Hi
I thought I would ask here since there are plenty of experienced mums some questions I have been meaning to ask

1. How and when did you introduce cows milk? eg did you dilute it? if so how much?

2. It will be Maddys 1st birthday in 6 weeks and I was wondering if she was able to have some cake and if so what type? Should I just get a sponge cake or a icecream cake (she hasnt had icecream before and the only dairy she has ATM is cheese and yoghurt) I didnt want to ruin her birthday buy having to clean baby spew off everything.

3. Farting - and I mean lots of it (maddy that is not me). She is having a very varied diet now she is at daycare and they feed her food I hadnt fed her before. She aparently enjoys it and eats all of it and doesnt vomit or seem to have any allergies but I have noticed since she started daycare 3 weeks ago that she has terrible wind to the point she is straining and a little distressed.
All day today she has been doing it, with some ripper farts to go with it. She isnt constipated just windy. I even dug out a bottle of brauers colic relief to give her today.
Will her tummy settle down soon? Or should I keep a close eye on what she is eating?

Thanks Heaps
Michelle

Me Shelly
DP Ian
DD Maddison Grace
13 June 2004

Hi Shelley,

1. Milk. A couple of days after DD's 1st birthday I offered her some full cream cow's milk in a sippy cup mid-afternoon after her sleep and she gobbled it up. At that point she was having BF first thing in am, then after lunch and dinner. The next day I gave her some cow's milk in sippy cup after lunch sitting on my lap and no BF. After a couple of days I just gave her the sippy cup in her high chair after lunch. She rarely drinks as much as 100ml. If we are out at lunch I will give her water and give her milk later in the day, or I buy a babycino (without any extras). She still has BFs morning and after dinner and before bed I usually offer her an extra drink of milk or water.

2. Cake. If your DD has tolerated eggs well then I would be comfortable about giving her cake. My DD hasn't had ice cream yet. For her birthday I made an egg and dairy free cake (it had rice milk, treacle, dairy free butter, sugar, flour, spices) as one of our friends' DD is severely allergic to eggs - she loved it and ate about three pieces... All the kids ate this cake (also made serious choc coffee mud cake for adults ).

3. Farting. Don't have a huge problem with this. DD usually farts mostly just before pooing her nappy, but sometimes other times. If she seems uncomfortable in the tummy I give her a belly rub or cycle her legs and feed her something bland but bulky (to encourage everything to move along a bit). Not sure what to suggest for your DD...

Good luck!

Steph
DD Alex (March 04)

I started DS # 1 on cows milk as soon as he was 12 months, I
gradually reduced bottles of formula over 2 wks & swapped
them with cows milk. My two boys have had small amounts
of icecream from about 6 months as you feel guilty when
eating it & they are watching. I got a mud cake for DS first
birthday, I think he had about a spoonful, we don't eat cake
much but occasionally he would have a bite if we did have
any & I never had any problems.

1. Milk - I started putting cow's milk on my girl's weetbix when she was around 7mths as I couldn't be bothered squeezing out enough breastmilk to soak a whole weetbix. No problems, despite at least two generations of childhood dairy allergy in the family.

2. Cake - if she's not allergic to milk or egg, cake should be fine. My girl had a dairy and egg free mud cake for her first birthday because there were vegan party guests, and everyone considered it delish. Including bub, who provided us with a great photo opp with choc icing all over her face. She was also given cake by MIL when I wasn't there at about 5mths, despite being told not to, washed down with lime fizzy drink. Only problem was wind from the drink.

3. Farting - ask what she's been eating and drinking at childcare, maybe they're giving her baked beans..... you could try offering more water or breastfeeds (but not formula) to move things, or fruit.

I am starting to wean Emily of formula now. She has a bottle in the morning, a cup of milk or 2 for lunch, a bottle in the afternoon and a bottle in the night before bed. I will soon be dropping the morning bottle and replacing it with a cup of milk. This way it kills 2 birds with one stone, she will stop having bottles cause she will be drinking from a cup, and she won't be on formula. We did this with Sarah, and she had stopped having formula and bottles about 2 weeks after her first birthday, and has never wanted them.

Sarah 21/02/2003
Emily 10/05/2004
Munchkin 3 04/01/2006-ish

Hi Shelly



OMG!! I have just realised that Zoe's is in *looks at the calender* in under 3 weeks. I knew it was coming soon but THAT soon, oh they grow so quickly!

Anyway um cows milk. As there is no history in the family of allergys to anything, as in severe allergies, we started both the children on full cows milk, on their weetbix (milk was heated) at 9 months. We didn't dilute it. At 12 months we started giving Quinn a little bit in a sipper cup for morning tea and afternoon tea. We then moved on to swapping his bf's (he was having 3 a day) for cows milk. It was one feed changed every few weeks I think, but thats because I was happy to bf him and he was already having yoghurt and cheese.

Cake. Again if she has no allergies, nor are there any major ones in the family, I would go the sponge cake. We got a sponge cake with a design from the chessecake shop for Quinns and he had a little of that. For Zoe we will probably do the same although she has had the odd taste of ice cream and has also had little bits of muffins already. I would go for something simple but wouldn't be too stressed about if it has "egg" or "milk" if you start introducing them now or have introduced them. You will only be giving her a little bit to eat not the whole cake

Basically I guess I am just trying to say that if there is no history of allergies etc then try not to stress and just try her with little bits of things. I was SO worried when Quinn started solids that I was going to give him the WRONG thing but he was fine and thinking back I think I may of been too over cautiouse.

With Zoe we are much more laid back, we still go slow and steady and when giving he something new watch for reactions etc but we try not to worry so much. I could be wrong but as far as I was aware the ones to watch out for are "nuts" and "strawberries" both of which Quinn was given until he was Alot older.

In regards to farting. Yep all babys love to do it, Zoe does it when she is sleeping as well such the little lady lol. It does worry me though that you say she is "straining and a little distressed" sounds like something upset her poor little tum Is it all the time or is it just recently? I would try and find out what she is having at daycare as it might be one of the foods. Quinn had a similer experience when I gave him cauliflower, he was around the same age as Maddy.

cheers




Alexandra



Quinn's webpage

Zoe's webpage

Thanks everyone.

Alex - time flies doesnt it. This time last year I was getting ready to start maternity leave and was getting the nursery ready. Now I am worrying about daycare, illness and birthday cakes - LOL

Steph - It would be nice to still BF - I say that and laugh as I hated it at times. And now I think back I was well and truly over it by 9 months but not only is it good but it is nice time together.

Kim - Your little girl is nearly the same age as Maddy so thats reasuring. Have you left the navy yet? I am in the army and will probably stay in until I have to post again and then get out.


I guess I will start by adding abit to some cereal or giving her a small cup. I am not in a hurry though and will see how we go. She had her first taste of egg on thursday - they had frittata at daycare for lunch - she handled it well. We dont eat alot of eggs in our house and I thought it was 12 months for eggs so I hadnt bothered to try it.

I might just get a decorated sponge cake from the cheesecake shop. Michels Patisserie has Winnie the Pooh ones so I might do that. She wont eat much of it anyway. I just thought I would ask as being a first time mum I have been a bit strict in what foods I have introduced and when (I stuck to the handbook my MACH nurse gave me and read articles).

Well the farting seems to be linked to the upset tummy she has had which in turn seems to be linked to a urinary tract infection that the Doctor thinks she has. Have been to the doctors again today as maddy has had 2 fevers in the past week, including last night.

Thanks again
Michelle

Me Shelly
DP Ian
DD Maddison Grace
13 June 2004