Advice after your nerve block for surgery
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Introduction
Your child’s milk alternative is called Locasol and should be used as their main drink and for use in cereals and cooking.
Avoid cow’s milk, dried milk, condensed milk, evaporated milk and all commercial milk products e.g. tinned milk puddings, custard and instant whips. Cream can be included occasionally e.g. on fruit.
Milk substitutes e.g. soya, nut, rice and coconut (which are not fortified with extra calcium) are also suitable. Organic versions are often not fortified to ensure that they remain organic.
Remember, all milk puddings must be made with a suitable milk substitute such as an organic soya, rice, nut or coconut milk, Locasol, Coffee-Mate or other similar milk whiteners can be used freely.
Cheese
Most cheese should be avoided but cottage cheese and cream cheese contain much less calcium than other varieties. Keep portions small and do not eat these every day
Yoghurt
Yoghurts that are dairy free and not fortified are low in calcium and may be eaten freely.
- Examples include COCO, COYO and other organic versions but check!
All other yoghurt/fromage frais should be avoided, as well as ice cream. Try sorbet, fruit salad, jelly, tinned or stewed fruits as desserts instead.
Other top tips
- Choose ciabatta and wholemeal bread instead of white flour varieties or those containing calcium propionate. Similarly, avoid white flour biscuits, cakes and pasty and look for those made with wholemeal flour
- Choose tinned tuna, mackerel, fresh salmon, white fish and all meats and eggs are allowed freely. Avoid tinned salmon, sardines, whitebait, pilchards, shrimps, prawns, crab.
- Tahini paste and tofu are rich in calcium and should be avoided
- Chocolate, chocolate biscuits, cream crackers, fruit gums, toffee and fudge are all rich in calcium and should be avoided in large quantities. Keep to a small treat packet a couple of times a week.
- Other foods that are not mentioned are allowed freely.
- Do not take vitamin products which contain vitamin D. These can include Abidec, cod liver oil, Seven Seas, Haliborange and multivitamins/minerals. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any vitamin supplement
- Check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any medication, especially those containing calcium carbonate and bicarbonate
- Take care if you live in a hard water area not to give your child very large volumes of cold tap water. Alternate water and squashes with hot drinks, which require boiled water. Bottled or filtered water is not more beneficial.
Contact us
If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Dietetics service.
About this information
Service:
Dietetics
Reference:
DT/107
Approval date:
1 June 2026
Review date:
1 June 2029
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Important note
This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.