Ditching the dairy

Leo's snot and cough just aren't clearing up, so I've decided to cut dairy out of his diet until it's sorted. He has almost seemed worse again at night when the phlegm settles on his chest.

He loves all things dairy, so it's going to require some extra work to be successful. I have got him some (scary expensive) coconut yoghurt and, after the initial shock, he seems happy with that. I also made some coconut milk to try on his breakfast, he wasn't mad keen on that but it was also the first time he had had weetabix.

I didn't want to go down the weetabix route, it contains pointless sugar that is easily avoided. However, I am conceding so that I can find something he will start to ear at nursery. The options in nursery are rice krispies, baby porridge (I don't want him to take a step back in what he's eating textures wise and he's well beyond that) or they make plain porridge for another baby who is lactose intolerant.

I thought the plain porridge was the best option, but he flat out refuses to eat it and gets quite upset when I keep trying. The last thing I want to do is create an eating issue just for the sake of a tiny bit of sugar. I asked them if they would make some stewed apple to go in the porridge, but they won't and they won't accept anything I've made at home, which I get.

As with everything in life, you need to pick your battles and I have decided that establishing a good eating routine is more important than hidden sugar for now. It's important that they enjoy what they are eating, especially in an environment where they don't have the capacity to spend 45mins at a meal like I do. If I'm introducing a new taste, sometimes I have to keep giving him it in-between bits of food I know he loves and he eventually gets it. If I just give him that new taste, he shuts down, and that is not what I want.

The other thing I have had to give in with, and this is the one that sits really badly for me, is the milk I am leaving him with. I have had to go for formula for when he is in nursery as he just straight up refuses to drink my frozen, expressed milk. I'm gutted, all the time and effort I put into storing it and it's useless. This excess lipase issue is a pain and I just wish I had realised when I was initially stock piling, now I just have a freezer full of wasted time. I can't even put it in food because it tastes horrific!

I had to reason with myself that he isn't eating the solid food they are giving him, so I can't leave him to starve and I have committed to being in work anyway. For the sake of one bottle a week, I am having to sadly opt for formula. I feel like a failure just writing it!