Breastfeeding, AIP, and IBS

[Scarlettsmom]

Preparing to start my first whole 30. I read a lot under medical conditions as I have fibromyalgia and ibs but I'm also nursing my beautiful almost 4 month old. I also go back to work in a week. Crossing off the nightshade and fodmaps from my food list, I do feel a little scared but I know to focus on what I can eat. I've also only returned to eating meat a year ago and chicken is the one meat I don't like. Looking for encouragement from other bfing moms with AIP and/or ibs. Also looking for recipe and meal planning guidance.

[froglegs]

I am nursing my 6-month-old, working full time, and dealing with an undiagnosed GI issue (symptoms were similar to gallstones but that has been ruled out). I finished my Whole30 about a week ago, but I'm continuing to comply with almost all of the rules (now including low FODMAP) and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. All of this is especially difficult with what little fragmented sleep I get, but I figure bad foods aren't going to make any of this better, so it's worth the extra work to make sure I'm eating as optimally as possible.

 

I'm not sure that I can help much with recipes because I eat a lot of chicken! But no matter what you eat, the most important thing is to plan ahead, especially when you go back to work. Every night when you make dinner, make enough to bring for lunch to work the next day (and breakfast too if necessary). If you find it hard to do a lot of cooking during the week, prep on the weekends - plan the next several days worth of food, go grocery shopping, and do some cooking & freezing. Even something as simple as having some cooked meat in the fridge or freezer can make it a lot easier to throw something together in a few minutes when you are short on time. Also, every few days I cook large batches of sweet potatoes in the oven, and greens (kale, collard, etc.) in a pan with some coconut oil. These are two easy ways to always have vegetables on hand.

 

If you haven't seen it yet, here is the low FODMAP shopping list: http://whole9life.com/book/ISWF-Shopping-List-FODMAP.pdf

 

Good luck! Whole30 may seem like a big undertaking, especially with additional restrictions, but as you let go of old habits and develop new ones it will get easier, and it will be worth the effort.