Breastfeeding and Allergies??

[SweetieSugary]

Hi all, my little boy is 3 months, exclusively breastfed, and has been having an awful rash appear across his chest and tummy.
It usually lasts a few hours, disappears for a few days and then comes back again. Each time it comes back it seems to be worse than the last.
Everyone who’s seen it says it looks like an allergic reaction. We’ve already tested and cleared that it’s not our washing powder, air fresheners, bath products, moisturisers or any of the usual suspects that you’d immediately go to.
Taken him to a doctor and they basically said they have no idea but it’s unlikely to be a food allergy since he’s EB.
Food allergies do run very prevalently in his dads side, so i’m wondering if he’s getting traces of an allergen through my breast milk? I can’t find any resources for pre-weaning babies and food allergies so not sure if this is even possible.
Just not sure what the best route to take is really. I’ve started cutting out cows milk from my own diet to be see if it could be that. If not, i’d be keen to try cutting gluten as gluten allergy specifically runs in his dad’s side of the family.
Just wondering if anyone has any sort of advice or guidance really? Any experience with allergens and a baby this young? I just feel really hopeless and like a useless mum that i can’t even help him with this. Thanks in advance.

My LO was allergic to allergens in my diet - she had a similar reaction (plus poor weight gain), and we got a skin prick test. She wasn’t EBF but was mostly BF at the time.

personally, I’d push for the skin prick test or you could get it done privately if that’s an option for you.

good luck!

My daughter was allergic to milk through my breast milk. At the level of pesto in a wrap I ate causing problems.

Is there a lower age limit on when a skin prick test can be done? I’d be nervous about doing it on a baby so young but would also like to get it out the way so we at least have an idea what’s causing this.

I’m not sure! But I was referred to one when she was around 4 or 5 months, and we had it when she was 6 months (I remember that because she’d just started weaning at the time). So it’s definitely pretty young! She was fine with the test. She hated having her arms pinned for it, but I don’t think the test itself bothered her, more the stranger holding her.

They’re fairly widely recognised as being very limited in accuracy for young children. A lot of places won’t do them for under 1s or under 2s.

My daughter has 20 food allergies and nearly all were identified whilst breastfeeding and me eating the foods.

My daughter has delayed allergies which means there is no test and the only way to identify them is carefully remove each ingredient see if symptoms improve and then see if they get worse when reintroduced.