What To Expect....

[RainyZ]

My 18 month DD has been off gluten for 10 days now and among other wonderful things, I've noticed that her BMs are much more solid. My husband and I have marvelled a couple of times that she could pass them - they seem very large. Gross, but not the point of my post.

Before she was off gluten, she would fill two diapers a day, sometimes 3, with that fatty, loose stool. Now she has a very solid one right when she wakes up (it usually wakes her in the am) and then one of the mushy diapers after nap (also usually wakes her). The second one is usually part mush, part solid. I know she is not getting glutened since we are eating totally at home and my DS and DH were not in the house. Could it be her intestine is not totally healed yet? Or are we looking at something else she could be having a reaction to?

I imagine journaling food and diapers would help. I was hoping that someone else has had this experience and it was just a normal part of healing....

I am amazed at how active and happy she is now. I didn't realize until yesterday that I hadn't heard her really laugh in the past couple of months. She would smile, but she was really giggling hard yesterday and today. She was pretty active before, but would get very fussy at times. She would take really long naps, but I don't think she slept much because she would wake up and still be rubbing her eyes and be cranky. I guess it was her tummy/intestines bothering her all the time. Not sure this is related, but she has also started walking. She would cruise before, but always went down to crawl to really get places. I wonder if standing up bothered her tummy as well. Without her talking, I won't ever know. It is amazing to me the differences in her.

Side note: I was telling a neighbor about the diagnosis and a little about celiacs. I mentioned that she couldn't gain weight while eating gluten because it attacks her small intestine, etc... and my neighbor actually said, "Sounds like a diet that I need." How on Earth could anyone 1) be so insensitive - my daughter weighs 18lbs at 18 months and was malnourished and 2) make it about them? I just looked at her and said, "Ummm.... yeah." I guess I am going to need a thicker skin. It already bothers me that people comment constantly on her size. It bugs me when they comment to someone else as if we can't hear them. Worse yet, they feel calling her skinny/tiny is a compliment...

Thanks for letting me vent a bit!

[GlutenGalAZ]

That is great that you are already noticing some positive changes

Is your daughter drinking dairy? Some people who can tolerate dairy can have a problem with it when going off of gluten while their stomach is healing. Some are able to re-introduce dairy back in their diet after a while.

Another thing to think about are baby products i.e. baby powder, shampoos, lotions, soaps etc.

What about CC in the kitchen? Old cooking utensils or pots/pans?

When people eliminate gluten from their diet some do notice other intolerances.

I think it would be a good idea like you mentioned to keep a journal of what she eats etc.

Good Luck

[ShayFL]

Such wonderful news!! It will just keep getting better.

People say insensitive things sometimes. I have done it myself. It comes from speaking before reviewing your thoughts. It is rarely mean spirited. Your neighbor's comment stems from their own insecurities about their weight. It has nothing at all to do with your daughter. So I have tried very hard to let comments like this just float away and still like the person who said it. Knowing where it comes from helps.

[RainyZ]

Thank you both. I am so excited that my dd is getting better. More laughter today and she is really walking a lot. We played outside for a long time without her getting so tired. I can't imagine ever intentionally letting her have gluten again.

I do need to look beyond other people being insensitive and just focus on the joy I feel when I see her do anything! LOL