Breastfeeding and Eczema...

My daughter also had bad eczma when she was young. I never actually eliminated anything from my diet, right or wrong, who knows, but I kept her slathered in Eucerin lotion. I also started using Aveeno bath products which made a big difference. Also, in really dry areas, I would put on real aloe straight from the plant. For us, that fresh aloe was key. It helped A LOT. May be worth a shot for you guys. :)

It may not be your diet completely. A switch to a natural detergent or even using baking soda as your detergent for a while to see if her skin clears up may help. I would also watch for allergic reactions to chemicals in soaps, shampoos, etc. She may just have very sensitive skin and need a break from all the chemical exposure we experience every day. Also, keep in mind that our mattresses are coated in flame retardents and so are children's pajamas. So perhaps having her sleep in a footed outfit that says it's not designed for sleepwear or getting organic pj's will help too!

To get dairy back in your diet, you could try adding goat's milk to your diet. It is tolerable by most people even with milk allergies as it more closely resembles human milk. If you switch from dairy to soy immediately, the body will treat the soy like dairy due to the hormonal effects in it. So if you consume soy, it's best to go completely soy/dairy free for 2 weeks before adding soy in to see if that makes a difference too!

I hope you find a solution soon!
A.

Oh, I can so relate!! Each of my 3 kids demonstrated milk allergies by 3 weeks. Eliminating all milk products got us through breastfeeding without too many flare ups. (I breastfed 2 years with each child). But my middle child had more allergies: soy, "too much" eggs, "too much" corn, "too much" citrus, "too much" strawberries. And my youngest child is also allergic to rice, artificial colors, almonds, "too much" soy. My oldest is also allergic to dust/mold (sinus infection his 1st 18 months -- until we moved). (... I think I covered all of them ...)

As you can see, it is not just one thing for us. Often a food/allergen will be okay by itself, but if added to other allergens (which also may be okay alone) an allergic reaction will occur. It's as if the "allergy bucket" overflows.

Because of the constant tummy aches I finally took my middle child (then age 4) to an allergist in Lake Stevens for testing -- bloodwork, not scratch testing. That's when we found out about the soy and corn. Now, at age 10, he can have the occasional little bit of soy or citrus or ??? with little to no reaction.

For eczema flare ups I use Bag Balm. Yep, the stuff for cow's udders in the green tin. (I get it from my local feed store, but I've seen it at Fred Meyer also.) It works great to stop the itching and it's non-toxic! Also good for diaper rash, cracked nipples and miscellaneous injuries.

Good luck! Let me know if I can be of any help!

Hi K.,

I'm an acupuncturist and herbalist and have great results in getting rid of eczema! Chinese medicine is great for reminding the body how not to over-react to allergens. I would highly recommend that you consider finding an acupuncturist in your area to help your little girl get rid of the eczema completely! If you have any questions, feel free to message me :)

B.

Maybe the meat you are eating has antibiotics or something? Can you eat veggies and other grains like quinoa, spelt,teff?

Maybe check with an allergist, one who is into more holistic stuff (sorry, son't have any names), not the standard pinprick tests, i have heard they are not always accurate.

Continue breastfeeding, as someone else said. I think she'd have it worse if you formula-fed.

This has to be so frustrating! good luck

K. Z.

My husband's family has had lots of eczema problems. The two products that I have heard are the most successful are Cetafil (sp?) and Mary Kay Emollient Night Cream. The Cetafil is not as grease as Eucerin but you can get it from the drug store. That is probably what they use the most for everyday, after bathtime and such. The Mary Kay stuff they use for flare ups. My SIL says she puts it on the kids at night and then has them wear gloves to bed (if on their hands) and it clears up really fast. The Night Cream really does seal up the skin like anothe person suggested.

I would say that it is not your diet then. Some kids just have eczema. Does it bother her? Or just look awful? If it doesn't bother her, I wouldn't worry too much. Chances are it is something coming into contact with her skin- your deodorant, laundry soap, fabric softener, lotion, perfume, febreeze, even something that is in the air like candles. I would start eliminating dyes and perfumes that she is around, and keep breastfeeding. What do the pediatrician say about it? good luck!

People and babies have had AMAZING results with Arbonne's ABC baby line for ecezma...it is botanically based and vegan. Also, the Arbonne Skin conditioning oil too. but the baby line is fantastic! Many babies have come off of steriods, creams, etc b/c of this product. I can not tell you why its back i just know it works and could help you all. Keep breastfeeding that is best. I see how frustrated this is for you and when mommy knows her baby is possibly uncomfortable; it can be heartbreaking. Call me or send me an email: ____@____.com ###-###-####

Ours was not diet related it was irritants from detergents and his bath soap. After switching he only had mild flare ups and now at age 3 we have it almost under control (just the tops of his feet, and back of his legs). We LOVE Aveeno, it's been a lifesaver for us and believe me we've tried the whole spectrum of products.
He can now tolerate regular laundry detergents (thank goodness). He is super sensitive to dryness which will quickly become a "patch" so we keep him slathered in an unscented product.
He would also break out if someone held him that had on perfumes/lotions so I had to advocate & explain a lot when he was little. I always had an extra clean blanket on hand so someone could hold him without "touching" him with their clothes (it's not like they could remove thier shirt).

- I know it's heartbreaking. Be strong, I promise it gets better.
There are lots of us that have been through it.

Best,
C.

Eczema is often the reaction to an allergy. It often comes from inside and erupts on the skin. You are eating only rice and meat? Are you using any seasonings?

By eliminating everything, if you've kept those offending things out of your diet you shouldn't be seeing a re-occurence of the eczema. There might be environmental irritants you need to look for. What kinds of lotions/soaps/laundry detergent/softeners do you use?

O.

Good for you for breastfeeding her!!

A friend of mine was only able to have rice and mung beans for MONTHS because of her son's allergies.

Check with a La Leche League leader to see if they have any more suggestions about what could be going on with your milk and eczema. You can also express a little milk directly onto her skin. Breastmilk is amazing stuff!

good morning. I have had eczema my whole life with bad flair ups along the way. My second son (8 mos) has a few dry patches and so I am already slathering him in lotion. Our ped told us about a new study that showed that since it is so tied to allergies if you cover the body from an early age with a thick lotion (we use Aquaphor or Eucerin ointment at night) you are actualy sealing the pores so allergens can't get in. this potentially could stop allergies from increases! So, the earlier you start the better off you may be. I have never altered my diet but have always used dye free detergents, mild body soaps (nothing scented), and tons of lotion. Hope that helps.

Believe it or not eczema may be due to laundry soap. I have a girlfriend and from infancy her son had eczema. She tried everything. Most of the store bought brands of laundry soap. Her son was so bad he would come home bleeding from school. Someone told her about Shaklee laundry products and within two weeks her sons eczema cleared up. If you are interested I will give you a website and more information so you can make an informed decision.

N.
Health and Wellness Coach

You don't say how old your daughter is. Has she had allergy testing done yet by your pediatrician? When you introduced foods to her, did you do it one at a time for about 5 days before you added anything new to her diet, so you could see if any one item caused the problems?

Did you change any laundry soap? bath soap? powders? lotions? diaper wipes? Are you wearing perfume/cologne? Sometimes eczema is stress induced. Or she could have an allergy to dust mites or molds... What part of her body is breaking out? It could be a contact reaction, think about her surroundings. Put a blanket on the floor for her to play on rather than putting her directly on the carpet, same with your furniture, you never know what others have on their clothes or shoes that might trigger this.

Go visit your pediatrician, allergy tests, dermatologist, allergist... it's uncomfortable. Have Dad give her a bottle, not you. She needs to be hungry for this to work and it needs to be him feeding her, best with you out of the room.

Again, see your pediatrician.