"Failure to thrive" is a scary phrase for any parent to hear coming out of a doctor's mouth.
At three-and-a-half months old, our baby's weight plateaued at ten pounds. For nearly one month, he failed to gain a single ounce.
Our quest to restore his health included homeopathic treatment (which successfully healed his "gut"), treatment from a naturopathic doctor (which included starting Colton on a raw goat's milk supplement) and much, much prayer (which kept me sane!).
Enter Gluten Free
Our little guy has been unofficially "diagnosed" with dairy and gluten intolerance, the latter being the culprit in his failure to grow.
Once we pinpointed the allergy causing his health issues, I had an option: stop breastfeeding my son or go gluten free (I'd been dairy free for some time).
I've been gluten free for about eight weeks now. The adjustment was tough, but I'll never look back. Not when I see my son blossoming before my eyes into a robust, healthy baby.
About Gluten
Gluten is a protein found in rye, wheat, and barley. And it is added to just about everything else in the grocery store. Relearning to cook without cow's milk and gluten has been- and continues to be- something of a challenge!
On the bright side, the more I learn, the more I realize how completely doable this lifestyle is. And I like a good challenge anyway.
Thriving
On the really bright side, our baby boy has gained over two pounds in less than a month. For the first time since his birth five months ago, Colton is chubby. Colton has round cheeks. Colton has a "big" tummy. Colton has dimples on his legs and arms and rolls on his neck.
Yes, I'm gluten free. A very small price to pay for my son's health.
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