No more milk

No more milk for Mr. Hayden.  When he was a baby he couldn't tolerate me drinking milk, he would break out, act very fussy, seemed to be in pain and had some yucky diapers.  He did seem to do fine when I had very small amounts of cheese or milk cooked into foods, but anything more than that he couldn't tolerate.  We had him tested for allergies right over a year old and it showed none so we know he isn't actually allergic to milk but his body just can't process it.  Our pediatrician recommended trying him on it every few months to see if he outgrew it.  It seemed like at about 16mo he did.  But also since about then-18mo he's been a handfull.  I've talked a little before about some of the things he does.  He just does.not.listen.  He is into everything.  Like a toddler times 1000.  He is also very aggressive.  


Well I have read many times that certain foods like milk, wheat, dyes in foods, etc can cause issues in kids.  Their bodies can't process them and it becomes almost like a toxin to them.  With Hayden's past issues with milk we thought it would be worth trying to cut it out to see how he did.  So last time he had milk was Thurs.  We cut out all drinking milk, none in cereals, no ice cream, no yogurt but we are allowing some cheese and it cooked into things, just small amounts.  He is now having only rice milk.  And the difference in this child is amazing!  


He was at Dessa's on Sat and Sun at naptime we were still over there but on Friday and today he napped 3hrs, with no fight going down.  Normally it takes at least and hour to get him down, up to 3hrs, and he almost never sleeps longer than 1.5hrs.  He also hadn't been fighting bedtime until tonight, but even then it wasn't like he normally does, I think he was upset that Mark wasn't home yet.  


His behavior has improved dramatically too.  He listened all day long, isn't being aggressive.  It used to be like at any minute he would flip and be really mad, he seemed like he was sad/mad most of the time.  But now he's back to being happy.  You can talk to him, explain why he can't do something, whereas before he would just get really mad very quick.  


The difference is amazing.  I have a whole new child!  Definitely thinking it was the milk, which makes me feel pretty bad about giving it to him all this time then getting really frustrated when he was misbehaving but at least we now know and can prevent it.  


We'll see how he's doing in a week or so and see if the changes are still there :)