So Long Dairy!

During a midweek gathering at my church four weeks ago, a good friend came and whispered something in my ear.  She said, "Margie, my daughter's friend has been nursing and recently gave up dairy.  Considering Sammy's sometime fussy moments, maybe this is something you, too, should consider for your baby."  I thanked her and pondered her words the rest of the evening.  Tim and I began to question what we believed was just teething.  Maybe there was something more to this... 

I had experimented early on with a one week elimination diet and didn't really notice a change.  But my friend mentioned that her daughter's friend did not experience the fruits of her labor until the fourteenth day and to stick with it.  So, reminded of Tim's struggles as a baby as my mother-in-law has often described (he didn't sleep through the night for the first two years) I thought, let's give this another try.  I would begin supplementing my dairy intake with calcium/magnesium pills and avoid all milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, butter, you name it. 

My conclusion:  so long dairy!  At least while I'm nursing my son.  Tim and I have noticed a huge improvement and we believe it's from this change.  Sure, I miss ice cream and chocolate.  But this isn't the first time I've given up something I enjoy for good reasons.  In fact, I think it has helped me, along with my low-purine diet, to lose the weight that I have.   Tim has been very thoughtful and creative in coming up with alternatives to some of our favorite meals.  Watching what I eat has also lowered eating out spending and helped to boost our overall food budget.  Again, there's a thoughtfulness that I appreciate in Tim's planning here and eating healthy can work, even on a budget.

So, my advice to nursing mothers would be to consider cutting dairy from their diet for at least a two week period if they think their son might be at all sensitive to it.  Sammy's still a baby and communicates by crying, but we believe this change has made him feel much more comfortable and wanted to share the tip for others who might be struggling in a similar way.  He struggled with reflux for the first few months and then tummy/gas pains later on.  So long bloating, Sammy rarely experiences this sort of discomfort now.

I'm so glad my friend pursued me in a loving and godly way.  She helped to reinforce my mother-in-law's advice and allowed me the opportunity to consider trying again.  As a new parent I have learned that what may or may not work one day may the next, so just hang in there and be open minded. 

Note:  If you decide to go this route, make sure you are consistently taking vitamins to supplement.  The last thing you need as a Momma is to deplete your body of important nutrients.