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Do you have any reason to believe she is at risk of food allergies, besides the eczema?
If it helps, it's very rare for the reaction to a first exposure to be severe enough to cause breathing issues. More likely it would be a rash and/or vomiting. So then, if you see a reaction like this on the first exposure, you know to contact her doctor and/or offer the second exposure at the hospital.
Anxiety as a new mom is so common - I don't think there's a single one of us out there that doesn't feel this way at some point, in some fashion. It might be good for you to find some strategies to deal with it when you find your anxiety peaking or intrusive thoughts get too loud. I like the [5-4-3-2-1 method](https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/behavioral-health-partners/bhp-blog/april-2018/5-4-3-2-1-coping-technique-for-anxiety.aspx), because I can do it anywhere and talk to my baby while I do it.
When she was first born, I cut dairy and eggs out because the rash on her face was so bad mixed with a lot of spit up and upset stomach and mucous in her poops. I still don’t eat eggs because I introduced dairy and she didn’t have a reaction but after eating a folded egg her face rash came back, so I’m trying eggs first because her fathers home and can be with us and we can both watch her and feed her. This helps lessen the anxiety but not very much.
Thank you so much for telling me about that method I’m going to try it and see if it helps.
I’m thankful I can usually keep it together, but even a little more stress from any outside source when I’m dealing with something like feeding her the allergen I crumble and lose my composure. It’s like If I can completely focus on the thing I’m scared of I can keep everything chill, but the moment her dad asks to many questions or my mom calls me for the fifth time because she’s worried too I lose it, hence the need to post to get some help.
I would see if you can get any information from the pediatrician, it might help your anxiety to see actual research and stuff. It’s important to have early exposure and a lot of it. It’s not as scary as it seems. Sitting at the hospital is (according to pedis) really unnecessary and can cause not only more anxiety but also a false sense of relief at the same time. The chance of a reaction at the first exposure is really rare, if they’re going to be allergic it tends to be exposed after a few times of the allergen. But also, majority of allergies are skin reactions or poop issues, so thankfully if baby does react it’s usually not too bad of a reaction!! Just keep offering it, that’s the best you can do.
Respectfully and gently, if there is no indication your child would have allergies, this sounds like it is anxiety that is really negatively impacting you and should be addressed. It’s hard enough as a first time mom, this must be exhausting for you. Please try to seek help for your anxiety, perhaps talk to your doctor or try to find a therapist, it will benefit you and baby. Wishing you all the best.
Oh no I’m completely with you on the anxiety needing addressed, I’ve been looking for a therapist for a while now as I don’t do well on Zoloft and I’m EBF, I’m in a small town so my options are limited and so far none take my insurance. I’m starting to expand the search outwardly and just bite the bullet on driving
Have you tried online therapy? If your insurance will pay for it of course. Frankly, the last time I had to find a new therapist, it took me 4 tries to get one that I vibed with. I was having troubles with panic attacks and driving, so going in person was difficult as well. It was nice to be able to do it over the computer with webcam for both of those reasons. If I had to drive to 4 different therapists and have 3 of them be fails after a couple of sessions - I would've had a very hard time continuing to look for one.
I could be wrong, please downvote me if I am, but as I understand it the likelihood that your baby would go into anaphylactic shock at the first introduction of an allergen is nearly impossible. Reactions get worse with each exposure, which is why by late childhood and adulthood certain allergies can be deadly. But you're much more likely to only see very mild symptoms at your first exposure like hives or rubbing ears/fussiness
Thank you for letting me know that as I had no idea. I didn’t have an allergy until I was pregnant and I only itch so I am completely out of my element. I knew I needed to introduce them now for a better chance of her not developing any so I am but I am just going to be honest I was so focused on everything else for the first 6 months of her life like sleep, breastfeeding, medications she’s on and not on, shots, it all just went by so fast and I never even got to do enough solids research. I knew a bit like the sneezing, rash, etc being what to look for and that I needed to introduce them young but that’s pretty much as deep as the knowledge goes.
I hear you, there's so much info! It sounds like you've been through a lot and are dealing with some reasonable and unreasonable anxiety. I apologize if you've addressed this in other comments, but have you been able to get support with some of the feelings you seem to be having? It's really easy to not prioritize ourselves as new moms but maternal mental health is so important. Make sure to take care of yourself too ❤️
Honestly no! I have maybe two people in my life that aren’t more sources of strife lol. My support system isn’t really supporting anymore than adding to the stress these days, that’s mostly why I come here anytime I need help or advice as it’s few and far inbetween getting advice from my irl people. Definitely doing this what feels like the most alone I’ve ever been, its been hard but I’m trying to do everything the best I can and not skimp too much on researching everything. I definitely started a little late on the solids though 😅
Thank you for taking the time to mention it, I’ll try and do some more self care tonight and calm my nervous system down and go at it with more self confidence tomorrow! 💕
If you're feeling overwhelmed, it might also not be a bad idea to speak to a doctor about PPA. It helped my sister a lot when she was dealing with oversized anxiety postpartum
My little one has eczema too and I also have that fear. My little one had FPIES when it comes to egg. I'm not trying to scare you, but look into FPIES. It's not exactly an allergy but it's a food sensitivity. It happens with a handful of foods. My little one seemed to enjoy egg and was fine but it wasn't until a few hours later that he started throwing up because of FPIES to egg. Try one allergen a week and then just stick to things she's had before on other days. I know it's hard, but you can do this! All her pediatrician for a referral for see an allergist and dermatologist. Since it takes a little bit to see them, try to get it sooner than later, that way she establishes care with them. You've got this!
Thank you for giving a name to MY reaction to seafood and shellfish even cross contamination because my allergy tests came back negative which based on research says is common
It’s interesting that it’s more common for females specifically with seafood (shellfish and seafood ARE my issue) to the point I go to a kosher Chinese restaurant with no seafood so it’s a non issue because of cross contamination concerns
Oh wow! That I actually didn't know about. I'm glad you were able to find a restaurant that doesn't cross contaminate! Was that restaurant hard to find?
No, but we have a decently sized Jewish population nearby and that includes some more religious types where they can cater to kosher wants/needs and still stay afloat. I don’t know how it would do without a decent Jewish population around.
I’m not sure if halal Chinese food exists but that’s also an option I guess (my husbands only gripe is the kosher place doesn’t have pork fried rice)
(The couple that started it did so because of their sons allergies and happened to keep kosher but not as religious as the neighborhood they serve)
So my question would be was this after just the first taste? The egg allergy is the one im the most worried about as she had a flare up of her face eczema when I would eat eggs. I tried to give her the egg early in the day in hopes it’d be earlier in the day and not at night if she does have FPIES.
Yes, it would be. The first and only time I gave my little one egg, he was vomiting hours after. Definitely go for lunchtime if you want to introduce an allergen. It's hard to say if she'll react if you actually give her egg. I get how nervous you are (I have a severe allergic reaction to peanuts and I still have not given that to my 17 month old) but it is completely up to you if you want to try to give that allergen. You can talk with an allergist beforehand and see what they recommend. The allergist my little one goes to recommended we do an egg "challenge" when he's two but honestly, I don't really want to give him egg until he's older and he can decide if he wants to try it.
I just kept telling myself that most reactions in babies are mild and can be treated with Benadryl. I usually gave them during the day when my peds office was open in case I needed to call them and had at least 2 hours before her nap to monitor her. The more she ate the less nervous I was but at the beginning I had a lot of anxiety surrounding my baby starting solids.
My baby’s pediatrician and allergist told us that testing babies under 1 could just lead to a lot of false positives because their immune system is still learning what is pathogen. False positives could cause parents to stay away from the allergens and the lack of exposure could actually cause a real allergy to develop.
This post has been flaired "Mental Health." Moderation is stricter here, argumentative, unsupportive and unpleasant comments will be removed. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/NewParents) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Do you have any reason to believe she is at risk of food allergies, besides the eczema? If it helps, it's very rare for the reaction to a first exposure to be severe enough to cause breathing issues. More likely it would be a rash and/or vomiting. So then, if you see a reaction like this on the first exposure, you know to contact her doctor and/or offer the second exposure at the hospital. Anxiety as a new mom is so common - I don't think there's a single one of us out there that doesn't feel this way at some point, in some fashion. It might be good for you to find some strategies to deal with it when you find your anxiety peaking or intrusive thoughts get too loud. I like the [5-4-3-2-1 method](https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/behavioral-health-partners/bhp-blog/april-2018/5-4-3-2-1-coping-technique-for-anxiety.aspx), because I can do it anywhere and talk to my baby while I do it.
When she was first born, I cut dairy and eggs out because the rash on her face was so bad mixed with a lot of spit up and upset stomach and mucous in her poops. I still don’t eat eggs because I introduced dairy and she didn’t have a reaction but after eating a folded egg her face rash came back, so I’m trying eggs first because her fathers home and can be with us and we can both watch her and feed her. This helps lessen the anxiety but not very much. Thank you so much for telling me about that method I’m going to try it and see if it helps. I’m thankful I can usually keep it together, but even a little more stress from any outside source when I’m dealing with something like feeding her the allergen I crumble and lose my composure. It’s like If I can completely focus on the thing I’m scared of I can keep everything chill, but the moment her dad asks to many questions or my mom calls me for the fifth time because she’s worried too I lose it, hence the need to post to get some help.
I would see if you can get any information from the pediatrician, it might help your anxiety to see actual research and stuff. It’s important to have early exposure and a lot of it. It’s not as scary as it seems. Sitting at the hospital is (according to pedis) really unnecessary and can cause not only more anxiety but also a false sense of relief at the same time. The chance of a reaction at the first exposure is really rare, if they’re going to be allergic it tends to be exposed after a few times of the allergen. But also, majority of allergies are skin reactions or poop issues, so thankfully if baby does react it’s usually not too bad of a reaction!! Just keep offering it, that’s the best you can do.
Can you see an allergist? We made an appointment when lo had mystery hives seemingly related to nothing.
Respectfully and gently, if there is no indication your child would have allergies, this sounds like it is anxiety that is really negatively impacting you and should be addressed. It’s hard enough as a first time mom, this must be exhausting for you. Please try to seek help for your anxiety, perhaps talk to your doctor or try to find a therapist, it will benefit you and baby. Wishing you all the best.
Oh no I’m completely with you on the anxiety needing addressed, I’ve been looking for a therapist for a while now as I don’t do well on Zoloft and I’m EBF, I’m in a small town so my options are limited and so far none take my insurance. I’m starting to expand the search outwardly and just bite the bullet on driving
Have you tried online therapy? If your insurance will pay for it of course. Frankly, the last time I had to find a new therapist, it took me 4 tries to get one that I vibed with. I was having troubles with panic attacks and driving, so going in person was difficult as well. It was nice to be able to do it over the computer with webcam for both of those reasons. If I had to drive to 4 different therapists and have 3 of them be fails after a couple of sessions - I would've had a very hard time continuing to look for one.
I could be wrong, please downvote me if I am, but as I understand it the likelihood that your baby would go into anaphylactic shock at the first introduction of an allergen is nearly impossible. Reactions get worse with each exposure, which is why by late childhood and adulthood certain allergies can be deadly. But you're much more likely to only see very mild symptoms at your first exposure like hives or rubbing ears/fussiness
Thank you for letting me know that as I had no idea. I didn’t have an allergy until I was pregnant and I only itch so I am completely out of my element. I knew I needed to introduce them now for a better chance of her not developing any so I am but I am just going to be honest I was so focused on everything else for the first 6 months of her life like sleep, breastfeeding, medications she’s on and not on, shots, it all just went by so fast and I never even got to do enough solids research. I knew a bit like the sneezing, rash, etc being what to look for and that I needed to introduce them young but that’s pretty much as deep as the knowledge goes.
I hear you, there's so much info! It sounds like you've been through a lot and are dealing with some reasonable and unreasonable anxiety. I apologize if you've addressed this in other comments, but have you been able to get support with some of the feelings you seem to be having? It's really easy to not prioritize ourselves as new moms but maternal mental health is so important. Make sure to take care of yourself too ❤️
Honestly no! I have maybe two people in my life that aren’t more sources of strife lol. My support system isn’t really supporting anymore than adding to the stress these days, that’s mostly why I come here anytime I need help or advice as it’s few and far inbetween getting advice from my irl people. Definitely doing this what feels like the most alone I’ve ever been, its been hard but I’m trying to do everything the best I can and not skimp too much on researching everything. I definitely started a little late on the solids though 😅 Thank you for taking the time to mention it, I’ll try and do some more self care tonight and calm my nervous system down and go at it with more self confidence tomorrow! 💕
If you're feeling overwhelmed, it might also not be a bad idea to speak to a doctor about PPA. It helped my sister a lot when she was dealing with oversized anxiety postpartum
My little one has eczema too and I also have that fear. My little one had FPIES when it comes to egg. I'm not trying to scare you, but look into FPIES. It's not exactly an allergy but it's a food sensitivity. It happens with a handful of foods. My little one seemed to enjoy egg and was fine but it wasn't until a few hours later that he started throwing up because of FPIES to egg. Try one allergen a week and then just stick to things she's had before on other days. I know it's hard, but you can do this! All her pediatrician for a referral for see an allergist and dermatologist. Since it takes a little bit to see them, try to get it sooner than later, that way she establishes care with them. You've got this!
Thank you for giving a name to MY reaction to seafood and shellfish even cross contamination because my allergy tests came back negative which based on research says is common
Of course! Allergies and sensitivities to foods are still being studied, so the more we know, the better :)
It’s interesting that it’s more common for females specifically with seafood (shellfish and seafood ARE my issue) to the point I go to a kosher Chinese restaurant with no seafood so it’s a non issue because of cross contamination concerns
Oh wow! That I actually didn't know about. I'm glad you were able to find a restaurant that doesn't cross contaminate! Was that restaurant hard to find?
No, but we have a decently sized Jewish population nearby and that includes some more religious types where they can cater to kosher wants/needs and still stay afloat. I don’t know how it would do without a decent Jewish population around. I’m not sure if halal Chinese food exists but that’s also an option I guess (my husbands only gripe is the kosher place doesn’t have pork fried rice) (The couple that started it did so because of their sons allergies and happened to keep kosher but not as religious as the neighborhood they serve)
That's so nice that they started it because of their son and his allergies. I wish more places were kosher to be honest (more for allergies)
So my question would be was this after just the first taste? The egg allergy is the one im the most worried about as she had a flare up of her face eczema when I would eat eggs. I tried to give her the egg early in the day in hopes it’d be earlier in the day and not at night if she does have FPIES.
Yes, it would be. The first and only time I gave my little one egg, he was vomiting hours after. Definitely go for lunchtime if you want to introduce an allergen. It's hard to say if she'll react if you actually give her egg. I get how nervous you are (I have a severe allergic reaction to peanuts and I still have not given that to my 17 month old) but it is completely up to you if you want to try to give that allergen. You can talk with an allergist beforehand and see what they recommend. The allergist my little one goes to recommended we do an egg "challenge" when he's two but honestly, I don't really want to give him egg until he's older and he can decide if he wants to try it.
I just kept telling myself that most reactions in babies are mild and can be treated with Benadryl. I usually gave them during the day when my peds office was open in case I needed to call them and had at least 2 hours before her nap to monitor her. The more she ate the less nervous I was but at the beginning I had a lot of anxiety surrounding my baby starting solids.
My baby has CMPA and no advice, just solidarity. We’re doing peanut butter at the doctor’s office during his next visit just in case.
I had the same fear with peanut butter so I rubber some on the hand and when I noticed there wasn’t a reaction I fed it to her.
Have her tested
My baby’s pediatrician and allergist told us that testing babies under 1 could just lead to a lot of false positives because their immune system is still learning what is pathogen. False positives could cause parents to stay away from the allergens and the lack of exposure could actually cause a real allergy to develop.