It looks like food intolerance to me. I was really hoping to avoid this and kind of denying the signs, but it’s getting hard to ignore.
When I started on E2 on solids, we began with mashed banana — it is a popular choice as a first food and had worked well for E1. She loved it, but it immediately resulted in some terrible nights due to painful guts keeping her (and me) up to all hours. So, I quickly moved on to mashed avocado, but there was no improvement — if anything, it got worse. After a week, I couldn’t take any more sleep deprivation and stopped the solids altogether, and we went back to breastfeeding.
But, a girl’s got to learn to eat sometime, so we tried again a few weeks ago. So far, we’ve tried rice cereal, carrots, sweet potato, mango, and broccoli with great success. A happy baby at lunch time and — more importantly — a settled baby at night. Thinking that perhaps her guts had now acclimatised to solid food, I decided to try avocados again and so, yesterday, I mashed her up a beautiful, creamy, pale green cupful.
She ate it up with excitement and greed. Good, I thought. I really want her to be able to eat avocados because they are so full of goodness and it seemed, so far, that it was going well. The rest of the day was normal and happy.
But it started to fall apart as we neared bedtime. She became the baby she was months ago: arching her back, crying desperately for no apparent reason — even delatching in the middle of a perfectly peaceful feed to let out a scream — and unable to settle for hours on end. I carried on feeding her and late into the night, she finally — finally — fell asleep. I put her in her cot and got myself into bed.
Thirty minutes later, she broke the night-silence with an ear-piercing shriek, and was up again, weeping inconsolably. I had to hold her arms forcibly still and sway for another 20 minutes before she surrendered again. It was such a struggle and all so familiar.
It would appear avocados do not agree with her …or her guts. I think perhaps it’s a food intolerance, and that means we’ll have to tread carefully as we try new foods. Avocados, bananas… what is it about those two that bother her so? And what other foods might be similar that we had best avoid? We have a follow-up appointment with the pediatrician next week, so I will try to discuss it then.
But today we retreated to the safety of carrots and broccoli. And I hope for a better night, for both of us.
Stumble it!
Weird–you wouldn’t think of those foods causing problems. But then again, I guess every food causes problems for someone!
I highly recommend looking at some back articles on food allergies in children at http://www.livingwithout.com …very good info from people who have lived what you are living right now.
Debbie Mumm
The Adoption Coach
http://www.adoptioncoach.wordpress.com
http://www.adoptionhighway.com
[...] had no reaction at all the banana or the latex, which surprised me greatly, given how much she had struggled after eating banana and how red her hands had been under the latex squares. The pediatrician and I discussed her diet [...]
I have much in common with your daughter! Although I’m 38, I have never been able to eat either banana or avocado (I love both) without experiencing stomach upset and pain so bad that I had to lay in bed for hours afterwords. Of my three children, one also cannot eat either food without geing very sick! We very simply avoid these foods.
I can not eat avocados and bananas either. It makes me bloated, I have agonizing pain and many other very miserable symptoms. I feel like crap for two days after I accidentally ingest one of those foods. Don’t try either again, it’s not worth it.
After the birth of my first child at age 30, I could no longer eat bananas. I would feel like a cast iron balloon was inflating in my stomach. Pain and nausea like crazy. It could happen with 1 bite on an empty stomach or half a banana on a full stomach. I have eaten bananas all my life. Up to the day I delivered! For the following 7 years after my sons birth I would occasionally try a little banana just to see… I gave up. Couldnt torture myself like that any longer. For the last 3 years I have not tried banana.
Then just these last few weeks almost 10 years later, I started eating bananas again only after a full meal. It was fine. Sort of. Mild twinge of nausea. I found taking my bra off helped. Maybe because of the pressure of the bloating? Didnt really know I was bloating though.
I have also had bouts of being really tired. The yawning would not stop. It would soon pass. though.
Then I got another batch of avacados from my neighbor. Which I have been doing for years. Adding bananas into the picture. Having a mild twinge of a feeling of something isnt right the entire time. But NOTHING like what they used to do to me. All of a sudden, the avacados started making me sick. Much sooner then the bananas used to. I wouldnt get sick from a banana for a good 2-3 hours after consumption. The avacados… 45 minutes and Im puking. Although, the miserable effects after were not as bad, as I rid myself of the avacado sooner.
I finally went online and found the connection between the two. The mystery for me may be over!
I have had surgeries in the past. And never had a reaction to latex. Although, during an exame one time last year, I was asked if I had an allergy to bananas. I said MAYBE. But I dont get hives or anything. Just sick to the stomach. They used a different glove.
I have been eating avacados for years. But mixing them with bananas into the weekly menu is not working for me!
I have also had shortness of breath lately. I do not have asthma, but it does run in my family. Asthma is the inability to exhale everything right? Well, my problem is inhaling. Reading about this protien intolerance today, it states it could be linked to asthma. Im still putting it all together, but am really amazed to finally understand whats going on. I cant wait to see how I feel the rest of the week now that I WILL NOT be eating bananas or avacados.
WEIRD STUFF… all started after I had a baby.
Thats my 2 cents.
Just because I need to tell someone – I too develop a shortness of breath after eating a banana…! I haven’t got a clue why, but can only assume i’m allergic to them??
My mom used to love eating avocados and then one day soon after eating some, she became sick with stomach pain. She didn’t make the connection at first, but later determined it was indeed avocados that’s making her sick.
She’s taking Actonel (boneloss prevention medication) and high blood pressure medications. We are wondering if they are causing interactions? Is anyone else taking these medications and noticed the same symptoms?
I’m 42 years old and have what sounds like the same reaction to avocado as your daughter. I hadn’t ever tried one until early last summer and loved them so much that I ate half an avocado a day. After a couple of weeks I started getting severe abdominal discomfort. It was like a very dull gas pain which I got every day for several weeks. While I would describe the pain as maybe only 6 out of 10 it was very unyielding and felt like something was gnawing at my insides. I had quite a few visits to my doctor and various tests were performed, including an ultrasound which revealed nothing.
Through a process of elimination I finally (without the doctor’s help) figured out that it was the avocado which was the culprit. Even a teaspoon of guacamole would bring on the symptoms. Once I avoided it, I never had a single symptom again.
I experience terrible stomach pain whenever I eat avocado that last 2-3 hours. I have experienced this for 10 years and nothing that I take makes it go away after I consume it. Even a small amount that touched my food will make me sick. But when I was pregnant with my son at age 28 I was able to eat avocado it was heaven. I feel comfort in knowing that I am not the only one I just with there was a way to eat it without getting sick.
lol… i just had some avocado and i am currently experiencing all the symptoms mentioned above …
i just did some quick research and apparently people that have intolerance to high levels of amines can present with gut issues upon consumption of avocadoes and bananas, both of which are high in amines. although i have no problems at all with bananas, avocadoes are now off my list of health foods!
The method of using certain food combinations in order to control digestive problems has been around for a long time. The problem is that so many people get into the habit of eating their foods in specific combinations that they’ve been using for their entire lives that they can’t seem to break out of those habits even when the solution to their digestive problems is easily within their reach. It has been proven over and over that certain types of foods don’t digest well when mixed with other types of foods because it causes a hostile environment in the gut that often ends up releasing certain toxins into the digestive system. When these toxins are absorbed they cause the breakdown or lysis of different tissues over time. This tissue breakdown results in the various digestive conditions that you hear so much about and that cause so much pain and misery. Some of these conditions include diverticulitis, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux,chronic constipation and diarrhea, not to mention ordinary old indigestion. If people would learn to eat the appropriate food combinations, it would mean that their digestive conditions could improve significantly and they could enjoy life again instead of suffering through the digestive symptoms and taking all those pills, powders and often falsely touted “special foods.” It’s not difficult, it’s just a matter of learning the right food combinations and using them. Life will get better if people can just do this.
Wow! I have this too! Avocados give me SEVERE pain and nausea and they go totally undigested (I usually had to throw-up. Sorry to be gross.) I totally avoid them. I am also sensitive to bananas, mushrooms, melons, eggs. I am allergic to aspirin and I have correlated some of my food intolerances and sensitive skin issues to SALICYLATES – they are naturally occurring and are in so many foods and products. http://www.salicylatesensitivity.com/ There is no way I could avoid all of those things, and I still get bad attacks once in a while that render me useless for a few hours. Nothing is as bad as the avocado, though! It is possible I could have gall bladder issues, but I’ve not had that checked out yet. My father had his removed several years ago. It’s great to see others that suffer the same reaction. My family and friends used to think I was crazy, but they have now seen me turn pale and start writhing in pain after I tried to eat avocado at the recommendation of my lactation consultant. NEVER AGAIN will indulge people’s disbelief!
i am glad I’m not the only one i love avocado but worked out it was cause terrible pains in my stomach, and was wondering why…….thanks
[...] For a moment… And then, no… no… I knew. I can’t make her go back to the way things were. Her life has been so much better since we discovered her allergies, removed her [...]
I have noticed the last three times I have had avocado (half an avocado each time) that I have experienced similar issues. Though I don’t believe it has been an issue before for me. I wonder if it has something to do with how ripe the avocado is? The last three times I have had any the avocado has been very ripe. Although risky I might try a less ripe one next time.
I’ve noticed that I get a gassy, crampy stomach after eating avocado, too. It’s not consistant, though. Sometimes I can eat some with no problems and other times I get horrible cramping right away. I think a few bites I’m OK with, but when I cut up and eat half a ripe avocado, it’s trouble. I’m glad I’m not the only one–it seems like such an odd thing to have a reaction to. Either way, my reaction doesn’t seem too bad compared to what others have posted. Usually my ache comes on right away and lasts about 30 to 60 minutes. I’ve found that eating a handful of almonds helps, but that seems odd, too.
I can’t believe this many people have this problem with avacados. I LOVE avacados and used to eat them all of the time. I have recently put on about 15 extra pounds and it seems that I have been having these problems since then. Whenever I eat avacado, no matter how much, I get the most unbearable burning sensation in my gut. It is almost crippling. I also got this sensation recently after eating quite a bit of almonds. The pain and burning was not as bad with the almonds but it was the same pain.
I have been eating Sushi more regularly lately and each time have had it with avocado, not once have I had any problems. As per noted above each of those times I’ve had avocado on toast with salt and pepper. I have come to think that its a avocados in combination with other foods that cause the discomfort.
I haven’t looked into the science of it (i.e what types of food cause different chemical reactions with each other) so I haven’t come up with a “safe” method/knowledge of what combination of food and avocado will be a problem or not. I’m happy that I can enjoy it in a sushi roll
This would be more consistent with my experience with avocados. Perhaps some others could try this? I hope you can find a way to continue to enjoy avocados too
I recently went on the Atkins diet and avocados were part of the great things you could eat. However, everytime I eat one a get immense bloating. Despite having picked on meat and non carb foods I suddenly feel as though I just ate a 5 course meal. A weird and horrible sensation – especially when you’re trying to feel your stomach flatten. Sad – thet are so nice!
Googling to explain to a friend why I can’t eat Avocado, and found this site.
Avocados are far too rich of a food to be feeding to a baby!
I was introduced to guacamole in my teens, I loved it! But it didn’t love me… it took 3 times to determine it was not for me. Each time I consumed avocado, I would get an incapacitating stomachache. No nausea, no gas or diarrhea, just non-stop pain for hours…Straight to bed 30 min after eating it, writhe in misery for hours before I’d fall asleep, wake in the morning feeling better.
Once at a restaurant my salad came with guacamole on it. I scraped it off as much as I could, obviously left traces on the salad and fork, I thought surely that little wouldn’t affect me… Wrong… I went back to work, and in no time had to lock my door and lie on the floor for hours unable to function with another severe stomachache.
I’m not allergic to anything. I eat bananas every week before I go workout, gives me energy. And I don’t have a latex allergy. I keep a supply of latex gloves on hand to use in my house painting projects of the last several years. No problems whatsoever.
No one really knows what causes my stomach ache, but it is very real, and I bet your baby felt the same thing I did every time you fed it to her.
information from article: “Avocados: Not One but Two Types of Allergic Reactions” by Heather Legg, March 13, 2008.
“The other type of allergy to avocados, related to a latex allergy is more severe. This is known as the latex fruit allergy and is caused by the similarity of allergens in avocados and natural latex. The symptoms are more severe, including generalized urticaria, abdominal pain, vomiting and sometimes life-threatening symptoms like anaphylaxis.
Other foods which cause this type of reaction are bananas, melons, mango, chestnuts and kiwis.”
I have severe reactions to avocados, mangoes, and latex paint!
Correction to previous comment. I have reactions to eating avocados and mangoes. I get ill when exposed to latex paint fumes. Should have been separate sentences since I don’t ingest latex paint.