Advice For A New Mom?

[Emily Elizabeth]

Hi everyone,

I'm due on April 8th and of course don't know if my daughter will have Celiac Disease or not. Of course I'm not eating gluten now, and I was told not to feed her gluten until she is at least a year old in hopes of preventing celiac disease. Do any of you have any additional advice?

Thanks!

Emily

[nmlove]

Congratulations! Having a baby is such a blessed event. As far as food introduction, the AAP now officially says to wait until 6 months for any food. Last I knew 6-8 months was the "magic" window for introducing gluten. We threw that out at my house. Both my boys, diagnosed celiac, were introduced at that time. With our third (who's 7 months) we decided to keep her gluten-free. We actually enrolled her in a study. Genetic testing's been done. Because of her age she's in an observational group so we could offer her gluten if we wanted to. But we don't. We're going to wait until she's old enough to let us know if it's bothering her. Besides, our house is mostly gluten-free. Any gluten is brought in from the outside, usually by my husband. And it's not really anything I'd want her eating anyway! If you want any info on the study, I'll be glad to give it to you. It's through the University of Maryland. You could even go directly there and read up on it.

[tarnalberry]

Congratulations! Having a baby is such a blessed event. As far as food introduction, the AAP now officially says to wait until 6 months for any food. Last I knew 6-8 months was the "magic" window for introducing gluten. We threw that out at my house.

The researched "magic window" so far is actually 4-6months. Open Original Shared Link, Open Original Shared Link

Why they tested that time frame, when all the recommendations are to avoid solid food when possible before 6 months is beyond me, but that's what the research shows. I'm almost certainly going to wait until after a year, as there are all kinds of other foods I'd rather introduce before grains, and we're probably going to keep the house primarily gluten free, with her only exposure being outside the house (and maybe, eventually, to daddy's oatmeal ).

[jmengert]

I'm currently 19 weeks pregnant, and I've been doing a lot of research on this, too. My plan is similar to Tiffany's: I plan to breastfeed for hopefully a year, introduce solids at 6 months or so, and avoid gluten entirely for the first year. Other than the limited gluten that my husband brings into the house, our house is gluten free, so he/she will be eating gluten free, as well, at home. Outside of the house, after a year old, I'll probably allow gluten at that point.

[hez]

my only advice is to go on a date! seriously, once the baby is born it will be awhile before you and your hubby have a date:)

hez

[nmlove]

The researched "magic window" so far is actually 4-6months. Open Original Shared Link, Open Original Shared Link

Why they tested that time frame, when all the recommendations are to avoid solid food when possible before 6 months is beyond me, but that's what the research shows. I'm almost certainly going to wait until after a year, as there are all kinds of other foods I'd rather introduce before grains, and we're probably going to keep the house primarily gluten free, with her only exposure being outside the house (and maybe, eventually, to daddy's oatmeal ).

Thanks for the correction. I remembered wrong. Where's my brain? Oh yeah, probably taken away by my 3 little ones!

[elle's mom]

Just reading this thread and wondering why all these daddy/husbands are bringing gluten in almost gluten free homes...........mine too! lol

[tarnalberry]

Just reading this thread and wondering why all these daddy/husbands are bringing gluten in almost gluten free homes...........mine too! lol

For us anyway, it's because that's how we decided to do things. My husband is a picky eater, and I trust him to be responsible for his own things. So he has a shelf (that I can't really even reach) for his cereal, granola bars, and oatmeal. He has a toaster and cutting board for frozen waffles and french bread. Everything else is gluten free. It works for us, and though it might not work for everyone, has been fine so far.

[nmlove]

Just reading this thread and wondering why all these daddy/husbands are bringing gluten in almost gluten free homes...........mine too! lol

Mine has a horrible habit of not eating breakfast and even worse, many days at work he ends up skipping lunch because he's so busy. Let's just say he has bad eating habits and leave it at that. I'm sure you all know you can't change someone else... And because he eats what I make for dinner, he wants his "gluten" some time (not really gluten, just junkier food, imo, that just so happens to contain gluten). So he'll have bread, frozen pizza or something later at night (he's a night owl). He has a vertical strip in the kitchen to use. A cupboard to store food, a piece of the counter to hold a toaster oven and to prepare his food and a lower cabinet to store pans/other stuff. It works for us. The few times he eats it around the boys we just have to say no. Sometimes they look a little sad but they're getting past that.

[T.H.]

Well, one bit of advice I don't think I read yet. :-)

If you are breastfeeding when you introduce gluten, it increases the chances of at least delaying the onset of celiac disease, if not helping prevent it. However, it can also lessen the symptoms of the disease, which can make it less likely for a doctor to diagnose it.

That's what happened with my kiddo. I introduced gluten while breastfeeding, and my daughter probably developed celiac around 8 years old, but with no gut symptoms. Nothing at all aside from some behavioral issues and a bit of exhaustion, so she didn't get diagnosed until someone else in the family did and I requested that she be tested.

So...just be vigilant, would be my advice! And if you want someone who is gluten knowledgeable, you're more likely to get one in a younger pediatrician. The older doctors were all taught that not only was celiac rare, but that it only happened with gut symptoms. :-(

Take care, and congrats on the upcoming little one!

Hi everyone,

I'm due on April 8th and of course don't know if my daughter will have Celiac Disease or not. Of course I'm not eating gluten now, and I was told not to feed her gluten until she is at least a year old in hopes of preventing celiac disease. Do any of you have any additional advice?

Thanks!

Emily