becoming convinced that BFing makes my skin dry - anyone else had this?

[GoldenSnitch]

DD is now 4 weeks old and is exclusivly breastfed. Ever since her birth the skin on my face, hands and feet has been getting progressivly dryer and dryer to the point where I now can't bend my finders without it feeling like the skin on my knuckles is cracking. It's really sore.

Even the palms of my hands and the balls of my feet are rough!!

I'd put it down to the weather but as I has a ELCS and can't drive again yet, I haven't really been out anywhere.

I got very dry skin when DS was born too but I don't remember it being this bad.

Has anyone else noticed dry skin while feeding or is it just me?

My dry skin problems were caused by low iron - might be worth getting a blood test?

I noticed this with ds1 and now with ds2 - think it's due to pregnancy hormones being drained away - my hair and skin were so good during pregnancy and slowly losing softness. Also might be due to de hydration. AND this weather can't help either.

Ooh, the iron thing is interesting. I had low iron stores (but not anaemia) during pregnancy so had iron tablets. Had to take them during my first pregnancy too. I've also fainted since giving birth and the Midwife suggested it might be my iron levels. She suggested taking my left over iron tablets but they gave me such bad constipation, I've been putting it off. Was hoping restarting my pre-natal vitamins might be enough.

Will try drinking more too. Maybe it's not the weather outside but the heating inside that's drying my skin?

I need to sort out these red, swollen knuckles though - they're sore and I look like a boxer!!

i have noticed this and also my contact lense dries out too!

I'd go more with it being the ambient atmosphere. I'm finding it incredibly drying (am BF too), the air just seems so parched at the moment, not helped by central heating on all day and the general tied-to-the-sofa-ness of having a small baby.

I had this too when ds was tiny. I especially remember the skin on my face flaking as you describe and my knuckles being raw where all the skin was cracked. It got better on its own after a while and I was never sure if it was the weather as you say but I was inclined to blame bfing too. I hope yours gets better soon. Congratulations on your dd!

I have dry eyes too devils! I hadn't linked the two though - D'Oh!

I had it so bad on my hands & feet esp was worse & lasted longer wit ds1, my hands were always cracked & wud bleed if i touched anything acidic they wud flare straight up, they were so so painful. i tried everything i cud, silcocks base or E45 is good for gen dryness arms etc but for my poor hands & feet i found my cure n flexitol cracked heel balm! I wud use silcocks base after every single time i washed my hands (i had 1 n da kitchen & 1 n da bathroom so i cudnt 4get) & at night id put the heel balm on my hands aswel as feet its to stickyish for day time, this saved me after months & months of suffering. my g.p had prescribed me hydrocortosine (cant spell, sorry) but it cant b used near broken skin as its anti inflamatory & wud cross over into ur milk & my hands were cracked & cut all over so didnt help me much but did ease itching... its the only time n my life iv ever suffered it so im tot sure it was related to the fact i was bf'ing my g.p said also the fact n the 1st few months esp, ur run down, exhausted, bleeding the 1st few wks & ur body wil naturally give the best nutrients to ur bmilk so ur skin can like mine get really bad. but if u get really strict wit urself bout creaming them (not once a day once an HR!) it should ease. hth xxx

My hands feel like sandpaper today - especially my palms! Have been creaming them and taking the vitamins but it seems to be getting worse.

Am considering trying a thick layer of cream under socks and gloves tonight but I'm not sure that that's not just a temporary fix.

Fingers feel swollen again too. Can't get my wedding ring off today!