Michi8

Any tips on which brands are actually safe? I heard Prego is, but what about Ragu? We prefer the taste of Ragu over Prego... Also, what about Classico? I see nothing on the label (Sun-Dried Tomato sauce) that indicates a source of gluten (there are no natural or artificial flavours listed either.)

Michelle

Ya we are in Canada too I should have noted that. I have all my recipts so I am hopeful that the Dr will give me a letter. I know that I also only get the difference.

I'm getting my taxes done at H&R this year lol I'm not attempting that myselfLOL.

Thanks everyone for your advice, you guys ar ethe best!!!!

According to CRA, you must have a diagnosis of celiac to be able to claim gluten free food. I understand that this does not include non-celiac gluten intolerance or wheat allergies. It may be worth contacting CRA for further clarification.

Michelle

I'm still very new to the gluten-free thing...and the rest of my family isn't gluten-free, so I haven't pitched anything yet.

I did want to point out though, that it may be worth it to let the manufacturer know if you react to a product. Some guarantee their products, and will give you your money back. You can also try returning products to the store...including food products. My hair salon, for example, doesn't hesitate to refund my money if I react to a product I buy there. The stuff is so expensive...I'd hate to have to throw it out after one try!

Michelle

[

]There is one 'little' thing that may get to be a problem with not having another place but your own bed for baby to sleep in. And that is that certain activities between husband and wife require privacy, and don't allow for a baby to be in the middle of your bed. So, unless you are actually planning on not having any sex for a year, you might want to reconsider not having a crib.

Never was an issue for us--we just sneaked off to the guest room or the living room couch!

As for no sex for a year, it was literally 6 months after the birth before I could sit down without any pain (HORRIBLE hemmorhoids after the birth), so I wasn't the least bit interested until after that, anyway.

Not an issue for us either. We had lots of other rooms in the house.

Besides, there are many cultures where cribs aren't used...and families share sleeping quarters. This hasn't stopped people from procreating in the least! Even my own relatives shared beds when they came to farm on the prairies...they built a one bedroom house. Everyone slept together for warmth...you certainly didn't want to waste fuel heating many rooms at night when one was enough. There were other opportunities for privacy between partners...the family bed was not the place.

It really is mainly in western society where we want to quickly push children into sleeping independently. I think it is a shame to insist a baby be alone at night and use inanimate objects for comfort rather than human touch. That said, you need to do what works for your family. In my family, it doesn't matter where you sleep as long as everyone sleeps.

Michelle

In September of this year (2006) I was tested postive for Celiac. I went right away on the diet (cheating from time to time). For about 2 months now I have been really strict, not cheating (at least not to my knowledge). I found out 4 days ago that I am pregnant. We were not planning for this just yet, but here we are. We are THRILLED!!! Yet, I'm reading that there are many complications with being both a celiac and pregnant and it's recommended that you are on the diet for a year at least before getting preg. I'm worried about birth defects and miscarriage.

I just turned 30 in October and was having symptoms for about 8 months before I found out. I would love to hear stories from you if I should be truly worried or if there are more healthy babies out there from Celiac moms than not.

I have not seen my doctor yet (calling tomorrow) since the weekend and the holiday made it tough to get ahold of her.

Should I be more worried than happy?

-Jessica

Congratulations! You should definitely be happy! You don't want to spend your pregnancy worried...it's not worth it to spend this amazing time that way.

There are plenty of stories out there about celiac women who have had healthy pregnancies, even before diagnosis. It is very unlikely that you will have complications, especially since you already have your diagnosis. You now know that you need to be on a gluten free diet...which is the healthiest thing you can do for this pregnancy. Take care of yourself, so that your body can take care of your baby...and enjoy being pregnant.

Michelle

A crib mobile that plays a gentle melody is nice, my one granddaughter loves hers (my older daughter has never bothered with things like that). Also, something soft (like a blankie, or a very soft, washable doll or animal) is a good idea, that the child can get attached to. It will help with bedtime once the baby gets older. Mind you, it is impossible to know what the kid will chose for the 'favourite thing' in the end.

I just wanted to point out that having an attachment can be an issue at times...especially if that attachment item gets misplaced. Personally, I appreciated the fact that my kids were attached to me, rather than an inanimate object. Since my babies slept with me, they needed no other object to fall asleep with. They did have soothers, because they all were constantly wanting to suck, but they stopped using them by 13 months...and my daughter stopped hers at about 9 months. They all breastfed until around 2 years old (my middle child until 2.5.)

Once they were weaned, they actually transitioned to sleeping on their own quite well. None of my three have any particular stuffed animal or blankie that they need with them for sercurity. None of them were ever clingy or fussy either...they transitioned to playing with others and going to school without me very nicely.

Michelle

Both the crib and the changing table turned out to be a total waste for us. Changing the baby on a towel on the bed was WAY easier and safer, and when he started to turn over and roll, a towel on the floor was even safer. The crib ended up storing stuffed animals. I slept way better when the baby was in bed with me (between me and a bedrail, so that hubby would not roll on him), and so did baby.

That could have saved us hundreds of dollars, if I had only known...(sigh)

I'm with Fiddle-Faddle on this one. Our crib got sold in almost brand new condition after I had three kids. First baby used it only for naps. Second used it maybe twice. Third...it was just a safe place to put her after diaper changes (kept her out of reach of her brothers until I could wash my hands.) All three kids slept with us...and then we introduced to their own beds at about a year...but still mostly slept with us. :-) My first slept between us (snuggle in next to me) Second slept on my other side with the guard rail on the edge. Third was in the middle again as both boys always slept in their own beds.

I found a change table was more useful for my second child, just because it worked well in the layout of the house we had just moved to at the time. For my first, the floor worked great.

The sling was [i]wonderful. I had a Nojo and an Over-The-Shoulder-Baby Holder (one lived in the car). I ended up never using the car seat/carrier as a carrier (another total waste)--it was much easier to just take the baby out of the car seat and wear him in the sling. I tried carrying the darn car seat around on errands for two days, and my back and arm hurt like heck. I wore each of my babies in the sling for at least 2 years--they loved it, and they NEVER EVER FUSSED in the sling. I had a backpack-style purse, and carried only my wallet, a couple of diapers, a ziplock bag of wipees, and 2 spare onesies.

Loved my sling too. Also used a Baby Bjorn a lot. A good quality stroller is a must too (especially if you walk everywhere like I did when I lived in Vancouver.) I've bought a number of strollers...our Chicco umbrella stroller (with built in rain cover) was the most versatile and lasted a long time. We did have a car seat/carrier for my third that was great. It had a soft shoulder strap for a carrying which was way more comfy than the standard plastic handle. But, a sling was still preferred.

A good high chair is important too. Look for one that doesn't have a lot of cracks and crevices to trap food. I loved my Peg Perego Prima Pappa high chair...it was well worth the cost.

In terms of diapers. I used cloth (Motherease one size) faithfully for my first (absolutely loved them)...and almost faithfully for my second. By the time my third was born, I found them too much work to be washing in addition to clothes for a family of five. When I used disposable, it was based on price and fit. Also important to me to avoid perfume...the perfume in Pampers gives me an instant migraine...and I found that they had the worst fit on my kids. I preferred Huggies and similar no-name versions. For wipes...cloth with plain water is my first choice. I had many flannel wipes for this purpose (just got washed with the diapers). Otherwise any wipe that was scent free did the job...it didn't see the value in buying the "Supreme" version of any wipes.

Make sure you get lots and lots of receiving blankets. Flat cloth diapers also make excellent burp cloths...good for cleaning spills, messes, can be used as a bib in a pinch too.

Finally, you may want to invest in a good quality rocking chair. I found it was the perfect place to breastfeed. Make sure that it is comfortable, roomy enough and that the arm rests are at a good height. I also used a nursing pillow...made breastfeeding more comfortable, especially for the first few weeks. The pillow also made a good place to secure baby for a nap (I'd just slip away after breastfeeding and left baby sleeping.)

Michelle

Yes, I sleep late on the weekend and was doing so over the holiday, getting more sleep that I needed, but at the same time found without fail that each time I slept in, my stomach was a mess all day. I am definitely considering waking at 8 am everyday and going through the exact same medication and food schedule to make things easier for my body - even though sleeping late is one my favorite things to do.

If you need to catch up on sleep, then try getting to bed earlier and waking up at your regular schedule. Of course, I'm not the best example...I am a total night owl...love to stay up late and sleep in late (and pay the price with being tired all the time.)

Michelle

As for swimming - PLEASE....................... I would not subject anyone to that.

? I'm curious as to why you're so adamant about not swimming? It's the number one suggestion I would have for exercise for anyone who had joint or mobility issues. You don't necessarily have to do laps...you can do water walking/jogging and/or aerobics too.

I have purchased an excersise ball to start doing some floor exercises etc.

Have you tried pilates before? It's great too...you can modify it to your ability level, and, while it's good for building core strength and flexibility, it's very gentle on your joints.

Michelle

Cassidy, your mother sounds like mine in some ways. My mother has self-esteem issues, is jealous of most of the women in her life (including me), and takes absolutely everything personally. We had a strained relationship when I was growing up, and it was very difficult to have her visit when I lived far away. She and my dad would come to stay with us for a week at a time, in a tiny condo. The visits were often uncomfortable. It has gotten a little easier now that we've moved back to the same town...I can see her for short bursts of time.

She has a tendency to meddle and talk about me and my brothers behind our backs. She is a compulsive hoarder and shopper, and I believe she is also a compulsive liar...always coming up with untrue stories about people and herself. It's caused friction between my brothers and myself too...most recently when I ended up passing along unwanted baby items to my brother, because she had said they wanted them. He was angry at me for sending this unwanted stuff, and I was upset for having my generosity rejected. She did not see her role in what was going on at all...I really think she believes the stories she makes up!

In terms of you having your mother around when the baby is born, it is something you need to decide for yourself and stick with it, because it can make a big difference in you birth experience. I had my mother with me for my second birth, and, although she meant well and really wanted to be helpful, her presence ended up being a very negative force on my birth...and it culminated in an unnecessary and very much unwanted c-section. For my third birth, she came to help with the other two kids, but knew ahead of time that I would need all family out of the house during the birth (it was a homebirth, and having family all around kept me from going into labour.) Apparently, she took huge offense when she was politely asked to leave to give me space for my labour to start and still is carrying a grudge about it today (my in-laws and children left too...and they had no issue with it!) She actually threatened to sever all ties with me because of it. She failed to understand that the birth was not about her...and I think she has a hard time with not being the centre of attention.

Michelle

1 cup of peanut butter

1 cup of sugar

1 egg.

The ones that I rolled in a ball and then put on the baking sheet and flatten with my palm came out great. But the ones I did following the recipe ( drop spoonful onto baking sheet) are crumbly.

I make the Kraft recipe that calls for only 1/2 cup of sugar...maybe that would make a difference to the consisency. The recipe calls for rolling it into balls and then flattening:

1 MIX together 1 cup Kraft Smooth Light Peanut Butter, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 egg.

2 ROLL into balls and flatten with fork on ungreased baking sheet.

3 BAKE at 325

But no, I wont eat one!!! I am about 6 weeks pregnant and I am throwing up everything...I was handling Kefir smoothies (added almond milk, flax seed, gluten-free oats, and fruit to them) pretty well, but no longer.

Does anyone have any good suggestions? Rice crackers arent cutting the mustard, gingerale is good but that is about it!

Any help is MUCH appreciated!

Heidi

Some nausea busters to try:

cold water with lemon

ginger (not gingerale, but in other forms...I'm partial to candied ginger)

sea bands

Preggie Pops Open Original Shared Link

Ingredients:

Sugar, Corn Syrup, Citric Acid, Natural Flavors, (made from the essential oils of ginger, lavender, peppermint, spearmint, raspberry, lemon and tangerine) and Natural Colors Added (tumeric, red cabbage, annatto & beet color).

Michelle

I haven't found a safe worcestershire sauce in Canada.

Heinz makes one that may be gluten free. It has soya sauce in it, but lists the ingredients in that soya sauce: water, salt, hydrolyzed soy protein, corn syrup, caramel. There is nothing else on the label that appears to be a risk, but it is probably best to contact the company for confirmation first.

Michelle

Edit: Okay, scratch that...apparently Lea & Perrins is now owned by Heinz in Canada...and I cannot find the "Heinz version" of worcestershire sauce on their website. I'm thinking I've got a really old bottle here and it needs to be pitched out. Otherwise, Heinz states that they cannot guarantee any products, other than their ketchups, are gluten free.

Here's one I was just coming on to post--

Open Original Shared Link

Thanks for posting the link, jerseyangel. Interesting to read...and makes me surprised, given this information is available, that the public isn't readily being made aware of it.

Michelle

yes there is massive engorgement from pregnancy and after birth etc but i still dont think its mainly pregnancy that causes the sagging and massive changes to breasts. i was not able to breast feed unfortunately and although mine were massively engorged after birth they went down soon after with no noticeable differences to firmness or shape and no sagging - unlike my friends who breastfed for 6mths plus who complain of having to pick them up to put them into bras. hey perhaps im just genetically predisposed to not have this problem, but i very much doubt it.

im pro breastfeeding (if you can and are comfortable with it - yes its a choice) so i certainly dont think people should avoid it for purely cosmetic reasons! though i think there should be more facts and less mantra which puts unnecessary pressure on women to breastfeed. there are too many breastfeeding nazi's (for clarity im not referring to PP's! just mean generally) and the reality is that plenty of women JUST CAN'T do it regardless of their desire to do so and others pressure that they must or they are negligent mothers.

I won't get into the politics of breastfeeding here...it's just not the forum for that. But have to say that way too many women get poor support in their breastfeeding efforts...making the transition to successful breastfeeding stressful and difficult.

When it comes to how breasts handle the changes during pregnancy and afterward had a lot to do with original shape and size, heredity and reaction to gravity. After my first pregnancy, my breasts (and the rest of my body) handled all the changes quite well. Same with my second pregnancy. Then came my third baby...a combination of it being the third time 'round, age and the effects of gravity took it's toll. Also ended up with tummy stretch marks that I did not get with the first two. BTW, I went from a C to an F cup, and then even larger with engorgement. My breasts never saw that size again during the breastfeeding period(s) (once breastfeeding was well established). If anything, breastfeeding helped, not exacerbated the problem.

Michelle

I think Tyler James is a fine name. So are Charles and Jackson. You really can't go wrong if you like the name, and it suits your baby. In terms of popularity...so what? I was one of three Michelles in my grade throughout elementary school. Not a problem. My youngest, Olivia, will be going to school with many Olivias (it was #8 the year she was born.)

Personally, I don't like sharing names with others, especially family, until the baby is born and named. There are too many opinions to the contrary. Picking a name is just too special to involve anyone but you and your immediate family (spouse & perhaps children.)

Michelle

The poll feature was already here....but you're right Michelle....noone has been using it lately.

I always enjoyed the polls.

How come I have to log in everytime I come back on?? I never had to do this before....I was always logged in and it stayed that way.

Now I have to go through the process each time I come to the board. Anyone else experiencing this? How can I fix it?

I'm remaining logged in. Had you been here earlier today? The board was unavailable earlier this morning again due to some more upgrade work...I did have to log in again after the work was done, but not since.

Michelle

Hey, I read on some boards that have a "voting/poll" mechanism. Something where you can do something like

"What brand of gluten free InsertProductHere do you like best?"

Product 1

Product 2

Product 3

Logged in memebers can vote, and it then shows a nice graph of the results.

I know those boards use the same system as this one, or at least it basically looks the same. I just don't know anything about how to make that work...

Any one see this before?

You can create a poll by first selecting "New Topic" and then clicking on:

Poll Options Click here to manage this topic's poll

From there you can set up your poll. I believe that this was an option prior to the upgrade as well, but it is seldom used here. You should try it out!

Michelle

I like breakfast pizza - eggs, sausage, bacon (and soy cheese)

or

Add sugar to the crust and make a PB & J pizza. Yummy!

Mmm, sounds good! You could also make an "apple pie" dessert pizza.

Michelle

To me, cheese on pizza is overrated. The best part is the sauce...but it has to be a good sauce, and lots of it to compensate for the cheese (if I can't taste the sauce for all the cheese, it's just not good pizza to me.) I'm partial to Boston Pizza...their sauce is zesty. So I say, forget the cheese...you can put anything you darn well want on pizza. Try it with any veggies and/or meat you can think of!

Michelle

Here is the link to D.D. Williamson's gluten statement: Open Original Shared Link If you look at their allergy info, they also state that none of the raw sources in their North American or South American caramel colour come from wheat or gluten.

The link to Sethness Caramel Color gluten and allergen statments: Open Original Shared Link

Neither company uses gluten, or gluten grains in manufacture of caramel colour.

Michelle

My understanding is that caramel colour in North American products is gluten free (not derived from wheat or other gluten grains at all), but that is not the case world-wide. I'll try to find the link to one manufacturer again, and will post it when I do. There is one particular manufacturer that has good gluten-specific information about their products.

Michelle

I had also read that it was transferred through breast milk - and this made a lot of sense to me as Im coeliac and for the first 3 months of my life i failed to thrive despite my mother thinking i was being breastfed plenty - she then switched to formula (gluten free) and i immediately started to thrive.

re breast shape sure some changes are due to pregnancy but the vast majority of the difference is the breast feeding unfortunately

Breastfeeding itself has little impact on the shape of the breasts. It's the enlargement during pregnancy that makes the big difference. I got huge during pregnancy and immediately afterward (engorgement). Once breastfeeding was well established, the size reduced and stablizied. The pregnancy growth and engorgement are going to happen regardless of whether a mother breastfeeds or not. Check out this info: Open Original Shared Link

Michelle

Okay so let me start by saying that I'm grateful that my husband doesn't have Leukemea or bone marrow cancer or cancer or something like what we were told it could have been. So my husband has had to have a blood transfusion and many tests before they finally say that the blood test is positive for Celiacs. Now it appears his low, low, low hemoglobin is due to malnutrition...Celiacs...it's not confirmed by biopsy that will take place in 2 weeks. We helped our selves and placed him on a gluten free diet for the past 3 weeks (no Dr.'s assistance...no dietary advice..nothing). Anyway so I've thought he's been on a gluten free diet and now I read about cross contamination in plants....can he NOT have a potato chip? Do we have to shop online and pay horrible prices +++ shipping? This sux...excuse me.....I really am grateful. So we are going shopping at WalMart tomorrow. I guess we'll buy steak, chicken and potatos....what about snacks? He's been eating Snyders Corn Tortillas (chips) are these CONTAMINATED TOO? I have 2 boys (my 4 year old has some symptoms but I'm not going there right now).....this is so WELL I just simply don't have TIME for this...after all I sit around all day long looking for somthing else to do (yea, right!)...~~~##+#+~~~Okay, I'm feeling better, thanks for letting me vent.

Vent away!

If your husband is having his biopsy done in two weeks, then he may want to wait until that test is over before going gluten free (going gluten free can have an impact on the results of biopsy.) Until that time, do some planning about meals. Find out what is and isn't safe to eat...find out what snacks are gluten free. There are brands of potato chips that are fine on a gluten free diet...and plenty of other snack foods too. Check out some of the gluten free cookbooks at your library as well. You don't need to spend too much money if you plan well.

Michelle

Thank you all! I will try the sugar INSTEAD of nutrasweet first. LOL I love my coffee. I think I am getting rebound headaches sooooo I will talk to the dr. about that. I am now on a hunt to see if any of my products that I currently use are gluten-free. Where did you find this info? Is there a list available?

The coffee can contribute to the headaches too, BTW.

Michelle