The answer is easily, "Yes". Time and time again I am reminded that this is the way it needs to be right now while he is young. Here are some examples as to why:
Once we were eating out at a restaurant and I thought it would be fine to order mac-n-cheese for Nathan since it is one of his favorites and we don't have it at the house anymore. I was also thinking that someone else would have the cleanup and that all the dairy remnants would be left behind. So, after supper as we're getting ready to leave, I put Nathan down and he goes straight to Witt. I had wiped Nathan's hands, but not washed them so I start to panic. I scream almost at the top of my lungs as I'm standing up, "Don't let him touch the baby!!!" See... shouldn't have had mac-n-cheese if I can't do a proper clean up.
Both Will and Nathan have chocolate milk first thing in the morning. When we found out about Witt's allergy, we switched it to chocolate soy milk. Thankfully so. Just a few days ago, Nathan put his drink down on the ground near Witt. Before Jeff could get to it, Witt had brought the sippy cup to his mouth and started guzzling! So glad we had made the switch to soy.
I had Witt in the kitchen with me while I was sweeping the floor. He had just started to scoot around so I didn't think there was any problem with having him on the floor in there. However, he scooted just enough to grab a Sun Chip from under the table before I could sweep it up. Straight to the mouth! It was nice and gooey before I realized what happened. Thankfully I am an avid label reader and bought the dairy-free Sun Chip flavor (original).
This morning Nathan decided to share his sausage patty with Witt. I was going about my morning routine when Will yells, "Mom, Witt is chewing on something!" I run in here to a half-eaten sausage patty and dig the rest out of his mouth. I check out the sausage box. "Contains: Wheat, Milk, and Soy". OH NO!!!! I immediately give him some Benedryl. I recheck the box and it appears that only the bread has milk in it. Luckily, the boys don't eat the bread (it goes immediately into the trash) and I only serve the sausage. I'm going to have to rethink this sausage breakfast sandwich brand now.
These are only a few instances where we've had close calls. Right now while Witt is still very young and wanting to put everything into his mouth it is quite important that we have a dairy free house.
Dairy free really isn't as bad as it sounds, though. Cooking is just as easy as it was before since soy and cow's milk are a 1:1 substitute and I've found an all-vegetable margarine that cooks the same as regular. I do miss the cheese occasionally and to be quite honest, soy milk just doesn't soak an Oreo the way cow's milk can! :) We're making it fine, though! (Especially since Oreos are dairy free!)
Click here for all my posts labeled Dairy-Free.
