Is This Far-Fetched? Breastfeeding Question

[D-borealis]

My daughter and I have been gluten-free for about a month now and overall we have seen gradual but significant improvement in her health and mood. However I have noticed something odd - perhaps it is just a strange coincidence of some kind - but it seems as though every Tuesday she has a really bad day (as in, very crabby, won't eat anything, clingy, rash behind knees flares up) It is happening again today (tuesday!). The only thing I can think of that could correspond to a specific day of the week is that on SUNDAYS I work all day in a bakery. There is alot of airborne flour there however I do not eat any of the food that is made there including so called "gluten free" baked goods. Obviously, I also do not bring any of the food home from the bakery for my daughter to eat. 

 

My question is (and this sounds crazy to me, but it's all I can think of): is it possible that just by BREATHING in airborne flour it is somehow entering my breastmilk? She does still nurse quite often, and it is the lone connection I can think of between the flour at the bakery and what she is consuming. Can tiny particles of flour entering the lungs affect the composition of breastmilk? Any other ideas on this are welcome. Until I figure it out, I guess I will plan on "terrible tuesdays".

[kareng]

The flour in your lungs shouldn't be an issue.  But, think about it.  How does the flour get to your lungs? It passes thru your throat.  Some probably gets swallowed.

[Mayasmum]

A friend gave me this link - Open Original Shared Link

[kareng]

A friend gave me this link - Open Original Shared Link

 

 

Odd link but I think I found what you were linking to.  It mentions ingesting with the inhaling.  To me, it is just common sense that if it gets in your throat, some will get in your stomach and onwards.

[dilettantesteph]

I think that it could happen.  Can you take the day off next Sunday and see what happens?

[D-borealis]

I think that it could happen.  Can you take the day off next Sunday and see what happens?

I would love to but they are short staffed right now. This would really be the ultimate test though and I plan to arrange this as soon as possible.  If it turned out to be the culprit I would probably consider quitting my job or fully weaning my daughter. The terrible tuesdays are truly awful and probably not worth the basically minimum wage $$ I make on sundays. 

[Greebo115]

Could you try wearing a face mask - like the particle masks people wear when they are doing dusty DIY/jobs?

[mmcc54]

Hi!! My little was diagnosed 2 months ago im still nursing too so im gluten free as well...Ive noticed if I even have a small bit of gluten it will pass to her as well and she has a flare up! Even the shampoo at the salon did it too her ( I had my hair washed)

[smilla]

I think that it definitely could be affecting her. I noticed my little one (13 months) got severe constipation (her sign of being glutened) when I ate 'gluten-free' food at a not totally reliable restaurant, so even small amounts of contamination can have an effect.

[weluvgators]

Are you decontaminating yourself when you get home from the bakery? We have had issues with carers that worked in flour environments, as it seemed they would introduce gluten into our home via their hair and clothes. I would strip out of work clothes and wash hair and body in a procedure to reduce the potential of exposure as much as possible.

I think the face mask is a good idea as well, but my first suspect would be your hair and clothes.

[jepacar]

I would love to but they are short staffed right now. This would really be the ultimate test though and I plan to arrange this as soon as possible.  If it turned out to be the culprit I would probably consider quitting my job or fully weaning my daughter. The terrible tuesdays are truly awful and probably not worth the basically minimum wage $$ I make on sundays. 

Breastmilk is a perfect food for a child, specially when we need to help them to heal their gut.

[D-borealis]

Just wanted to update on this situation: the last two weekends I have showered and changed clothing (leaving contaminated clothing outside of the house)  before coming near my daughter, unfortunately with no improvement. Both weeks we still had the same intense behavioral and physical symptoms from monday night through tuesday evening. Was really hoping this would make a difference! It really does seem as though my breastmilk is somehow becoming contaminated just by my being in such a glutinous environment.  A mask is not an option for me as I work customer service and much of my job entails making a favorable impression on customers and speaking on a phone. So now? Either 100% wean from breastfeeding or quit my job. 

[tarnalberry]

I would find a way to try to take one Sunday off (short staffed or no), so you have a little more information before quitting.

[nicolebeth]

Just wanted to update on this situation: the last two weekends I have showered and changed clothing (leaving contaminated clothing outside of the house)  before coming near my daughter, unfortunately with no improvement. Both weeks we still had the same intense behavioral and physical symptoms from monday night through tuesday evening. Was really hoping this would make a difference! It really does seem as though my breastmilk is somehow becoming contaminated just by my being in such a glutinous environment.  A mask is not an option for me as I work customer service and much of my job entails making a favorable impression on customers and speaking on a phone. So now? Either 100% wean from breastfeeding or quit my job. 

I recommend continuing with breastfeeding. This is going to help her gut more than anything. Plus, she'll be miserable with the weaning (as will you). Doing so abruptly is bad for her health (stress, less healthy gut, greater risk of illness, etc.) and yours (future health, your stress, and, more immediately, mastitis).  

 

I would recommend doing what the PP said about taking a day off to see. It might not be this at all. There could be something else bothering her--maybe you drink coffee there and there is gluten contamination? Maybe just eating on the tables there, using their refrigerators for your food, using the water? Maybe you touch your face without being aware of it? Doubtful in food prep, but still something that could happen accidentally. Perhaps it is from gluten, but perhaps it's from taking frozen breastmilk when you're not there? (Could it be contaminated with gluten--frozen before?) Can you give her probiotics, too?

 

With our DS1, we thought everything bothered him--but never could pin it down. Dairy can cause reactions. (Again, are you drinking coffee there with cream or milk?) Anyway, DS1 would projectile vomit (breastmilk only) about once a week, and had eczema--that was sometimes much worse than other times. We never really thought about gluten as being the overall cause until he was older. The GI feels that breastfeeding him for as long as I did was the best thing for him. (Even my mom, who was a naysayer at the time--it was a long time!--said that he really "needed" it as his stomach was is pain, and because he wasn't getting the nutrients elsewhere.) 

 

This sounds like it must be a very stressful time! As difficult as it is to see your daughter in pain, even with the pain and the fussing, she's still getting such a great thing from you in the breastmilk. Even if you keep your job and continue nursing, it's still better for her to be nursing, even with a day that is less comfortable than the other days. I am confident that you'll figure out what is bothering her--and, it still may be coincidence. Again, even if you remain on the job, I recommend to keep nursing. It sounds like she's doing great six days a week! 

 

Good luck!

[weluvgators]

Sorry to hear that you have not seen improvement yet. I do not doubt that airborne exposure could be the root cause. But have you also studied your daughters situation while you are at work? Where is she staying? What is she eating? Who is preparing her food? Is she doing anything different on that day that could be contributing?

[D-borealis]

UPDATE:  we have now successfully had a tuesday that wasn't terrible!   What did I do differently? Well, normally when I am working I drink loads of water and after scrutinizing every aspect of my job to find out where the gluten was coming from, realized I always:

1. drink water out of cups owned by the bakery, washed in the bakery's sinks, dried right next to the dough mixing area, and 

2. leave my cup of water uncovered all day in a bakery filled with airborne flour.

 

So this week, i took my own water bottle filled with water from home, kept the lid on at all times unless I was having a sip.

 

tuesday passed without a hitch. I think my water glass sitting out all day was just getting film after film of wheat flour on the top and I was nonchalantly slurping it up for 12 hours. 

[Mayasmum]

I would def stay with breastfeeding, she truly needs that especially as her gut is compromised by the celiacs.

[Mayasmum]

oh good! Just saw your last update!