No Cheese Please

When you become a parent allergies are usually the last thing on your mind or if your like me its something i never thought about. So when my son Teddy was born i had
no idea why he constantly cried, as i was breastfeeding i was told to stay away from certain foods as they can make your baby very fussy or gassy. I realised maybe
it was right as i couldn’t drink a cup of tea without Teddy crying in pain afterwards, it wasn’t just a normal cry it was the most saddest and painful cry i have
ever heard. Still i was very uneducated in this i carried on as normal just cut back on milk and chocolate! I always knew i would wait the recommended age of six
months to introduce solids but Teddy got a little lick of white chocolate when he was four months old and within minutes i knew it was more serious, he broke out
in a rash and his whole face swelled up it was a terrifying experience, i honestly thought he was going to die.So after a lot of research I went to my GP armed with
information and she agreed Teddy had a cows milk protein allergy but he would have to be tested. Even with a referral from your doctor the waiting list was huge and it would
be nearly a year until he was seen. Thankfully my parents stepped in and helped pay for teddy to attend a private clinic where he got a skin prick test that confirmed that
not only did he have a cows milk protien allergy but also eggs,soya and is anaphylaxis to nuts which is terrifying as they could kill him. We have also
learned he is allergic to penicillin, Teddy reacted to these foods
through my breastmilk so i was on an elimination diet which meant i couldn’t have any of these foods or food containing these ingredients. Like everything new the first few weeks are the hardest. I was constantly checking labels and putting food back on
the shelf as i soon learned milk is in everything and i literally mean EVERYTHING. From chicken nuggets to noddles and even bread
. Cutting all these foods from my diet meant i lost a lot of weight and when your already thin its not a good luck. with the help of my facebook group i found out
not only were oreos dairy free but also betty crocker cake mix,hobnobs,pringles, jam tarts and that’s just to name a few! Soon i was thinking of ways to lose weight. Within
the first two weeks of my elimination diet i felt like i had a new baby, he was happy and content like every baby should be.
Starting teddy on solids was daunting at first, we had a lot of slip ups or he got something
by accident and each time he had a reaction they seemed to be getting worse and worse and even If his skin comes in contact with eggs he has an allergic reaction. Eating out
isn’t an option for us even if we are assured the food is safe i couldn’t take the risk knowing what is could do to him. The constant worry of allergic reactions is something
that’s always on my mind and for awhile those thoughts consumed me. Thankfully he has outgrown his soya allergy and can tolerate dairy through my breastmilk. By his
second birthday he will be admitted to hospital to undergo the ‘egg challenge’ which means under the supervision of doctors he will be giving egg in baked foods to see if
he can tolerate it. We all want our kids to be happy and healthy and i used to think ‘why teddy, why us?’ because of these allergies not only did he cry constantly in pain he had
severe reflux,was always sick and was even admitted to hospital. I felt as though i couldn’t enjoy my lovely little baby and as i was breastfeeding i was the reason
for his pain, but no matter what us mothers blame ourselves for everything its something we are probably not going to stop doing but will later realise its not always
our fault (just like it wasn’t my fault teddy slipped on the shampoo HE spilled on the bathroom floor but blamed myself for anyway)
Having these allergies has really opened my eyes to whats in the food i eat and how its made, if and when teddy outgrows them i have decided to keep him on his normal diet hes on until he can decide for himself – as mush as i would love to say strictly vegan he has a new found love for meat. i wont complain about that as theres nothing
cuter that a toddler tearing into a pork chop or a steak right?

Momas Milk

Breastfeeding is something that has become very close to my heart its also something i never thought i would do or still be doing 15 months later. Although it came somewhat naturally to me we still had our struggles. When Teddy was born we had latching issues, struggled with blocked milk ducts, cracked and bleeding nipples but i was determined to make it work. I felt so proud watching him grow from my own nourishment and by the time he was two weeks old he had doubled in his original birth weight.It also helped me lose all my pregnancy weight and more, Being a new mum is tough on your body but breastfeeding can be a little harder and i lost a lot of weight and looked very run down, like any parent i was to focused on my new baby i was forgetting to look after myself. By the time teddy was four months old i wasn’t just tired i was exhausted, which i soon realised there is a big difference, it wasn’t until a visit to my public health nurse when she asked me was i ok that i realised i wasnt, i was suffering from PND and its only in recent times that i have realised that. Being on medication did not agree with my body so i have decided to overcome it on my own with the help of my own mum who has been my absolute rock without even knowing it! sometimes breastfeeding made me feel trapped, like there was no way to escape for even half an hour and have time by myself, but i could of done things different like introduce bottles but of course its only when you look back you realise these things. Teddy was a hungry baby so it meant nursing every two hours (if i was lucky) during the day and constantly at night, something that still happens now! Because he fed so much he was so used to be in my arms that when he was put down he screamed until he was picked back up again resulting in a ‘spoiled baby’. When everything settled down and we started to get the hang of things then came the growth spurts!! Growth spurts is where your baby just wants to drink drink and drink! I could of fed Teddy for 6 hours straight and he still wasn’t satisfied but it needed to happen so my body could start making more milk to suit his needs, but my god they made me feel suicidal at times (not literally)I felt like giving up so many times and just giving him formula but i felt to guilty. Being a young mum with little education no job or a lot of money i felt like i couldn’t offer him anything good and breastmilk was my way of giving him the best nourishment and start in life, although i was mostly surviving on redbull and frozen pizza so who knows if it was any use to him.. but that’s only the negative stuff and all that is easier to remember.I honestly do love breastfeeding and definitely made the right choice, i always forget i loved cradling him in my arms for hours, having loads of skin to skin contact,watching him grow and know that he is getting the best, not to mention the huge list of health benefits for both mother and baby the list is way to long but there is a reason its called liquid gold. Its also not just food comfort plays a huge part in it, after all his injections,nasty falls, upset tummies or he just wants comfort in general nursing calms him right down.Did i mention its free? If everyone breastfed it could save tax payers millions of euros each year. Theres also is no getting up at night to make bottles, you can do it anywhere (with a little confidence) and if your forgetful like me you don’t have to worry about forgetting bottles while out. It may seem like there was more bad than good but everyone’s experience is different i still wouldn’t trade mine for anything, Teddy is no where near ready to wean and iv no idea when our breastfeeding journey will end but ill continue to feed him until he decides, unless hes coming home from a night out with a lads and wanting some boobie before bed!