rash from feeding?

[aprilbaby]

I am breastfeeding my four week old and it's going brilliantly. My only issue is that I have a terrible rash on my thighs and breasts that is insanely itchy and when I scratch it all the blood comes to the surface and I come out in massive bruises. :thumbsdown:

At first I thought it was excema, as I get this on my lower legs occasionaly, but the excema cream hasn't done anything and I have never had the bruising before so now I'm wondering if it's to do with feeding (it also seems to flare up after a feed.)

Has anyone ever had anything like this or heard of it before? I thought I might call the breastfeeding asc. to ask as well, but any advice from bubhubers would be appreciated.

Thanks!!

[Goosie22]

I would suggest a visit to your GP, could be any number of skin problems. If your GP is not helpful ask for a referal to a dermatologist to have it diagnosed and treated.

You could try pintarsol (sp?) in the mean time in your bath to give some relief.

[rynosmum]

Does the rash only come up just after a feed ?

You say you've occassionally had it on your lower legs. Is there a pattern of when it hits - say, after exposure to hot water or cold, after exercising or when going for a walk etc ?

[aprilbaby]

Thanks for the replies. I went to the GP last week and she didn't really know what it was either. She prescribed an excema cream but that hasn't made any difference.

I can't think of anything unusual that's causing it. I'm using Alpha Keri oil in the shower so it can't be soap, and I'm putting sorbolene on my skin which i always do so it can't be that.

I thought maybe it's my body reacting to the demands of feeding but I've gone on the net and can't find anything to suggest this is a normal thing.

I could go back to the GP but I think she'll just say she doesn't know what it is so it'll be a waste of time and money, neither of which you have alot of with a four week old!!

[Goosie22]

What are you washing your clothes in? Have you eaten anything different lately?

A dermatologist (specialist in skin diseases) will know what it is if you don't want to pay the GP give the office a call and request a referal because the treatment they have given has not worked.

[rynosmum]

The reason I asked the questions is because I have something called an Urticaria. It took more than 15 years with GPs not knowing what it was and I eventually found it on the internet, treat it with antihistamines (after a chat with an allergist) and all is good.

An Urticaria can by exercise induced (as mine is - once my body temp starts to rise my legs become insanely itchy). It can also be cold induced and pressure induced (potentially triggered by the pressure for bubs on your skin plus the rise in core body temp whilst feeding).

All the dermatologists I saw could give me no relief and creams won't help it at all. I only mention this as an option if you don't find relief with your derm consultation.

The itching used to drive me crazy. Try putting a cold pack, ice pack or cold water on it instead of itching to red raw. This used to give me a lot of relief.

Best of luck.

[cath]

Hi there,
During the last trimester of my pregnancy and then again when my son was born I had a terrible rash on my stomach and breasts which ended up being a pregnancy rash called PUPPP. It is basically something to do with your hormones going a bit nuts. It is the last thing you need when you are breastfeeding - I sympathise with you. I had to take cortisone tablets to clear mine up which apparently was fine for the baby (must have been because I now have a very healthy 6 month old son).
Check with your obstetrician and see what they recommend.I tried all sorts of topical treatments (cortisone creams,pinetarsil baths,pawpaw ointment) and tried antihistamine tablets but nothing worked for me except the cortisone tablets (Panafacortelone or something they were called). The rash cleared up pretty quickly after taking those thank goodness - the itching is horrible -I remember it well. Good luck and I hope you can get rid of it. Congratulations on your new baby.

Cath

[elissas]

Hi there,

I got it too. It started around my belly button a few days before DS was born. By the time he was 4 weeks it was over my belly and thighs.

From what I could tell is was a mild case of PUPPP (most cases are reported in the 3rd trimester, and it goes after birth, but there are cases of it starting after birth).

I found that a bit of almond oil helped soothe it, but didn't do anything else to treat it. It disappeared when DS was about 5-6 weeks.

I also found that it got itchier after a shower sometimes, maybe not make the water so hot if you have a hot shower?

Best to go to the doc though. I probably should have, but by the time I found the time to it had nearly cleared up.

[Miaow]

Ive got a similar thing also when i feed ej I get red raised largish spots that come out on my breast they gradually go away after she stops feeding. I asked the CHN about it and she had no idea. They arent real itchy though just looks really weird when Ive fed her - I notice they come out more where she's had her hands so i think maybe heat related? I did notice i started to get a bit of a rash on my thighs also a couple of weeks ago but that seems to have gone now

[aprilbaby]

Thanks so much for the help girls, bubhub rocks!

I actually did get PUPP on my stomach two days after my DS was born and my Dr prescribed a cortisone cream which fivxed it. I didn't realise you could also get it on your thighs, so maybe that's what it is. I have started using the same cream on the rash now so hopefully that works and it goes away.

If not I'll look into it being Urticaria and maybe get some antihistamines.

Thanks again, lets hope the problem is solved and I can enjoy feeding my baby without itching all over him!!