My Kid Has a Food Allergy and I Need Support
Release Date: 03/04/2019
Raising Body Positive Children
The Embodied & Well Mom Show: Motherhood, Wellness, Body Image and Intuitive Eating with Lindsay Stenovec
We all want our kiddos to feel comfortable in their bodies, but we can’t always protect them from the cultural messaging and outside voices implying that there is a right and wrong way to eat. And for those of us who struggle with eating and body image disorders ourselves, there is the added worry that we might pass these issues on to our children. So, what can we do to raise body positive children with the confidence and autonomy to practice intuitive eating?
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How to Get Help For Binge Eating Disorder
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Marianne joins us to share the definition of binge eating disorder & discuss its prevalence in the US. She walks us through her approach to working with a client w/ binge eating disorder, describing several of the coping strategies she teaches to manage emotions and anxiety. She also explains the spiritual aspect of her work, support of clients in the LGBTQ+ community and the impact of weight discrimination on people living in larger bodies. Don't miss this episode!
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Responsive Feeding & "Picky eating"
The Embodied & Well Mom Show: Motherhood, Wellness, Body Image and Intuitive Eating with Lindsay Stenovec
Parents receive conflicting messages about feeding. We’re told that getting the right nutrients is incredibly important to our child’s health and wellbeing. Then, we’re told that we should simply offer our kids food and let them decide whether and how much to eat. So, how do we follow both sets of advice? The fact is, nutrition is the result of a trusting feeding relationship, and if you can learn to appreciate your kiddo’s presentation and respond to their cues, you can achieve a stress-free mealti
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My Kid Has a Food Allergy and I Need Support
The Embodied & Well Mom Show: Motherhood, Wellness, Body Image and Intuitive Eating with Lindsay Stenovec
If you have a child with a newly diagnosed food allergy, you are likely consumed with learning as much as you can to keep your kiddo safe and healthy. This may also mean that you are neglecting your own self-care in order to take on the extra responsibility of eliminating allergens from your home and meeting with daycare providers and school administrators to develop a plan for your child. What can you do to take care of yourself during this challenging time?
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Dr. Linda Shanti's interview for her It's Not About the Baby Weight Summit!
The Embodied & Well Mom Show: Motherhood, Wellness, Body Image and Intuitive Eating with Lindsay Stenovec
During pregnancy and postpartum, your relationship with food changes and your body transforms. This shift is challenging for nearly all new moms, but if you have a history of anxiety, depression, or an eating disorder, that adds another layer of complexity to an already difficult process. So, what kind of support do you need if you are in recovery as you transition into motherhood?
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How to Be a Good Enough Mother with Corinne Crossley, LMHC and Jessica Foley, LMHC, LPCC
The Embodied & Well Mom Show: Motherhood, Wellness, Body Image and Intuitive Eating with Lindsay Stenovec
We all want to be good moms, so we set the bar high. In fact, our expectations are SO elevated that we end up neglecting ourselves in order to put the baby first. But what if the moments we think of as mom fails are actually beneficial to our kiddos? What if ‘good enough mothering’ is a good thing for our families? What if—sometimes—it’s okay just to show up?
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How to Use Yoga to Support your Motherhood Journey (without studios or expensive pants)
The Embodied & Well Mom Show: Motherhood, Wellness, Body Image and Intuitive Eating with Lindsay Stenovec
Every mom needs more help than we get. But if you’re a new mom struggling with anxiety and depression, it can be difficult to reach out for support. With or without a diagnosis of PMADs, you deserve help—and yoga therapy may provide just the tools you need to address any physical or emotional imbalances you are experiencing. The best part? Much of it can be done while you’re holding a baby or lying down. No mat required.
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Finding Holiday Food Peace
The Embodied & Well Mom Show: Motherhood, Wellness, Body Image and Intuitive Eating with Lindsay Stenovec
No matter what holiday you're celebrating this season, food will be part of it. I know this because across the world, food is used to connect us to each other and our celebration - oftentimes providing symbolic meaning.
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Navigating Family Meal Challenges
The Embodied & Well Mom Show: Motherhood, Wellness, Body Image and Intuitive Eating with Lindsay Stenovec
EPISODE SUMMARY:
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Stepping out of Overwhelm and Into Alignment w/ Valerie Friedlander
The Embodied & Well Mom Show: Motherhood, Wellness, Body Image and Intuitive Eating with Lindsay Stenovec
In this episode, Valerie shares about her transition into motherhood, learning how to seek help and support and how her professional journey supported her transition into parenthood.
info_outlineIf you have a child with a newly diagnosed food allergy, you are likely consumed with learning as much as you can to keep your kiddo safe and healthy. This may also mean that you are neglecting your own self-care in order to take on the extra responsibility of eliminating allergens from your home and meeting with daycare providers and school administrators to develop a plan for your child. What can you do to take care of yourself during this challenging time?
Diana Rice, RD, is a nationally recognized nutrition professional and family health expert. She is passionate about communicating effective and evidence-based strategies that incorporate good nutrition into the challenges of modern-day life. Prior to launching her consultancy, Diana served as the Associate Director of Nutrition Communications at The Monday Campaigns, where she spearheaded the Kids Cook Monday initiative. Now she focuses on perinatal, infant and child nutrition, and food allergies, working directly with families to implement practical strategies for improved health. Diana is also a frequent contributor to national media publications, including Parents, The Huffington Post, and Everyday Health, among many others.
Today, Diana joins us to describe how a child’s food allergy diagnosis impacts the entire family. She shares the professional advice around introducing allergens early and often, explaining the ‘mom guilt’ she felt for not doing everything she could to reduce her own child’s risk. Diana also walks us through the steps she took to manage her daughter’s allergy to peanuts and tree nuts and offers advice for parents on reaching out for the support you need. Listen in for Diana’s insight into why food allergies are so much more complex than simply eliminating a particular food from your diet—and learn how to advocate for your child AND take care of yourself as an allergy mom!
Key Takeaways
Diana’s transition to motherhood
- Smooth process with first daughter (support network)
- Relocated when second daughter just 3 weeks old
- Started to slack on self-care, developed anxiety
Diana’s second daughter’s health issues
- Introduced potential allergens ‘early and often’
- Diagnosis of allergy to peanuts and tree nuts
How Diana responded to her daughter’s food allergies
- Eliminate foods manufactured on shared lines
- Meetings with daycare providers, school
- Research around brands with dedicated facilities
The professional advice around introducing allergens
- Prompted by study of Israeli kids in UK and Israel
- Introduce potential allergens early to reduce risk
Diana’s mom guilt around her daughter’s allergies
- Couldn’t say ‘did everything I could’
- Tell self that your best is enough
The responsibility of managing a child’s food allergies
- Challenge usually falls to mom
- Focus on child’s needs AND own self-care
Diana’s insight on navigating your child’s food allergies
- Recognize that diagnosis affects whole family
- Get support you need (e.g.: therapist, dietician)
Diana’s advice for parents of children with allergies
- Identify anxiety triggers (i.e.: grocery shopping)
- Connect with other allergy parents
- Set aside time to dig through info
- Talk through concerns with partner
How parents of kids without allergies can provide support
- Understand risks of cross-contamination
- Respect school policies re: outside food
- Cultivate empathy for families with food allergies
- Don’t give child food without parent permission
- Celebrate with non-food alternatives (e.g.: stickers)
Diana’s top tip for food allergy moms
- There’s no shame in being ‘that mom’
- You deserve to advocate for family’s health
Connect with Diana
Connect with Lindsay
Nutrition Instincts - San Diego Nutrition Therapy
Embodied & Well Mom Show on Facebook
Resources
Born to Eat: Whole, Healthy Foods from Baby’s First Bite by Wendy Jo Peterson and Leslie Schilling
Peanut Allergy Study in Israel vs. the UK
Diana’s Halloween Food Allergy Article