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Ashley says:
Has anyone dealt with any food sensitivities with their Breastfed baby? Babes has had the worst rash and we have tried everything possible (treated her and diapers) My next idea is cutting out foods that may be bothering her. Any tips on where to start? She has had this rash since February but thankfully it doesn’t seem to hurt her!
When it comes to diaper rash, I always recommend getting a doctor involved if it doesn’t improve with 24 hours of treatment and/or it is open, weeping, worsening or painful.
What does the rash look like? Where it the rash the worst? Does it improve with any creams? Is it with all diapers or just certain ones? Does it improve if you switch to disposables?
KellyMom.com has fantastic tips on food sensitivities in breastfed babies. Dairy seems to be the biggest culprit, and you can try an “elimination diet” where you completely eliminate all suspected foods from your diet for 2-3 weeks and see if symptoms improve. Re-introduce one food at a time to your diet & see if there’s a reaction. Dairy is hidden in a lot of foods/ingredients though, so it can seem like a full time job sometimes to eliminate it!
Have you dealt with food sensitivities & diaper rash? How could you tell it was a food sensitivity?
Maria wants to live in a world where cloth diapers are the norm and moms can make parenting choices without judgement. When she’s not chasing her 18, 14 and 11-year old kids around, you might find her checking out the latest gadgets, organizing something (again) or exercising in the fresh air. 
Thanks Ladies! I definitely think it is something I am eating that is causing the rash. I will start with Dairy products and go from there! Thanks for the tips!
The rash is very red and bumpy, but there aren’t any open sores. It doesn’t seem to hurt at all. I asked about it at her 2 month checkup and we were prescribed 3 different creams. We tried those creams (with disposables since they definitely weren’t CD safe!!) and other natural creams (bought and homemade) and haven’t had any luck. We treated for yeast, did probiotics, crazy wash routines, but nothing has seemed to make it go away! I asked the Dr. again at her 4 month check up and she was no help. So I came here!! Haha
My youngest couldn’t tolerate dairy, almond milk or coconut milk while I was nursing. I took a shot in the dark and stopped dairy and her spitting up got so much better. When I stopped peanut butter, it got even better. At age 1, I started drinking milk and using dairy again and she was fine. Shortly after that, we started giving her cow’s milk and she loved it (and it loved her!). Now at 2, she drinks as much milk as we’ll give her in a day. We’ve just started giving her peanut butter (it only gave her diaper rash, but she’s potty trained now) and she seems to be ok with it too. It was just a matter of time.
I agree with talking with your doctor. I have four kids and all four were unable to breast feed. Turns out they have a milk allergy that cleared up by going on a milk free formula (different one worked for each kid..funny how that is). Sometimes it’s not what WE eat, but a real allergy to the milk itself, although what we eat can cause issues too. GL!
My pediatrician recommended I try eliminating dairy to help my baby’s excessive spit up. Well, it didn’t help that yet, but within a few days his persistent red eczema patches on his elbows and thighs disappeared! He has soft normal baby skin after a couple of months of trying lots of creams that did nothing!