GLuten Free and Vegan Meals for 1 year old?

[AviAndMe1]

Hi! Im a First Time mom with an 11 month old! in the past month I came to discover that my son is allergic to Gluten. 

Recently this week he is refusing to eat any of his Purees (mind you, i am all organic and feed him nothing but), and he is still a breastfed baby but is also refusing to eat as much, as you can imagine its not as satisfying for him. He's going through a growth spurt as well as teething, he has two teeth so far and two more on the way in. so as you can see he can't chew all that well with certain things..Now, I need help with some meal ideas, and finger foods because as i said I'm new to this. I myself have had to go Gluten Free for it passes through my breastmilk and was making him sick.. I'm only 20 years old and am completely lost on what to do and what to make him. I have introduced dairy in small amounts, and I'm not ready to introduce meats... Any ideas at all on what i should do and make? I need help!

 

[DWmomoffour]

First of all, that’s awesome that you are still nursing him! He’s getting most of his nutrients through that, so don’t worry about that part. I also don’t eat meat and we have a gluten free home for my daughter, so my 14 month old is gluten free by association. I loved the baby led weaning process, that might be something you would be interested in. As long as it’s not a choking hazard, give him anything that you are eating. Full bananas, strips of avocados, steamed broccoli...do you eat eggs? Scrambled eggs are great,  yogurt, and thinly sliced cheese. Also, my son loves Cheerios, rice Chex, kix (all gluten-free) and hot cereals such as cream of rice. Your son may be more interested if he can feed himself or if he’s eating the same thing as you. It’s easier that way for you too! Check out the book Baby Led Weaning by Rapley and Murkett, lots of awesome ideas in there!

[apprehensiveengineer]

Please please please take your child to a doctor for advice on changing his diet and/or testing for celiac disease. Growing children are very susceptible to malnutrition, and a restrictive diet should be avoided unless medically necessary.

Last year an infant died because their parents insisted on keeping the kid on a gluten-free, vegan diet due to a self-diagnosed "allergy": Open Original Shared Link

It is also my understanding that gluten proteins cannot be transferred via breast milk.

[pschwab]

Gluten proteins can be transferred through breast milk, so you are correct not consuming gluten yourself while nursing. We are completely gluten free in our home. I have a thirteen month old who is still nursing and only has two teeth as well. She eats everything we eat. We do a lot of steamed veggies (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, green beans) and fruits (melon, strawberries). As long as you cut them up small, you'd be amazed what they can handle. Grapes are fine but cut them up not in circular shapes (like quarter or eighths are best). She loves avocadoes!  It's fine that you are not ready to introduce meats, but again your son will be great with them as long as you cut them up small. We routinely feed the baby fish, chicken breast and other meat in little pieces. Some of her favorites besides fruits and veggies are eggs, bananas with peanut butter on them, cereal softened in cow's milk (helps them start to get used to the taste without overwhelming their tummy), lasagna, mashed potatoes, and pretty much anything else you can think of. Please remember to continue monitoring as you add new foods. You don't want to inadvertently introduce another allergen and attribute it to accidental gluten contamination. I can remember how scary it was to introduce solids when we had our first. As long as you monitor them as they experience these new textures, you will do great. (We eat a lot of organic, but not exclusively, so I'm sorry if I mentioned something that you can't get organic by you.) Good luck!

[apprehensiveengineer]

Gluten ingested by the mother does not transfer to the breast milk in a sufficient amount to cause intestinal damage in a baby with celiac disease:

Open Original Shared Link

Organic food is also irrelevant - organic farming practices still involve the use of pesticides, just ones classified as "natural" by the USDA. Natural pesticides may or may not be safer, as natural pesticides are not tested as thoroughly from a human toxicology perspective. At least with conventional pesticides, there is ample scientific literature on the effect of doses used in agriculture. Aka... just eat veggies and don't worry yourself or your wallet so much   :

Open Original Shared Link

I'm not saying that OP's concerns are not real - I'm just saying that she should investigate these problems with the help of an MD or a RD before making drastic and potentially deadly restrictions on the child's diet without due cause.

[cyclinglady]

I have to agree with Apprehensive Engineer.  A gluten eating mother can safely nurse her baby who may have celiac disease:

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

there are plenty more sites that back up this claim and they are from celiac organizations or research centers and not bloggers.

Please consult with your baby’s PED about the diet you are proposing.  

[GFinDC]

A babie's body need's protein, minerals, vitamins and energy to grow and thrive.  A growing body needs these things in much higher percentages than an adult.  So an adult diet is not appropriate for an infant.  You as an adult may do wonderfully on a totally vegan diet but your infant needs lots of quality protein and fats to build muscle and bone and brain.  Our brains are mostly composed of fats and nerve cells.  Please consider carefully before restricting your infants diet to a diet lacking these critically needed nutrients.  Babies are not the same as adults and need a better diet really.  I think you understand that and that is why you asked your question.  Good for you!  There is so much to learn when becoming a parent.