Can babies be allergic to everything?
I actually Googled that.
“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:
Is this my fault? Was there something I did in my pregnancy or in the early postpartum period that caused all of these allergies?
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.
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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