Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Potty Training and Allergies

I need to get started potty training Smug-Baby. I know that the first step is to educate myself on the best way for us to get started and I have a book and I also have a few other things on request at the library. I know that I want to make sure that I have everything in line before we get started so we don't have any setbacks due to my not being ready. I know that Smug-Baby is totally ready!

I was thinking about it tonight and thinking that maybe having another potty or two around the house for easy access might be a good idea and wondering if I should get something in the way of disposable training pants and then it hit me - underwear! I should probably purchase some underwear!! From what I have read and discussed with others, once you start you never, ever go back to diapers, so getting a good supply of underwear might be one of those must do things!!

I think that I need to pick a weekend, take Friday and Monday off work (provided I am still employed at that point) and just do it!! Not plan to go anywhere just stay home and focus on getting her comfortable with going on the potty.

I have a portable potty seat that fits (badly) into the big seat so I can take that if we are going somewhere once she is trained and she already has a little potty that she sits on sometimes. I need to get the underwear, but what else??

I read a blog post from a woman who trained her son by giving him tons of juice and taking him to the potty every 10-15 minutes and he just peed all day long! This sounds like a good plan to me, but then I was reading online that being trained is all about being independent and the child recognizing that she/he needs to go without being constantly reminded by mom. Not sure how I am going to tackle this yet, I guess I need to buckle down and read the book I have and get those items from the library before I plan on anything.

The other thing that I am going to have to put some effort into if getting Smug-Baby off dairy. She is just like her mama - loves cheese more than anything else and pays for it with a runny nose and dry patches on her skin.

I know that MOST babies are sensitive to diary and other animal products but tend to gain a, lets say, resistance to it as time goes on, but in those that are more sensitive this allergy or intolerance results in a lot of respiratory issues (as dairy is highly mucus inducing) and as in mine and Smug-Baby's case, severely dry skin and some patches of VERY dry on the arms, legs and stomach.

I had hoped that she wouldn't have a sensitivity since we all love dairy so much, but as her skin has developed the dry patches that I get and her nose has started to run more than it doesn't I am convinced that she has and now I need to do something about it.

The first step will be to remove all animal products from her diet (eggs, dairy and meat) for two weeks. This will clear everything from her system and allow time for the runny nose and dry skin to clear up. Then I will add back eggs only at first. A few over a couple of days and watch her for reactions. If she's fine, then add a few bites of meat back into her diet. She doesn't eat much meat, so I don't really think that this is what she is reacting to, but I want to be sure. Lastly, if she doesn't have any reactions to the eggs and meat, then I will let her eat dairy a few times a day for a couple of days.

My guess is that she will react right away to the dairy and not at all to the eggs and meat, because that is the way I am, but I want to be sure that I find exactly what her triggers are.

During the "fasting" from animal products period I will need to find her some alternatives to some of her favorite dishes and clear them from the house. I know that Smug-Hub will have major issues with this, but he is going to have to get over it! He can deal for two weeks or so while we figure this out. So, I am listing below a few alternatives that I have thought of so far. Please comment if you have other suggestions or certain brands that you like.

Scrambled Eggs - scrambled tofu is actually very good and she has eaten it before. I think that it may take some convincing at first, but like anything she should get used to it. She normally has eggs and potatoes for her weekday breakfast with her daddy, so if they are both eating the tofu, she should be fine.

Mac and Cheese - this is a recent discovery of Smug-Baby's and she really loves it!! I have a few recipes for mac and cheese and there are boxed ones that are also dairy free, so that should actually be an easy switch.

Mashed Potatoes - this child may turn into a potato with all the potatoes she eats!! I can make them with Earth Balance and Silk Creamer instead of milk and butter, so again an easy switch.

Yogurt - I didn't realize that Smug-Hub was giving her yogurt until recently, but she loves it and will scarf down a whole container in moments! I have tried the Whole Soy brand with her and she doesn't really like it as much. She eats some, but not with the gusto of the "real" stuff. I am going to have to see about trying some other brands and find one that she likes.

Sweets - here is going to be hard, because Smug Mama is pregnant and sweets are kind of my weakness and when I get a craving I just about go nuts until I get something sweet. So, we have gotten used to having brownies, cake, cookies and ice cream in the house. I need to get some dairy-free alternatives in the house and get the "bad" stuff out! I need to do this for my sake and Little-Smug's as well as Smug-Baby's, but this will probably be the hardest for me to manage.

That's my list so far. I know that I will probably feel tons better myself once I get off animal products, but it is hard! There is so much that is so delicious out there!! It is hard to eat out and it is hard to have people over. All I think about it what I CAN'T have and that right there tells me that I have an addiction and I need to break free for my children and for myself!!

Now, I just have to do it... But first, let me finish those Girl Scout Cookies and that block of cheddar is just begging to be nachos!! oh dear....

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