On Being Dairy Free

Tomorrow marks a big day. I get to try reintroducing dairy to my diet. I haven't had an ounce of dairy in five months, and limited amounts the month before. I've spent a whole lot of time reading labels and being amazed at how hard it can be to find bread that doesn't contain milk.

It's ironic in some ways that I've been dairy free. I am a serious dairy lover. One of the first things I loved about Erik was that he loves cheese as much as I do. (Sorry Erik, it's true.) I've always had milk with dinner, even through college. Erik and I have been known to have cheese parties for dinner. When hearing of breastfeeding moms giving up dairy due to their baby's sensitivity or allergy I have exclaimed..."oh I could never do that!"

The further irony is that I'm not really very excited about bringing dairy back into my diet. Now, don't get me wrong. After we know Ellery has outgrown her sensitivity I will be all over an entire wheel of brie. And I will feel very lucky to not have to worry about everything that Ellery eats. I'm fairly certain she is going to do just fine. But, I have to admit that I have found some benefits of being off dairy. The biggest one is I feel lighter and can not remember the last time I had that "I can't eat another bite" feeling. I get full, but I don't have that heavy full feeling. There are times I feel like I can't even get full, which is frustrating  since nursing an 11 month old burns a whole lot of calories.  I feel like I have more energy, despite still being far from a full night's sleep. I feel healthy and vibrant. And, all that baby weight...gone and then some with no effort. Not bad.

I don't know if all the benefits are from eliminating dairy. But I do think that there is a connection. I am going to eat dairy tomorrow. I'm starting slow, with some yogurt every day and see how Ellery does. I am not going to give up dairy. I still love cheese even though I haven't had it in months. I am going to eat dairy in moderation though, probably for the rest of my life. It just feels good, and it just feels right. Sometimes what seems like the hardest thing ends up being a gift after all, a gift in different possibilities.