Ask Judy: How Do I Introduce Foods That My Baby Might Be Allergic To?

Dear Judy, It has been a solid month of keeping my baby away from wheat, dairy, soy, and eggs. Yesterday her Chiropractor suggested that I slowly reintroducing foods back into my diet. Do you have any recommendations?

I recommend introducing the foods back one at a time. Take one food (say milk) and have one glass the first day – see how she does. Have two glasses (1 in the AM, 1 in the PM) the 2nd day and see how she does. Have three glasses on the third day (AM, noon, PM) and see how she does. Then gradually increase until you are having as much of that food in your diet as you would want. Give it a week. During that time – don’t introduce anything else that is “new” or that she might be allergic to. If she doesn’t have any reaction at the end of the week, then introduce a 2nd food – while still keeping the milk in your diet. This will enable you to see which specific foods might be affecting her. It will take some time, but it will be worth it to be able to have more foods in your diet. If she reacts to milk, you can also try different types of dairy – for instance you might be able to eat yogurt, but not cheese or milk (or vice-versa) – try different forms to see what might work best.

Another option is to try introducing a food that she has had a reaction to in a “cooked” form. For instance, if your baby has reacted to eggs in the past, try eating something (like a bread) that is cooked with eggs in it. Some babies might react when you eat a plain egg, but may not react if you eat a bread that has eggs in it. Trying foods one at a time and trying small amounts and in different forms might be helpful in determining which foods you need to eliminate from your diet and which foods you don’t.

Does your baby have allergies? Did you have to adjust your diet while you were breastfeeding? Please share your story or your advice by leaving a comment on this post.