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Breastfeeding & Going Dairy Free? Soy Free? Egg or Wheat? Here's Where To Start

  • Sep 22, 2024
  • 5 min read

Updated: May 19

Your GP says:

"Let's trial dairy free."

And suddenly you're standing in Woolies reading every food label thinking:

"Wait... what even has dairy in it?"

Then someone mentions soy...

"What even is soy?"


And before you know it, you're wondering if there will be anything left to eat 😅

I remember feeling completely overwhelmed too.



When I started the allergy journey, there were SO many times I was 'this close' to ending our breastfeeding journey, despite how important it was to me. It started when a friend had begun eliminating dairy from her diet, to see if it would her daughter, and I ended up giving it a go too. I clearly remember saying 'if this works (ie. Mia doesn't tolerate dairy), then this is the end of our breastfeeding'. I wish I could say as soon as I knew it was helping, I cut it out completely, but I was still in denial for a while, and it wasn't until Easter, when I had some chocolate, that I realised it really was making a difference. I also lived in denial about soy for many more months (again, because it was overwhelmingly difficult to even think about where to even begin with cutting out soy; it's EVERYWHERE, and what even is soy!?). It wasn't until I'd made a tofu version of my usual lasagne (and ate leftovers for 3 days, and then did a food diary) that my denial turned un-deniable & I cut soy too.. and from there, Mia slept through the night. Poor Mia.



What can I eat on a dairy & soy free diet?


Keep in mind that soy is a very similar protein to cows milk protein (dairy), so avoid swapping to soy based products if you can. FYI, eggs are not dairy - dairy comes from cows ;) 'Lactose free' is not dairy free - it's just dairy that has had the lactose removed from it; it still contains cows milk protein.


Tip: Woolies has an allergen filter option with their online ordering. Ie. you can filter for dairy free, wheat free etc (however it is not 100% reliable).


Milk

  • Oat milk tastes best (especially with coffee). It also fairs well to swap with real milk when cooking. Almond milk is another alternative. Tip: find a product that is fortified with calcium.


Yoghurt

  • Coconut or oat alternatives. I like cocobella brand.

Cheese

  • They all suck, sorry. But you can find the alternatives in the vegan section of the fridge isle (just remember to avoid soy alternatives)

Butter

  • Nuttlex

Cream

  • Oat based (OATLY brand), or coconut cream


Best dairy alternatives I actually used:




Best dairy & soy free snacks we love:


  • Yumi's brand dip (sweet potato & cashew is great)

  • Frozen wedges

  • Marathon frozen Spring rolls

  • Woolies carrot/saltana/walnut loaf

  • Woolies Anzac Bisuits



Best dairy & soy free treats:


  • Chocolate: It's all expensive & not much is great. Pico (salted caramel) & NOMO brands were my go to.

  • OREOs (contain soy lecithin, however 'soy lecithin' is usually tolerated unless anaphylaxic to soy)

  • Ice cream: choose vegan icecream (again, if you're cutting soy, check for soy). Ben & Jerrys was a good one, or vegan maxi-bons



Specific dairy and soy alternatives

  • Soy sauce: Maggi Seasoning Sauce

  • Bread, it probably contains soy (soy flour).

    You can find soy free bread at your woolies/coles if they have an on-site bakery. It's in the bakery section (not the bread isle), and you need to check ingredients every time, as they will use soy flour sometimes depending on what they have stocked. This is an easy fix to cutting back on soy (and it's cheap).

  • Vegan Pesto: barilla



Dinner ideas

  • Simple meat & veg

  • Pasta (without real cheese)

  • Tacos (without cheese/cream)

  • Chicken schnitzel

  • Gnocchi (chicken, coconut/oat cream, vegan pesto, mushrooms)

  • Risotto

  • BBQ/sausages



What you can eat when eliminating egg & wheat too


Egg is hard, because that's a big source of protein.

Wheat is hard, because that's easy carbs.


I previously mentioned the importance of involving your healthcare provider, and I will reitterate again, it is crucial to seek support from a dietitian and GP, especially when you are considering eliminating wheat and eggs from your diet.


What you can eat on a dairy, soy, egg, wheat free diet


  • Nuts (nut bars, or simple nuts)

  • Meat (even just cold meat on rice crackers with hommus)

  • 'Free from' mint slice & scotch fingers

  • Nature Valley Granola Bars

  • Fruit

  • Cocobella protein yoghurt tubs

  • Corn-cakes/rice-cakes

  • Woolies home-brand summer fruits muesli

  • Tuna & rice

  • 'Happy Snack Roasted Fava Beans'

  • Barilla Vegan pesto

  • Vegan mayo

  • Dried fruit (mango, apricots)

  • Vege Chips

  • Sweet & Salty Popcorn

  • Liberate English muffins



Dinner ideas (dairy, soy, egg, wheat free)

  • Home made sushi (sushi rice, tuna & vegan mayo, cucumber)

  • Chicken risotto (add mushrooms/pumpkin, coconut cream)

  • Taco's

  • Gluten free pasta & bolognese

  • Fish & Chips

  • Gluten free gnocchi, or 'Simply Wize' pumpkin gnocchi

  • Master Foods honey mustard chicken sauce with rice





One thing I didn't realise when we started our allergy journey was just how much allergies can impact sleep. Navigating the healthcare system around allergies felt incredibly hard... even with my paediatric nursing background. Even second time around with my son, it still felt overwhelming.


Sleep deprivation is torture, and I'm so lucky that now I'm able to support families through both their health and sleep journey. It's one of the reasons I'm so passionate about looking at the bigger picture.


Babies with allergies often need so much extra support and comfort while families are trying to work out what's going on. When little ones are uncomfortable, unsettled, or simply not feeling well, sleep can become incredibly challenging - both for a baby and their parents!


If this resonates with you, please reach out 🤍 I'd love to help support you through it.


Additional Resources:



DISCLAIMER:


This is not a resource to guide your whole diet, nor replace the advice of your GP/MCHN or any health care professional. If you think something in your diet may be causing symptoms for your child/baby, you must speak to your healthcare provider. This blog is only to help it be a little less overwhemling, after your GP recommends you trial an elimination diet. If you're cutting out anything long term, I also recommend touching base with a dietician.Responsibility remains your own to diligently check allergen labels every time. Companies regularly change ingredients in their products. Whilst I personally eat products that 'may contain' allergens (so are included in this blog), you must check with your health care provider whether this is appropriate for you/your child. This resources is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is not to be used to diagnose conditions nor to be used in any way to disregard advice of a medical professional, or delay seeking medical attention.

 
 
 

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