click and baby got the hang of self-feeding. I actually had to give her more food for the first time this week. So don’t give up if baby doesn’t seem to enjoy solid food right away - all babies do things on their own timeline!

Baby Dishes I’m Loving

For 6 month old babies doing baby led weaning, I love the following dishes for serving mini meals. These are the best size and functionality for little eaters, while minimizing mess and cleanup for you!

• ezpz mini mat stays on the high chair tray without being TOO sticky - IYKYK.

• ezpz tiny bowl is the perfect depth for little hands to scoop oatmeal and grains out + tiny spoons are the best size and shape for 6 month olds to practice with. Get them both in a set with the open cup, too!

• I love a porcelain plate (no odors/flavors setting in!). Elk and Friends porcelain plate with silicone sleeve is the perfect size for little portions, and the non-toxic plate is microwave and dishwasher safe!

New on the blog this week…

I’ve been making this homemade turkey sausage with blueberries on repeat. Baby loves it, and it’s so nice to have a quick, healthy protein-rich option I can eat myself and feed to all three kids! See photos above or read the blog post to see examples of how to serve it.

No Sugar Blueberry Turkey Sausage

This blueberry turkey sausage is easy to make and a delicious, healthier alternative to standard breakfast sausage. It's made with no added sugar or other additives, so it's baby and toddler friendly - and a great way to add protein and iron to breakfast.

Get the recipe

This week, we added to the long list of things our 6 month old baby is allergic to.

In addition to milk, egg, wheat, peanuts, sesame, and chickpeas, we’ve now confirmed she is allergic to most tree nuts (aside from walnuts and pecans) AND coconut according to IgE testing.

Which leaves… basically nothing in the way of substitutions? Oat milk is about all I’m left with. (I’ve been leaning hard on Elmhurst Oat Creamer.) Needless to say, it’s been a mentally exhausting week.

What is IgE testing, anyway?

In the past couple of months, I’ve been researching all I can on food allergies. While it can be a confusing world, I think I’ve finally got some of the more important things straight. While allergy testing isn’t perfect, IgE is the most reliable blood test available right now. IgE is the antibody in the blood that indicates the immune system has been sensitized to a particular protein - in other words, the body recognizes it as a foreign invader. It’s a big indicator that there is an allergy. HOWEVER it doesn’t always mean that there will be an allergic reaction when the food is consumed. In order to verify an allergic reaction, a skin prick test and then on oral challenge is needed to confirm someone is truly allergic to a particular food protein.

So when we have a positive IgE test on 13+ allergens, you can see it’s going to be a LONG road just confirming that all of these are true allergies, much less avoiding them all in MY diet along with baby’s since I am still breastfeeding. Not to mention trying to clear up baby’s eczema. Like I said, it’s been a doozy of a week.

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But I am also celebrating the small wins, like baby not being allergic to pecans and walnuts, because what else can you do? After going completely peanut and tree nut free, being able to eat pecans and walnuts (and introduce them to baby) feels like a victory! While pumpkin seeds are great and all, they’ve been getting a little old…

Which brings me to this week’s recipe:

Healthy Cowboy Style Lactation Cookies!

Get the recipe

They are truly healthy lactation cookies, with a base of banana, oats and coconut oil and loaded to the max with all the delicious cowboy cookie mix-ins of pecans, coconut, and chocolate chunks. I left out the brewer’s yeast in favor of natural milk-boosting foods like oats and flaxseed, so you can also share them with the rest of the family as a healthy treat. I baked them at least once a week when I was pregnant.

As developed, the recipe is naturally gluten-, dairy- and egg-free as long as you’re using certified gluten-free oats and dairy-free chocolate chips. And now that I’ve had more allergy challenges, I’ve had to test other variations. I’m happy to report they’re very forgiving and work for just about every allergy situation! For example…

• leave out the pecans for tree nut free (if you can do coconut)

• or for completely tree nut free, swap the coconut oil for olive oil or another neutral oil and leave out the pecans and coconut. If you go this route, I suggest adding an additional 1/4 cup of oats and/or pumpkin seeds if you like.

You can also play with other variations, like making them sweeter with a little maple syrup or brown sugar, swapping chocolate chips for raisins or dried blueberries, or adding in brewer’s yeast for more milk-boosting power.

They’re also perfectly BLW friendly if you leave out all the chunky mix-ins and do just a plain banana oatmeal cookie - a great make-ahead breakfast or snack with no added sugar for little ones. To serve to babies, simply cut them into finger-width strips.

Get the recipe

What We Ate: Week 3

Here’s exactly what I fed my 6 month old baby in week three of baby led weaning with (confirmed) food allergies to egg, milk, wheat, peanut, sesame and chickpeas.

*Recipes used:

• Blueberry Turkey Sausage: Based off of this recipe by Ambitious Kitchen but omit the maple syrup and cayenne. I also changed up the spices. Exact recipe coming soon!

• Roasted Butternut Squash

• Shredded Round Steak: I seared tenderized round steak in olive oil in the Instant Pot on both sides, then added just enough beef broth to cover it and pressure cooked on high for 20 minutes. Keep the broth to moisten the steak when shredding it!

• Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Leeks by the Modern Proper: I omitted the brown sugar and cider vinegar on the chicken, adding chopped fresh rosemary and thyme instead. I also omitted with wine, butter and tarragon in the potatoes and cut baby’s potatoes into wedges before cooking.

• Classic Pot Roast - also by the Modern Proper! I omitted the brown sugar and Italian seasoning and reduced the wine to about 1/2 cup. I cut the carrots and potatoes into finger shapes for baby.

• How to Segment Citrus for Babies

• GF/DF/EF pancakes: This was an experiment trying to adapt a gluten-free recipe to be egg and dairy free as well. They weren’t very good, so I won’t share it with you here. I’ve got work to do on a good pancake recipe!

• Ina Garten’s Oven Risotto - I sautéd some garlic and leeks first and then added the rice. I scooped out a portion for me and baby that I kept dairy-free before adding the butter and parm for the rest of the family.

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The Focus This Week

With baby being allergic to both eggs and dairy, I’m having to rely heavily on meat in order to make sure baby is getting enough protein, iron and zinc.

At 6 months of age, baby’s iron stores from being in utero and the umbilical cord start to deplete, so getting enough iron in the diet is super important, especially if you’re breastfeeding.

That’s why I try to include a source of iron at most meals when I can. For me, that’s mostly meat, poultry, oats and prunes since we’re avoiding wheat, legumes and eggs right now. Baby isn’t crazy about oats, so I try to prep a little baby-friendly meat for both of us to eat throughout the week, as well as cooking larger meals that leave me with leftovers like pot roast, whole roast chicken, and stew so I’m not constantly cooking and cleaning all day!

At this point, baby is still not consuming very much as she gets the hang of gripping and bringing food to her mouth, so I only offer 1-2 pieces of each thing at mealtimes.

Baby Dishes I’m Loving

For 6 month old babies doing baby led weaning, I love the following dishes for serving mini meals. These are the best size and functionality for little eaters, while minimizing mess and cleanup for you!

• ezpz mini mat stays on the high chair tray without being TOO sticky - IYKYK.

• ezpz tiny bowl is the perfect depth for little hands to scoop oatmeal and grains out + tiny spoons are the best size and shape for 6 month olds to practice with. Get them both in a set with the open cup, too!

• I love a porcelain plate (no odors/flavors setting in!). Elk and Friends porcelain plate with silicone sleeve is the perfect size for little portions, and the non-toxic plate is microwave and dishwasher safe!

Finally, a quick ask!

I want to make sure this newsletter is the most valuable to the busy parents who take the time to read it. Would you answer a quick poll so that I can create the content you want to see? If you answered ‘something else’, I’d love hit ‘reply’ and let me know what that something is!

If you have a baby with severe eczema, you already know how miserable it is for both mom and baby. Your precious child is red, itchy, flaky (and likely fussy), and as a parent, it's miserable watching your child suffer as you frantically search for answers as to what could be causing your little one's skin to break out like this. It seems like a never-ending loop of trying one cream, new detergent, and water filter after another. Especially if nothing seems to be helping. This has been my experience so far with my third baby, who has suffered from severe eczema since she was three months old.

When none of the usual treatments or advice seemed to be working, I decided to dig deeper to find a root cause. That's where a gut health test came in. Out of frustration and desperation to help our little one, I ordered a TinyHealth gut testing kit.

What is a gut health test?

A gut health test uses a simple stool sample to look at the makeup of an individual’s (in this case, baby’s) microbiome - all the specific strains of bacteria (good or bad), fungi, viruses, and even parasites present in the gut. Based on the levels of each species present, a research-backed gut health profile is generated showing what is normal, healthy, and areas that could be problematic or linked to health issues. The TinyHealth test is the most comprehensive home test available, using a process called deep shotgun metagenomic sequencing, paired with a vast library of research and database of samples, to give both precise results and specific interpretations. The report is then used to offer specific recommendations to improve gut health in the areas of concern.

You can use my code BABYLEDBLISS for $20 off your first test.

What Can A Gut Health Test Tell Me About My Baby's Symptoms?

There are several conditions that we now know can be linked to gut health in babies and toddlers, including eczema, allergies, asthma, metabolic health, constipation, and sleep problems. And different strains and numbers of microbiota can be related to each condition. A gut health test can give you a look at what is going on in baby’s gut that is linked to his or her symptoms, whether that’s colic, fussiness, bloody stool, constipation, eczema, or poor sleep. While it’s not a diagnostic tool, it can show associations between baby’s individual microbiome biomarkers and certain conditions and symptoms. Based on your baby’s individual levels of present microbes and the symptoms present, recommendations are made about dietary and lifestyle interventions to address any key areas.

For me, doing a gut health test was the first step in getting to the root cause of our baby’s eczema so that we could take a targeted corrective approach instead of continuing to blindly throw expensive creams and supplements at a problem they may not even be able to fix.

I wanted to take control and figure out if a microbiome imbalance was the issue, or if there was something else I should be looking into, such as food allergies. In the end, we got our report back and it showed that we didn’t have any major imbalances that would be the sole cause of her eczema. To be honest, I was actually pretty disappointed, because I was desperately hoping that we could tweak her probiotics to put things back in balance and solve all of our sweet baby’s problems!

But I also knew I could rule that out and that there must be another underlying cause that I wouldn’t be able to fix with probiotics alone. At a time when I was unable to get answers or allergy testing from anyone, this was the first time I felt like I was actually getting something concrete, specific and helpful. Though it didn’t give us an instant fix, it was a relief to finally get something to move us in the right direction. When process of elimination is all you have, it helps to be able to eliminate something.

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How a TinyHealth Test Works

The process of using TinyHealth is super simple! You purchase the test kit or a membership, answer a few questions about your little one (surrounding birth, antibiotics, etc) and receive the testing kit in the mail. Using the swab provided, you collect a stool sample from baby’s diaper and mail it back using the label included in the kit. Once the lab analyzes the sample, you’ll receive a report detailing your baby’s gut microbiome, associations, and recommendations based on the results. From there, you can also set up a coaching call with a microbiome specialist to further discuss and interpret the report so you can implement any changes needed to improve.

After sending baby’s kit off and getting her results, I was curious and ordered one for myself. I still haven’t received the results, but I’m excited to see what mine says, and my older kids are next!

Pros and Cons of Gut Health Testing

Pros:

• Easy to do at home: The sampling is minimally invasive - just take a swab from baby’s diaper and mail it off using the kit provided.

• Specific: You get an actual look into the specific strains in your baby’s gut for targeted treatment - no more guessing at which probiotics you should give baby.

• Addresses the root cause: The typical health care model is focused on band-aids that mask symptoms. A gut health test can help you find and address the root cause of symptoms to fix the real problem.

• Affordable: Compared to doctor’s office visits, testing in a facility, probiotics, creams, and steroids that don’t work, an at-home gut health test or membership is pretty affordable.

Cons:

• Slow: At a time when you’re desperate for answers now, waiting 2-3 weeks to get your report back can feel like an eternity. Same for waiting on a coaching call with your specialist if you choose to do one. But getting into a good doctor also takes that long now!

• Not diagnostic: It doesn’t work like a blood test for allergies, for example, so it can’t tell you definitively if your little one has a certain condition. But it can tell you where the gut may be off, and how that relates to any symptoms.

• Still may be too expensive for some: Though it’s still relatively affordable if you’re used to paying for healthcare out of pocket or using alternative therapies, a gut health test may still be a stretch for some since it’s not covered by insurance. But for me, I was tired of spending money on super expensive supplements and creams without knowing if they’d work!

Try It!

At the end of the day for me, it was all about empowerment and taking some control over trying to get some answers instead of a one-size-fits-all slap-some-ointment-on-it approach. If you are struggling to find out what is causing your baby’s symptoms with the traditional healthcare model, a TinyHealth gut test may help you find desperately needed answers. You can use my code BABYLEDBLISS for $20 off your first test.

What We Ate: Week 2

Here’s exactly what I fed my 6 month old baby in week two of baby led weaning with (confirmed) food allergies to egg, milk, wheat, peanut, sesame and chickpeas.

As you can see, leftovers are the name of the game this week! When baby is so limited in what she can eat, it helps me a lot to prep a few things safe for her (and me, since I’m breastfeeding) while allowing the rest of the family to eat normally. A large variety is great for most babies, but when you’re still unsure of what baby is reacting to, don’t worry about variety as much as safe foods. Sweet girl isn’t totally into solids yet, so I’m still offering very little at a time to reduce mess and waste, while still allowing her to explore as much as she wants.

*Recipes used:

• Baby Beef and Mushroom Meatballs (I just left out the egg and replaced breadcrumbs with quick oats).

• Banana Buckwheat Pancakes from Every Day Is Saturday by Sarah Copeland - I used oat milk and left out the sugar.

• Shredded Round Steak: I seared tenderized round steak in olive oil in the Instant Pot on both sides, then added just enough beef broth to cover it and pressure cooked on high for 20 minutes. Keep the broth to moisten the steak when shredding it!

• Prune Chia Pudding: Stir together about 1 tsp chia seeds with about 1 tbsp prune puree. This helps a lot with constipation in the early days of BLW! I make my own prune puree, but you can use store bought, too! If your little one can tolerate it, I suggest adding plain Greek yogurt to this mixture, too.

• Blueberry Turkey Sausage: Based off of this recipe by Ambitious Kitchen but omit the maple syrup and cayenne. I also changed up the spices. Exact recipe coming soon!

• Mediterranean Beef Skillet: Recipe coming soon! If your little one can tolerate hummus, I highly suggest mashing the quinoa with hummus to make it more BLW friendly and minimize mess.

A quick note on links! This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on it and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This is one way you can support my work. Thank you! I only recommend products that I truly use and love.

“Is it possible for babies to be allergic to everything?” Yes, that’s an actual Google search from my history.

If you’ll recall from last week, I was stuck in the waiting game in the days leading up to and following Christmas, anxiously awaiting any news of what could possibly be giving our little one this horrible eczema. And then we found out the hard way about eggs. But that was just the tip of the spear to my heart.

Exactly week after our first trip to the allergist, they called with the results of her blood test. And they wanted me to come to the office because there was lots to go over. Uh oh. That didn’t good. So we hopped into the car to make the 3.5 hour drive for the second time in two weeks. And the news was crushing.

Based on the IgE blood test, our baby girl was not only allergic to egg, but also wheat, dairy and peanut. Days later, they’d also call to confirm she is also allergic to sesame and chickpeas.

How was this possible? I’ve never heard of someone being allergic to so many foods! And we haven’t even been able to test any tree nuts, soy, fish or shellfish. Hence, the befuddled Googling.

I sat in the allergist’s office shocked and dazed as I received a lesson on how to use an EpiPen, while the gravity of having a child with a food allergy just barely started to register in my head.

I spent the long drive home contemplating two things:

1. Is this my fault? Was there something I did in my pregnancy or in the early postpartum period that caused all of these allergies?

2. What am I going to eat? How will I feed my highly allergic baby and my family, most of whom have zero restrictions?

Since I’m still breastfeeding, that means no egg, wheat, dairy, peanuts, chickpeas, or sesame in my diet, along with making sure I’m diligent about checking labels for everything that goes into my baby’s mouth. But I don’t want to sentence the rest of my family to such restrictive eating. Will I have to cook two separate meals for the next 18 years?

As to the first question, I can tell you this: There is no point in asking why.

I’m sure any food allergy parent has gone felt at least some guilt and wondered whether they could have done something differently to prevent their child from developing this life-threatening condition. But it’s just not helpful and will not move you forward. Even the top researchers in the area of food allergy don’t know what causes food allergies (or what has caused the dramatic rise in them). I’d be lying if I said I didn’t spend at least a few days rolling this question over in my head and wrestling with the guilt. But again, it’s just not helpful. Try not to feel guilty. It’s not your fault.

The second question is more complicated. I have gone through (and still intermittently go through) serious mourning at the thought of my child never being able to eat a normal cupcake, a slice of pizza, or the most perfect parmesan-dusted scrambled eggs and sourdough toast that we’ve become used to making on weekends. It seems so cruel and unfair. But that isn’t helpful either. So far I’ve learned this - take things one day at a time. What will I feed everyone today?

Yes, I’ve already scoured the internet and my vast collection of cookbooks for allergy friendly recipes that I can feed the whole family, not just myself. I’ve ordered entirely too many wheat-free flour blends and pastas, dairy-free chocolates, and milk substitutes (all my overactive brain can think is: time to get started with testing the best options and finding new recipes!). But thinking too far in advance just leads to major overwhelm. This is a learning curve and these things will come with time.

The best thing I’ve done was to simplify. What things do I already to know how to make that everyone can eat or that are easily modifiable. It looks a lot different than what I’ve grown accustomed to over the years (many-ingredient sauces and dressings! so many types of cheeses! Multi-step braises!) but it’s much less overwhelming to get back to the basics of a protein, simple vegetable and wholesome starch as a complete meal that I know is safe for me and baby and that will still nourish my older children and husband.

After all, that’s always been my goal and my joy in life - nourishing the ones I love. It just looks a little different now.

Currently, we’re waiting for another blood test for tree nuts, as well as components for peanut and wheat, and trying to get our precious baby’s skin clear enough to do a scratch testing to confirm reactions. We’re also exploring our treatment options for the future (she’s unlikely to grow out of the egg allergy, her levels were so high). But for now, I’ll continue taking things one day at a time, praying, and doing the best I can.

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If you, too, are a parent of a child newly diagnosed with multiple food allergies, the overwhelm can be debilitating. Especially for breastfeeding moms. Here are my top tips for making things easier to handle:

• Move forward one day at a time. Try not to dwell on the why, the what-if, or the guilt. Don’t look too far ahead into the future right now. Worry about today. How will I keep my family nourished and safe today, with what I have?

• Simplify. Lean on what you already know and what you already have. It took me a solid week to realize that I already know and love several recipes that are naturally free from all the allergens I need to avoid. I can also easily modify many of our family favorites to fit my needs - just keep the cheese off my portion, for example. And when all else fails, meat + veg + potato/sweet potato is a sure bet. Which leads me to…

• Meal prep when you can. Knowing I have a protein and some roasted veggies or sweet potatoes in the fridge that I can heat up for lunches, or going ahead and cooking a pot of dairy-free oatmeal for me and a frittata for my husband and kids for the week has been saving me so much stress. It reduces the daily decision fatigue when it comes to making breakfast, lunch, and dinner for each member of the family.

• Unsubscribe. I’ve had to unsubscribe from many loved (and honestly some not-so-loved) food and cooking newsletters because they were just adding to the anxiety and FOMO around not being able to make that one dish that looks so good. A clearer inbox = a clearer headspace.

Lastly, a couple of things keeping me alive (probably quite literally) through this intense elimination diet period:

• Collagen peptides. I eat oatmeal for breakfast most days, especially now that eggs and wheat are out. But with dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (until we get those tested), and chickpeas off the table, my sources of protein are highly limited. I’m not a huge fan of breakfast meats, so I’ve been relying on a scoop of plain collagen powder in my oatmeal every morning for protein. The hunger is real when you’re breastfeeding and eliminating everything, so protein is crucial!

• Elmhurst Oat Creamer. When there are almost no dairy substitutes you can have (see above), oat milk is about the only allergy friendly option. But it isn’t great for dressing up coffee. I have been loving Elmhurst Oat Creamer - it’s the only one I’ve found so far with no added oils or gums! So far I’ve only tried the chai flavor, but it’s delicious, not too sweet, and actually kind of creamy.

• Thrive Market. Once I learned we had multiple food allergies and I was going to have to go gluten-free for everything, I joined Thrive Market. I live in a rural area with zero allergy friendly options at our tiny grocery store, so delivery is allowing me to have a few options to try. Sure, you can get some things on Amazon, but they’re so much more expensive. I’ve been loving the variety of allergen-free options and fairly quick shipping that Thrive Market offers, without having to travel hours to the nearest health food store or standing in supermarket aisles reading labels. If you’ve never tried Thrive Market and want to, you can use my link for 40% off your first order!

• Brewer’s Yeast. It’s really hard to keep my milk supply up on an intense elimination diet. And I wasn’t sure if the fenugreek supplements I was taking might be (yet another) trigger for baby’s eczema. So I’ve been relying on brewer’s yeast to help keep my milk supply. It tends to be pretty bitter and unpleasant, but I’ve found one brand that’s not terrible and might actually taste fine in baked goods, unlike other brands. It’s also gluten-free, which not all brands are. I just stir about a teaspoon into about an ounce or two of water and take a shot of it in the morning and before bed. Not my favorite solution, but it’s necessary.

Sale Time!

Tubby Todd has long been my favorite brand of clean, exceptionally performing bath time essentials for babies and little kids. They are currently running their 3 for $55 sale, so it’s a great time to stock up on essentials for eczema sufferers, like the viral All Over Ointment, Fragrance Free Diaper Cream, and Oat So Soothing oatmeal bath bombs!

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A quick note on links! This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on it and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This is one way you can support my work. Thank you! I only recommend products that I truly use and love.

What We Ate: Week 1

Here’s exactly what I fed my 6 month old baby in week one of baby led weaning with (confirmed) food allergies to egg, milk, wheat, peanut, sesame and chickpeas.

Notice I don’t put very much food on her plate or tray. It’s very normal for babies to not swallow a single thing in the first few days. Most of this food ended up in her tray/bib pouch/high chair seat. The beginning days are about learning to reach out, grasp and bring food to the mouth, as well as exploring flavors and textures. One piece of each of a couple of things is perfectly fine at this point! Also, utilize leftovers! No need to recreate the wheel every meal.

*Recipes used:

• GF/DF/EF Pancake - King Arthur Flour GF pancake mix with a flax egg and mashed banana instead of egg + oat milk in place of milk

• Mashup of One-Skillet Paprika Chicken Thighs & Pepper Rice on Food52 (green beans on the side) and Chicken with Rice, Chorizo and Tomatoes from Smitten Kitchen Keepers

• Vegan Gnocchi by The Banana Diaries (with KAF all purpose GF flour)

• Baby Beef and Mushroom Meatballs (I just left out the egg and replaced breadcrumbs with quick oats).

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New on the blog this week…

Quick note: I have a few backlogged recipes in the pipeline that I’ll be posting in the coming weeks that will be normal (allergen containing) recipes, but going forward after that, any new recipes I create will likely be very allergy friendly (since that’s what we’ll be eating)!

Easy Green Spinach Muffins for Baby & Toddler

These easy spinach muffins with banana are a healthy breakfast perfect for babies and toddlers (and great for baby led weaning!). They're naturally gluten-free with no strange ingredients (just oats!) and have no added sugar. Whip them up easily in the blender for breakfast, snacks, lunchboxes, or the freezer. (gluten-free, sugar free, dairy-free option)

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A quick note on links! This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on it and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This is one way you can support my work. Thank you! I only recommend products that I truly use and love.

This was devastating to me as a mom and dietitian specializing in baby led weaning. Eggs are a staple food in our house (we raise egg laying hens), and one of the most nutritious foods that I often recommend for babies starting solids. They are in so many recipes that I develop for babies and families. And since I was (am) still breastfeeding, I’d have to keep eggs out of my diet. What was I going to do without eggs?

Things only got worse from there. But first a little background…

With my sweet third baby (and I do mean sweet - she is the happiest, most content little angel even though she has every reason not to be) we have struggled terribly with eczema. This was a total curveball for us since our other two daughters had zero problems - not even so much as diaper rash - as babies. But we’d been perplexed for months by persistent red, itchy, flaky (even weepy at times) skin that refused to let up, even with prescription hydrocortisone. I’d spent a laughable amount of money on creams, lotions, oatmeal baths, and probiotics with no improvement. Our poor girl was miserable, and I was too, trying to figure out what was causing our daughter’s skin condition.

Despite doctors’ advice, I’d eliminated just about every allergen from my diet except for wheat (I’m an avid sourdough bread baker) in hopes that it would clear up her skin. If you’ve tried this before, you know it’s not for the faint of heart - it takes at least 2 weeks to really know if there is a change in response to mom’s diet. I’d been suffering months of eliminating different staple foods while trying to maintain my milk supply, and it didn’t seem to be making a difference.

How could we help our poor girl? The uncertainty was almost as bad as watching our daughter’s skin flare. I’d lie awake at night praying for answers. But answers were not easy to come by.

We spent months going to different doctors who were unable (or unwilling) to test our little one for allergies. Despite what providers kept telling me, I knew in my gut that she was allergic to something, but I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what through elimination. When we finally received a referral to an allergist from our pediatrician, the first available appointment was 6 months away.

How could I let our baby suffer 6 more months of this without any answers? How could I start solids knowing that something was bound to trigger a potentially life-threatening reaction? No way.

I found my own allergist who works with many children, and was able to get in that week, just 2 days before Christmas, with the promise we could get a skin prick test at that appointment. So we hopped in the car and made the 3.5 hour drive to her office with a glimmer of hope that we’d finally get some answers and be on the road to relief for our little one.

It did not go how I’d hoped. My baby’s back was too broken out in a rash to perform a skin test. I was crushed. My condolence prize for making the long trip before I had to turn around and go home empty-handed was an order for a blood test at the nearby hospital, with which they could test only a select few allergens due to the tiny amount of blood they would be able to draw. We chose to test milk, egg, wheat, peanut, sesame and chickpea. (They wouldn’t be able to do tree nuts, with how many there are and how much blood that would require.) So we had her blood drawn and then made the long drive home to wait (impatiently) for the results to come in, which would be delayed due to the holiday. So the waiting and uncertainty continued…

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Because this is getting long, it will have to be a two part post. I don’t ever want you to come away feeling empty handed if you’ve invested your time in reading my writing. So for now, I’ll leave you with some key takeaways in case you find yourself in the same boat as me:

• You are not alone. It can feel incredibly isolating on top of the frustration of trying to figure out what is causing your little one’s suffering. Especially if you’re the only one in the house eliminating your favorite foods or if nothing seems to be working. But know that you aren’t the only one going through this, and you’re not crazy.

• Trust your gut. Don’t let doctors tell you nothing is wrong and your baby will grow out if it if nothing seems to be helping. You know your baby best. If you truly feel like something is off, trust your instinct and find a provider who will listen to you and help you. The search for answers is hard enough without having a doctor who dismisses your concerns and waives you away with a prescription.

• Get your little one to an allergist and get tested. If you suspect a food allergy, find an allergist who will test your child. Doctors will tell you babies can’t be tested. They can. It’s not as comprehensive, and it’s not fun. But it can be done. It’s important to know sooner rather than later, especially if you’re approaching starting solids, and especially for your sanity if you’re breast feeding.

Keep persisting, mama. You’re doing a great job. I’ll be back with part two next week!

New on the blog this week…

Sample Feeding (and Napping!) Schedule For 6 Month Old Babies

If you're just starting solids with your 6 month old baby, you may be wondering what a feeding schedule should look like. Should you still be feeding breastmilk or formula? I'll show you what to expect with milk feeds and complimentary foods when you're first starting solids, and give a you a sample feeding schedule for 6 months of age.

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