I am on baby number 2 with CMPI and it can definitely be a challenge. But since this is rodeo number 2 for me I’ve built a pretty good toolkit for handling it with less disruption to our everyday life. And I of course want to pass that knowledge onto other mom’s to save you the leg work!
What is CMPI?
If you’re unsure about CMPI here is a quick overview. It stands for Cow’s Milk Protein Intolerance and it is pretty much exactly what it sounds like- the baby’s belly doesn’t tolerate the proteins that are found in cow’s milk (and most mammal milks in general like goat or sheep too). It is not a true allergy (that wold be CMPA and is less common) but presents with several GI symptoms. You may notice excessive spit up, mucous or even blood in the stool, abdominal discomfort etc. There is a test your pediatrician can run to check a stool sample to confirm it if in many cases.
What Do You Do About It?
On the bright side, most babies will grow out of this as their digestive systems mature, making them more capable of tolerating those milk proteins. But in the meantime cutting dairy from your diet can help ease those symptoms. It is also important to know that babies with CMPI often also struggle with soy so many moms choose to eliminate both. This is even more challenging because finding foods that don’t contain either can feel overwhelming. I recommend talking with your pediatrician about whether you can start with just a dairy elimination (then add soy if needed) or if they think cutting both is most beneficial for your situation. For the sake of this post, my tips will be helpful no matter which route you’re choosing. So here are my top tips to help you navigate this new diet…
Become a Label Reader
Even if you don’t think something would or should have one of these off limits ingredients, they often hide in places you wouldn’t expect. So get in the habit of reading those labels. And not just the allergen statement- some things like soybean oil aren’t required to be included in an allergen statement since many people can tolerate it when it’s that refined (your baby may or may not be one of these people). Also things like natural flavoring can sometimes be derived from dairy or soy and again may not be included in the allergen statement.
Lean on Fresh Foods
Eat as many “whole foods” as possible. Processed foods that do not contain some version of dairy or soy (as you’ll see when you start checking the labels) are harder to come by. Sticking with fresh, whole foods takes the guesswork out of it.
Find substitutes You Enjoy
They’re not the same, let me just save you the time on that one. But there are many substitutes for things you’re giving up. Things like non-dairy yogurt, cheese and butter as well as soy free snacks. It just may take some trial and error to find the ones you like best. I’ve shared some of my favorites here.
Eat Out Wisely
My tip here is choose chains or ask questions. Eating out is one of the biggest challenge since you aren’t in control of the food you’re eating. If you’re at a chain/mainstream restaurant (think Chick-fil-a, Chili’s etc), they will have an allergen menu available online usually that lets you see exactly what allergens are included in what menu items. Also this website shares the allergen info for TONS of restaurants. This lets you look ahead and know what to order.
However, a lot of smaller or local restaurants don’t provide this on their website or online somewhere so you have to ask all of the questions when you’re there. This means asking about what kind of oil they use for frying (or if it’s butter), how things are prepared to see if there is butter or oil you weren’t expecting, getting ingredients of a salad dressing before ordering it etc. It can be more cumbersome but it’s doable.
Find Something To Indulge In
Going dairy and/or soy free can feel like you’re giving up a lot of foods and often it’s a lot of your favorite foods. The ones that feel indulgent and decadent and comforting. So find a treat that meets your dietary needs but feels like you’re indulging. This might be a soy/dairy free baked dessert you learn to make, or a store bought dairy free ice cream or a some type of savory snack that meets the mark. Whatever it is, I encourage you to find it and keep it on hand for the days you feel like you’re missing out, or to bring to a potluck to guarantee a treat for yourself.
Remember this is most likely temporary and it’s for your little one so even when it feels tough, you can do it!