Re-introduce pea protein with non-gluten grains?

[jesiblair]

Hello!

I just completed my first Whole30 on November 30th and am in the process of re-introduction now.  I chose to re-introduce gluten first, then dairy, and am scheduled to re-introduce non-gluten grains next.  I won't be able to re-introduce all legumes after that because I'm scheduled to have a c-section the day I would be re-introducing them.  Since I'm not going to know if any effects on my body are due to the legumes or the surgery or the fact that I'll be post-partum, I'm post-poning my re-introduction of legumes to a later date.

However, I would like re-introduce pea protein at the same time I re-introduce non-gluten grains.  While I understand pea is a legume, I would like to include it earlier in my re-introduction to determine my sensitivity to it before I give birth.

Are there any direct contraindications to doing this?  Or is it more of a "you shouldn't, but you're an adult, so do what you want" sort of thing?

TIA!

[jmcbn]

Non gluten grains are not the most gut disruptive of foods, nor do they come high on the list of common allergens (although they can negatively impact blood sugar). Legumes on the other hand can cause gas, bloating, wind, digestive distress etc, as can a general anaesthetic which may make 'diagnosis' difficult....

What are you wanting to use the pea protein for?

[jesiblair]

Thanks @jmcbn!

I'd like to have a high-quality, plant based protein shake available while I'm on maternity leave, as cooking and shopping may not happen as regularly or quickly as I need it to.  There may also be days where a shake is literally all I have the ability to eat, depending on the baby.  Even with extensive prior planning of freezer meals and stocking up on other supplies (like meat sticks, jerky, and Rx bars), I'd still like this as an option for protein, should my body agree with it.

It's not as good of an option as real, whole food, but as the mom to a newborn and a four year old boy, I'm trying to plan for as many scenarios with as many options as I can!

Note:  I'm deliberately leaving out whey protein as an option because I already reintroduced dairy and it did NOT go over well!  So I will be leaving dairy off my list moving forward.

[jmcbn]

How about egg protein? It doesn't matter how good quality a pea protein you get, it's never going to be as complete as you'll get from an animal.

I'd add that if you're planning to BF then relying on shakes just isn't going to cut it - actually even if you're not planning on BF shakes aren't going to cut it.

Do you have a partner/mum/friend who can quite literally hold the babby while you prep a meal? I had a very sick, premmie baby (plus an older sibling) and I always managed to eat.

Ultimately what you do after your 30 days & how you plan your reintroductions is up to you, we can only guide you, but if you've never done the reintroductory phase before, and as someone who doesn't tolerate legumes that well I'd suggest keeping them separate so that I really can see the full picture.

[jesiblair]

Thanks again @jmcbn!  I hadn't thought about egg protein, so thank you for the idea!  I'll check that out right now.

The shakes are not intended to be meal replacements.  It would be irresponsible to myself and the baby to rely solely on them for nutrition. I used them with my first born in conjunction with other quick access, pre-cut fruits and vegetables and they worked out extremely well on the particularly rough days.  Again, they will be a stop gap measure until I can get some real food in my body.  It's just my husband and I, with no support system, and since he has to go back to work, it'll just be me.  Hence the forward planning.

Thanks again for the advice on the egg protein!  I know my body loves eggs, so here's hoping that this will be a good option for us!