My ds is bright red with eczema again, and its got me down. He is nearly eight months and has had eczema since his hormone rash went away at 6 weeeks.
I knew he had a really strong chance of getting it, so I exclusively breastfed him for 6 months before introducing solids. Then I was very careful about what I gave him. No wheat, no milk, no citrus, no tomatoes, no eggs, no nuts. Then I saw a specialist who told me to give up all the things that he reacted to at the skin prick tests. So no milk, eggs or peanuts for me either. But other things make him flare up too - banana, potato and carrots for him, artificial colourings and tomatoes in my food. Baby rice and avocado make him projectile vomit. All the things that make his outside sore make his insides sore too and he lies there writhing in agony. He doesn't even cuddle me anymore just uses me as a scratching post.
A trip to a house with a cat or feeding him a new food means a whole week with virtually no sleep for all 3 of us. He needs 2 baths a day and more when the weather is hot or dry (I live in a place with very little rain fall)I smear him with disgusting smelling ointments several times a day as he screams the house down and tugs and tears at himself. I don't feel I can leave him with anyone else, because nobody else realises the effect that not putting on a cream or not changing a nappy or having him in too many clothes has on the rest of my week.
Most days I love being his mum, but some days I just wish I didn't have to face it, and maybe on those days I am not so good about his baths and creams and then he gets worse and I feel guilty. Probiotics and Flax seed oil are really helping as is my exclusion diet, but one wrong move with the food and we are just back to square one. It would all be easier if I had more energy (lethargy probably caused by strict diet and 8 months of virtually no sleep).