~by Melanie Christner, NTP CGP
There are many families who have started or intend to start the GAPS Protocol for various reasons. Perhaps your family is one of them. You may also be wondering how GAPS and breastfeeding fit together.
Let me start by telling you a little of my own story, and why it is important to start thinking about a nutrient dense diet even before conception (you are fortunate if you come across nutrient dense eating before having children!)
Breastfeeding was not inherently easy for me. I nursed my 4 children for a year each, but had difficulties with each one in my beginning months. In hindsight, I wasn’t feeding my body the right raw materials to successfully nurse.
When I began my first breastfeeding endeavors I had no information about traditional foods, herbs, probiotics, healthy fats or the art of breastfeeding. I was quickly thrust into a crash course when my first babe was listed “failure to thrive” at three weeks old. He wasn’t getting enough milk.
I was exhausted, ill, a new mother, but I was determined to not give up breastfeeding. So I researched. While I supplemented with formula through a little tube that worked alongside breastfeeding, I learned how to increase my milk supply. I tried herbs like fenugreek, blessed thistle and others (like this herbal formula) and they worked. I didn’t get to the root cause of my issues, but I started the digging.
To read the rest of the story, and how GAPS fits with breastfeeding, head over to EatYourBeets.com. Click here-> GAPS and Breastfeeding
Hi Melanie! I have an almost 8 mo old who has been dealing w some pretty serious issues and doctors hv been no help. He had bloody, mucosy diarrhea the color and consistency of dirty water-color-paint water for two mo. He had lost a pound and a half and was diagnosed as failure to thrive, with malnurishment/malabsobtion issues and a head circumference less than the 4th percentile. I was told he may has cystic fibrosis and that my breastmilk was not good enough for him that I should put him on solids. (They wld hv suggested formula except he’s old enough to eat solids.) Bc of all the mucose in his intestants (obvious bc it’s in his stool), I was reluctant to start him on solids since they are harder to digest than breast milk and wld likely exacerbate the problem. I did though bc it was lose the relationship our family has w the only local doctor who at least gives a perfunctory nod to alternative health or feed him solids. I did it my way though and he only gets it once a day, and usually only will take enough to satisfy his curiosity, a teaspoon or less. He still nurses the rest of the time. All solid foods come out the same way they went in, in their undigested form. I did discover that he has a dairy sensitivity and since eliminating dairy from my diet his bloody, excessively mucosy diarrhea has cleared up. The doctor is tight lipped about this and seems to ignore it. I do not believe he has CF or any other issue that isn’t diet-related. He has met all his milestones well ahead of time and as far as his head circumference, I am 34 years old and still hv to buy my hats and sunglasses in the children’s section. That is a snap shot of why I’m interested in the GAPS Diet. I hv taken probiotics daily now since he was 5 or so months old, and so has he. I ate plenty of saurerkraut, kombucha, while I was pregnant w him, though not as much recently due to cost. I would really like to put myself on the GAPS INTRO diet mostly for his bebefit (nursing) but also for mine. Since he is almost exclusively breastfed and we hv both been on probiotics and my system is not a total stranger to fermented foods, do you think I still need to use the FULL GAPS protocol, or should die-off be less if I begin w the intro? Thank you for your response. I would hv sent this in an email but couldn’t locate the “contact us” link. Perhaps I just missed it on the small screen of my phone??? Either way, maybe our exchange will help someone else too.
Hi Nancy,
Thank you for sharing your story, you’ve been through a rough time of it. I would recommend you follow the New Baby diet as outlined in Dr. Natasha’s GAPS book, on page 350. If you would like further support, my GAPS Class is a wonderfully supportive community that is moderated by myself, and there are many helpful materials and resources in the 10 weeks of class, that you have continued access to.
Warmly,
Melanie
I am wanting to start the gaps intro diet for my Toddler and myself. My toddler is showing some autistic signs. But I still breastfeed her and
Planned on till she is two. Can she have breast milk on the intro diet? And she eats a lot of purée baby food. Do u think I should start with gaps full diet or go for the intro diet first? I have no idea how I’m going to get her to drink her broth ?
Hi Meagan,
Your daughter is at the right age to be introduced to good, nourishing GAPS foods…it is easier to reset their taste buds when they are little. 🙂
You may find my article on introducing solids to baby helpful in this regard. Here it is – http://www.honestbody.com/introduce-solids-to-baby-gaps-way/
Kindly,
Melanie