Aptamil Allergy?

[Jiji100]

Hi

I've been exclusively bf for 4 months but in the last 2 weeks ds has started having formula in the evening to get him ready for me going back to work.

although he has been taking 4oz his has coincided with a rash on his tummy, legs and arms - not bad but quite like dry skin. Sadly he also went swimming for the first time which confused us.

Has anyone else experienced this? i want to try another formula but wonder what everyone else is using?

[Iggly]

It's unlikely to be a specific brand of formula if he is reacting to that. They're pretty much the same. He could have a bit of an intolerance to the cows milk manifesting as ezcema. I'd try expressing instead and stop the formula for a week to see if it clears up. If it does then you'll know!

If it is that then can you express instead?

[Jiji100]

Thanks Iggly

I have expressed a fairly small freezer stash and can probably do so at work but as I'll be full time and a good hour commute to work I worry this won't be enough.

We've started a bit of weaning which might help I suppose (as long as we avoid milk).

i think my SIL (who will be looking after him) would feel more confident if she had a backup plan. Oh well!

[Iggly]

When do you go back to work? I used to express when I first went back and could manage a few ounces a day to give DS a feed. Then I'd feed in the morning and evenings plus one at night.

As you say though weaning will help make things a bit easier. The only problem is that if he reacts to milk you'll need to think about his calcium when he gets older and you stop BF.

[Jiji100]

I've got another month (DS will be 6 months then)

Argh - hadn't thought about the calcium implications - is it worth getting him checked by the doc? Might he be OK with cheese/yogurt but not milk?

My mum I had some problems with milk when I was little (I remember being tested at about 6 and trying goats milk - urgh, and soy)but don't remember cheese being a problem. I did grow out of it though and have no problems now..

[Iggly]

Yes could be the more processed the cows milk the easier to digest. So my DS will be sick with milk but just windy with cheese. You can try little bits and see the reaction? You can talk to the doc and ask for a dietician referral?

[amidaiwish]

dd2 had a problem with aptamil, it turned out she has an egg allergy and aptamil has dried egg in it.

i would try a soya milk, or goats milk.

[Jiji100]

Right will stick with BF for the moment and see if we can clear the rash right up and will have a chat to the HV on Wednesday (easier to get to than the Dr).

Amidaiwish - did you sick to BF or did you find a formula that worked for DD2?

Thanks for the help.

[Minnie24]

Jiji100 - just wondering if your lo took a bottle ok at 4 months? I am having a nightmare trying to get my 3 month old to take one.

[Jiji100]

Hi Minnie

He has been fine with the bottle but we started early with expressed milk at about 4 weeks - just the odd one here or there, but he is a greedy thing so as long as their was milk he was OK.

My OH had to do it and I was across the room out of his sight.

Good luck - I don't know what I'd have done if he wouldn't take the bottle - it has meant I've been able to have a few days out and leave him with family.

[cornishshelley]

the rash sounds like eczema to me I'd try a plain moisturising cream such as diprobase you can buy it at the chemist or see gp.
It could be the introduction of formula, a reaction to the swimming, starting weaning or a combination of all 3. I personally wouldn't assume that ds has any sort of milk intolerance at this stage. Perhaps try going back to ebf and see if it settles then reintroduce the formula and if the rash re occurs it would seem that was the cause.
It may still be easier to manage mild eczema than to have a milk free diet.
I'm speaking as a mum of 2dc's both with eczema and never found one thing that was solely to blame and spent much time worrying and stressing about the cause and avoiding irritants when good mangement with moisturisers was actually the most effective.

[amidaiwish]

i carried on bf but did finally find a formula that suited her, it was organic cow's babynat, it was hard to find, but after a lot of trial and error that was the only one she could tolerate. she is fine now btw (age 5) and seems to have outgrown her egg allergy.

other people i know whose dcs had a rash on using formula found soya milk to be the answer.

[amidaiwish]

cornishshelley also talks a lot of sense about managing it rather than driving yourself mad trying to find the exact cause - dd2 scratched her skin so hard it would bleed, she would get hot and start scratching as i fed her so it was pretty clear to me it was the milk. (the doctor of course said she was not intolerant as she didn't have diarrhoea). she was ok with a bit of yoghurt but not cheese/dairy sauces in cooking. i still remember the day i fed her cod in cheese sauce after seeing the GP and him insisting she was fine with dairy. Within minutes of eating it she was frantically tearing at her skin

[Jiji100]

Thanks for your advice!

I think it is a really good point re the managing eczema especially as getting calcium is important for his diet.

Am using aqueous cream to get it under control and will bf under he is OK and then try another milk to see how we are doing.

As I have a month until I am back at work I have limited time!

[weasle]

op - my ds3 has had eczema since weaning onto solids. aqueous cream didn't work for us but a week of diprobase and no dairy has cleared it up. diprobase is heavier than aq cream and might be better in the winter? still cheap - £2.50 ish for tube.

[mommapopa]

Have they used Dutch eggs? Anyone know?

[dementedpixie]

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