Treating Dh While Breastfeeding

[jhow32000]

My sister is gluten-free and breastfeeding. She has been broken out terribly since giving birth and would like to use something to relieve her pain. What is safe to use while BFing? Everything topical I have heard of and looked up are not safe or have not been studied.

[ItchyMeredith]

With both of my children I broke out with DH terribly at 2 months postpartum. I breastfed them both. I still breastfeed my 18 month old. My dermatologist prescribed some topical steroid that started with an F. I'm sorry but I don't remember the name of it. Sadly, it didn't help me at all. How long has she been gluten free??? I was MUCH better within a month of going gluten free. I was DH free within 5 months.

I'm sorry I couldn't be more help.

Good Luck!

[KimmyJ]

Interesting to hear that other women experienced this. My DH actually cleared up during my pregnancy, but hit full force after I delivered my baby. (It wasn't until after my baby was born that I was diagnosed.) Is she gluten-free? My DH cleared up within a few weeks of going gluten-free. I didn't want to take anything that would hurt Layla, especially not Dapsone.

[krisb]

I didn't want to take anything that would hurt Layla, especially not Dapsone.

I have the same problem. I'm breastfeeding my 14 month old and I have used the topical steroids to help me. I never questioned the Dr.'s if it was ok. What kind of side effects does it have on the baby?

[ravenwoodglass]

I would be looking for the source of the contamination, something has had to trigger the DH. Since it cropped up after the baby was born and home perhaps something that she is using on the baby is not safe. Lotion, powder, baby wipes anything new that wasn't used in the home before. Is she on a new supplement? Or could her trigger have been something that they used or gave her to eat in the hospital? The antibodies remain in the skin sometimes for up to 2 years after diagnosis and starting the gluten-free life. Even a tiny amount will cause a flareup until they are absorbed. Something is triggering the flare up and until the source is ferreted out she will continue to suffer. I also found topicals to be very ineffective, they usually gave me oral steroids when things got too bad but I don't think that is safe while breastfeeding.

[glutenfreedoc]

Hi,

I agree, with other replies. There must be contamination, even maybe from meds/IV used during childbirth process. I would hope she is still on a good multi-vitamin. I would suggest she seek someone nearby to consult her on nutrition and supplementation, as she likely needs help healing her gut right now. She needs to heal form the inside-out. If she can find some gluten-free oat, she may soak in a warm bath of oatmeal. She should follow the warm bath with a cold rinse, it will help flush out the inflammation on the skin. She may also try chilled aloe to help. It will soothe the itching and help heal. Vitamin C will also help the decrease the allergic response. I have been gluten-free since 2003, I know it is hard. I am also still breast feeding my 9 month old son. It takes a toll on my nutrient content. So, it is really important to be very careful with the gluten right now.

My sister is gluten-free and breastfeeding. She has been broken out terribly since giving birth and would like to use something to relieve her pain. What is safe to use while BFing? Everything topical I have heard of and looked up are not safe or have not been studied.

[ItchyMeredith]

I have a weirdo theory-

I ate gluten through both of my pregnancies. I had no DH. When I was 2 months postpartum with both boys I was itching and blistering like crazy. Because your immune system is repressed during pregnancy- what if the crazy DH reactions postpartum is due to whatever cross contamination you may have gotten during your pregnancy. Maybe your body is somehow saving it up and waiting till it can have a DH response. DH blisters can come from IgA deposits from 2 years ago- maybe they are the blistering deposits from 9 months of slight cross contamination here and there that didn't become inflamed and blistered due to your suppressed immune system. Just a thought.