Our Story

Taking a step back from cooking, I want to share our story. I know other people with similar stories who have made it through allergies and continue to breastfeed as well. It can be done, and it's a rewarding experience on more levels than I realized when this all started!

When Siena was nearly two months old, she started having trouble sleeping. A baby who would go seven hours between feedings at night suddenly would wake up after 5 minutes, 20 minutes, 45 minutes, maybe 2 hours if we were really lucky. When asking her doctor, I was given lots of ideas on how to burp a baby. I felt unheard, but also like a failure.

Shortly after Siena turned 2-months old, streaks of bright red blood appeared in her diaper. This got the doctors' attention, and she was immediately diagnosed with milk allergies. (This was my first lesson in learning to trust my instincts!) I was instructed to go off dairy products for a week. A week later I was instructed to go off soy and dairy. When that didn't work, I was given formula.

I was very uncomfortable with giving up so fast-- it just felt like we had no answers and there were so many routes we had not explored. I decided on my own to eliminate ALL of the "top 8" allergens: diary, soy, wheat, eggs, nuts, peanuts, fish, and shellfish. I also persisted with the doctors to get a referral to a pediatric GI specialist.

The GI specialist was wonderful. She asked a lot of questions and seemed to be very knowledgeable. She referred us to a nutritionist, who helped us make the complete transition to eating allergy free. Two lessons have guided this journey: 1) learn how to read labels for all forms of the food you're avoiding, and 2) it takes 3 weeks for an allergen to clear your and your baby's systems. (Forgetting this second rule has led us back to the GI specialist and even to an allergist.) I was so glad I held out and followed my gut, and it felt SO good, both practically and emotionally, to have a support system with the GI specialist and the nutritionist, who applauded my persistence.

But still, going home and putting this all to the test took awhile. I ate an altered version of the polenta recipe from the rice milk box for about two months, until I could stand it no longer. I've gone crazy picking up every little crumb off the floor (we have since transitioned to an allergy-free household) and trying fruitlessly to keep Siena from eating grass and pine needles outside, lest she be allergic to those too. One day I put sunscreen on Siena, which it turns out had soybean oil in it. Yep, cosmetics can be allergenic, too; don't forget to check yours and your baby's cosmetics. And another lesson I just recently learned the hard way: spelt IS wheat.

Since then we've branched out and slowly built up my options. I now have many food options and a long queue of meals I'm planning to make. I've explored alternatives to foods I used to enjoy, and I've branched out and discovered dishes from different ethnic cuisines, which have the added bonus of incorporating a lot of unique flavors to my diet. I'm enjoying food again.

Siena is successfully eating solids as well, although she still gets plenty of breastmilk. She started with rice cereal, which I realized after six days that she was allergic to (this was confirmed at her allergist appointment). Once all symptoms were gone, we started her on sweet potatoes. We introduce one new food ingredient every two weeks, and thankfully we haven't discovered any new allergies. She mostly still eats single-ingredient foods-- avocados, chicken, carrots, apple, corn (in many forms), bananas, watermelon, pumpkin, and the list is growing. (Grass and pine needles are okay, too, in moderation.) So far she has liked everything she's tried, albeit not always on the first attempt. She definitely enjoys her food.

The best gift the allergy-free experience has given us is cooking and eating fresh, wholesome foods. I've never eaten this healthy in my life, and surprisingly I've never enjoyed food as much, either. Cooking and eating are very sensory experiences-- the smells, sounds, textures, and colors all accompany the flavors and offer much more fulfillment than any fast food or prepared food ever could. We have discovered completely new foods, such as quinoa, and have more variety in our diet. To be practical, we usually cook in large batches and eat leftovers or freeze portions. The default in our society is definitely not to eat this way, but I've been doing it long enough that it has become a lifestyle change for me. I'm determined to maintain this fresh food diet, at least for the most part, even when we can eat whatever we want again. It will be an amazing gift to pass on to Siena as well.

I feel like such a novice compared to most other food bloggers out there. I'm no chef, and I've never learned "proper" techniques in the kitchen. But I have learned a lot in the past year and I feel like I have something valuable to share. I hope these stories and recipes can encourage someone else. I want to be a strong voice that tells you: It can be done! You can eat well and allergy free. I hope I can help.

Allergy-Free Polenta

1 can corn
1 7-oz can diced green chilies
4 cups rice milk
1 cup polenta
salt and pepper to taste

Add the corn and green chilies to the rice milk and bring to a boil. Whisk in the polenta, constantly stirring, until it becomes creamy (about six minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with taco-like toppings: avocados, tomatoes, black beans, jalapenos, salsa, cilantro, seasoned ground beef, etc.