Breastfeeding During TSW

Since my daughter developed eczema, doctors recommended me to nurse my daughter as long as possible; on the contrary, friends and relatives have always believed that I'm responsible for my daughters' condition as a result of my breast milk. Personally, I did what I thought it would be the best for my daughter; therefore, I decided to nurse until she were most comfortable with her skin condition.

Breastfeeding Diet Before and During TSW

The first 4 months, I had a regular diet; then, Catherine's eczema got worse and I started eliminating suspicious foods. When she was 6 months, I lost 19 pounds and I didn't know what to do. I was stressed out, sleep deprived and eating mostly chicken, quinoa and vegetables. At 8 months, I took dairy, eggs, citrus, nuts, berries and seafood out of my diet and we also applied Protopic 0.1% on her face and Triamcinolone 0.1% on her body; and miraculously, Catherine's skin cleared up 90% for a few months.

When Catherine turned one, we felt the urge to find alternatives to get rid of her eczema naturally, so we decided to wean Protopic and the steroid compound. The result was an uncontrollable eczema. I took my daughter to the pediatrician, and he prescribed her antibiotics to prevent any skin infection. 

By the time she was 13 months, even though I did the elimination diet, she still had eczema and every time I stop using the creams, the condition worsened. We didn't feel comfortable with the growing dependency on Protopic and Triamcinolone, so we decided to investigate for ourselves about alternatives. It was when we came up with the idea of Topical Steroid Addiction and we started TSW in October 2013.

My diet during the TSW process was basically the same during the first 2 months. Then, it was drastically changed when I was introduced to the GAPS Diet. I have been on and off in the Introduction part, but always following the basics: Probiotic, fermented foods and bone broths in every meal. After a week, Catherine's skin improved a lot. However, it was difficult to follow since I was too skinny and one of the most important principles of the diet is cutting grains and sugars. By the 7th month of TSW, I followed a GAPS Diet with a low-histamine diet.

Comfort Nursing:  More Than Breastfeeding

For me, there is a lot more to breastfeeding than providing nutrition and immunity. It is a time for nursing, a time for comfort. During Topical Steroid Withdrawal, comfort nursing was essential to soothe Catherine's discomfort in the first months. The intense itching was reduced big time.

I have to admit that nursing through TSW was very time consuming, but I don't regret it at all. It was my way to say "I'm sorry" for getting her through this horrendous experience. 

I decided to close the breastfeeding chapter now that her skin is better, she is more independent and plays a lot more. I feel a great sense of relief. After 8 months of TSW, Catherine is reincorporating to life; she climbs, she laughs, she explores. She is ready to enjoy her toddler years!