Sunday, December 11, 2011

Boobies versus bottle: The ultimate showdown

Well, mamas, after two and a half months on the elimination diet in which I could not eat wheat, dairy, soy, nuts, or eggs and still seeing no improvement in baby’s symptoms, I decided to give up breast feeding and switch to a prescription elemental formula. For those who aren’t familiar, the proteins in an elemental formula are broken down into amino acids so that they are easier for baby to digest.

Although I was committed to breast feeding, a few things propelled me over the edge. First, I lost so much weight that I didn’t need to undo my pants to take them on and off. Second, not only did I feel nutritionally deprived on the diet, but also emotionally deprived. Sometimes a girl just wants pudding or a mug of hot cocoa, you know? Third, I had zero energy, and fell apart easily. And finally, the simple knowledge that the food I was providing for my son was causing him discomfort, although heartbreaking, was the kick in the pants I needed to make the switch. 

The doctor said the switch from breast milk to formula would take two days. Hahahaha. How little she knows.