Eating Adventures

The good news is that he can stay on his formula until he is 2, so I don't have to worry about him not getting the nutrition he needs. The bad news is that the dietician had no advice for if I should try to transition Carson to the sippy cup or a cup instead of bottle before then. Oh well, more research.

I am still feeding him solid foods as much as possible. He really likes beans of all kinds, and they are "magic" for curing his constipation problems. He likes fruit, and now he has actually started eating it rather than chewing it up and spitting it out. Today he ate half of a big strawberry. Yesterday he ate most of a chunk of pineapple. He still likes crackers, but I have now switched to the Ritz multigrain. I would like to find one with more fiber that he likes, but until then, they seem to satisfy him.

I am certainly getting an "ed-u-ma-cation" (as my silly dad would say) with raising this boy. He is such a mess when he feeds himself that I wonder why no one has invented the "full-body" bib yet (see photo above). Eating can be adventurous!

Picture of the month - Carson's Car

I'm so glad we got this little car for him, and I'm glad he's not allergic to "driving" it.

More About Milk Allergies

I have started my research, and I am completely flabbergasted - how do you feed a child who should no longer be relying on formula if you cannot give him milk???? In my research, I have learned that even soy milk can contain milk proteins, and that milk proteins can hide in the ingredient lists of many processed foods (like in his favorite Gerber graduates veggie crackers, or gok-goks as he calls them).

I have learned a few things so far...

• Milk allergies are not a reaction to lactose, which is the sugar in milk. They are a reaction to the proteins (one or more) in milk (thanks, Joel). So butter is not OK!
• Someone can react to one or more of the proteins in milk, and if whey is the only problem, then foods made with pasteurization and some of the harder cheeses may be OK.
• A milk allergy can lead to anaphylactic shock (but it's rare).
• A dietitian's help is recommended.

Does anyone know of some good resources - books, websites, magazines, etc. for helping parents deal with milk allergies? Most of the information I am finding is about diagnosis and symptoms.

I guess I have to throw away his favorite crackers)-: