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I first heard of Milk Soy Protein Intolerance (MSPI) in January of 1997 at the office of a pediatric gastroenterologist who had just performed a proctosigmoidoscopy and biopsy on my seven-week-old son. He told me that Max's digestive problem was MSPI and that it would be much easier for me if I stopped breastfeeding immediately and put him on a special formula. Of course, at that moment my head was spinning. I finally found out the reason my son had been screaming and crying the first seven weeks of his life and though I wanted to continue breastfeeding, I did not want to cause him anymore pain. The doctor told me that there was a diet I could go on in order to continue breastfeeding, but that it was very difficult to follow. Wanting to make the best choice for my son, I stopped breastfeeding that day and started him on formula.In retrospect, the doctor was right, even though I regret that I did not continue breastfeeding; with the demands of a new infant, and trying to figure out a complicated diet, I might have gone mad. I knew though, that if I had more children, I would try any diet possible in order to breastfeed. So, during the first few months of pregnancy with my second son, Nate, I began preparing for the MSPI diet. Determined that I would not lack for good things to eat, and that I would find chocolate that was acceptable on this diet, I started shopping. Little by little, I found many acceptable alternatives for much of the food I enjoyed (the only exception being cheese). I found chocolate, cake, brownies, casseroles, pasta, rice, soups, breads, fast food, rice milk, places to eat out, and so much more, even a substitute for ice cream! It just took a lot of planning and a little bit of ingenuity. The idea for this guidebook/cookbook came from my husband, who was so supportive of this diet that he ate most of the alternative dishes I prepared, stayed away from most cheese products, and even had rice milk on his cereal. He has always been a supportive eater, and because I love to cook and bake, we make a great combination. We both thought it would have been so much easier to navigate this diet if there were some guidelines to follow. There were no tools, no recipes, no cookbooks, no product information-just a list of ingredients to avoid. And, just because you are on a special diet does not mean that you stop eating out, stop having to bake for special occasions, stop bringing cookies to school, or stop having holidays. With some help it would have been possible for me to continue breastfeeding, to start this diet and survive. So, with much encouragement from my husband, I started writing. The goal of this book is to be of assistance to the woman who is handed a list of ingredients and told "stay on this diet and you can keep breastfeeding" or "simply avoid all milk and soy products. The word "simply" does not apply here. Once you start reading food labels you will wonder if there is any food out there that you can eat! The food substitutions guide will give you quick ideas to get you started and then you can expand them into other products and recipes at your own pace. With the website, you can communicate special problems, share ideas and be updated on new recipes and product information. The best advice that I can give in starting the MSPI diet is to always read labels thoroughly and carefully. This piece of advice, taken with all the other information contained in this book, will get you on your way to eating well. This book is not intended to be a nutrition guide. Though I do try and watch fat and calories in my everyday life, I knew that while breastfeeding I could not diet and certainly did not want to do without many of the comfort foods I enjoy. Simply adding the proper amounts of fruits and vegetables helped me keep my nutrition in check and allowed me a little latitude while navigated this diet. Though I used this diet strictly for over a year, I still find myself using rice milk and figuring out what I can use for dairy substitutes. At a time when much is questioned as to what we add to our foods or feed to our animals in order to make their meat and dairy products "better," many people are turning away from animal products, whether dairy or meat, and trying to find reasonable alternatives. This guidebook/cookbook will help you avoid dairy and soy products for whatever reason you are doing so. About the author Tamara Field, had two young sons with MSPI. She currently works as a registered nurse and is the manager of a critical care unit in Omaha, Nebraska. Her other career is in music, where she holds a doctorate of musical arts in pedagogy and vocal performance. She continues to coach voice and sing professionally in the Omaha area and throughout the midwest. |
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