Goat Yogurt Update

If you don’t want to read about poop, don’t read this post.

Okay. So the good news is that the goat yogurt does indeed seem to help T have normal, formed BMs for the first time in MONTHS. This is an incredible thing for him and for me – having to change soupy poopy Pull-Ups that smell terrible and get all over T and me and stink up the house & garage and give him diaper rash has been a 9 month nightmare. Every time I change a Pull Up that is full of diarrhea or soft-serve poop, I feel just awful that we’re subjecting him to this discomfort with this diet. This was supposed to heal an inflammed gut, but is it? Honestly, Rob & I are so ready to give up on this particular diet. But the goat yogurt firms up those stools, and plop, they drop right into the toilet without leaving much trace on the Pull Up. Hard to believe I’m writing this, but I’ve never seen such gorgeous poops as when he eats the goat yogurt.

Bad news. One time, only once, I added homemade raspberry jam to the creamy, smooth yogurt. Texture change. Seeds. Yucky. He took one bite, and it was over. Okay, so I threw that dish out and made a fresh serving with lovely, smooth strawberry jam. Too late. He would have nothing to do with it. Of course, I’m frantic to get him to eat it, so I’m insisting – being pleasant & upbeat – but not letting down because DAMMIT, the stuff give him gorgeous poops and I’ll do anything to keep that up. Nope. This goes on for a few days, with me nearly exploding with desperation to get him to eat, and him flatly refusing – keeping his lips tightly closed, turning his head away – then the showdown ensues. Now he won’t even have it on the table near him without screaming “NO YOGURT! NO BITE! NO NO!”

I want to cry & give up.

Sidebar: a year ago, he would not have been able to verbalize his intentions this clearly. Amazing. Diet? Verbal Behavior? Just normal development with aging?

So, plan B. I hide a mere ¼ tsp of yogurt in his walnut butter morning & night. He doesn’t seem to mind the taste, and remarkably, a grand total of ½ tsp each day does appear to be maintaining better poop consistency. Not gorgeous, but better.

I’m also putting the yogurt with the strawberry jam on the table next to his plate at breakfast & dinner. No expectations – just accept its presence on the table. So far, so good. Next step: have him just touch the spoon without melting down. Then pick up spoon. Put to lips. This will take some time. A month, perhaps, as our VB consultant predicted today.

And all the while, Rob & I are still poised & ready to give up on this dietary intervention and try something else. I get myself into such a “Can’t give up” hole, and Rob keeps me grounded by looking at all this as a researcher, which is what he is, after all.

The plot thickens. More when there is something to report.