Babys First Year Blog
Baby Red and Blotchy While Breastfeeding?
Little Bean Nursing - Notice Red Blotches
Not all the time, but enough to notice, LIttle Bean will get all red and blotchy while nursing. It’s seems almost hive-like with a red flushed look under his eyes, his nose and even splotches on his head. It’s been happening on and off for a few months now.
I tried to capture it today. Here’s a larger image from this morning…
Little Bean Nursing - Notice Red Blotches
The picture doesn’t show it too well but you can at least see the pattern.
I’m a little worried he’s reacting to something in my milk. Could an allergy be forming already? Or is it just a heat rash? Is he exerting himself too much?
I really have no idea.
He’s doesn’t seem affected by it at all. Here he is all content after eating…
Happy, content, fed baby!
and the blotches clear up within 10 minutes or so.
I’m not stressing too much but I would love an explanation. Has this happen to anyone else?
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10 Comments
Holly commented on Aug 16 11 at 5:15 pmUse to happen to my little boys all the time. Nothing even came of it. My Dr. said it was probably just from the work he was doing.
Colleen commented on Aug 16 11 at 5:30 pmMy son gets a rash like that when I eat something with hot peppers in it. In our case he must be reacting to spicy breastmilk. It doesn’t seem to bother him either.
Tiffany commented on Aug 16 11 at 6:52 pmThis would happen with my son, too!! It recently stopped, but I use to worry ALL the time about it. My Aunt said it was just from all the sucking he was doing. Glad to know I’m not alone!!
Larita commented on Aug 16 11 at 7:00 pmMy son often got very warm and rosy when nursing, especially if he was falling asleep. Cuddled up against a warm belly (our core source of heat) being filled with warm milk? You can imagine it gets pretty warm! My son is dark-skinned, so it was never as obvious as yours, but I would say he probably had similiar patterns of “blotches.”
Julie commented on Aug 16 11 at 8:26 pmExertion plus heat = splotches. Happened with both my kids.
Erin commented on Aug 16 11 at 9:42 pmHi! I just came across your blog and saw this post. My little boy is now 14 months and started having the very same reaction when we started giving him solids. It happened with every food and with every feeding. We have since been to 3 GI Specialist and 2 Allergist. Conclusion? A non allergic food reaction (similar to when you eat something spicy and sweat). It has happened less and less as the months go by. His reaction looks and sounds exactly like your little mans. Feel free to email me with any questions.
Nicole commented on Aug 17 11 at 3:11 amLooks like you have a fair skinned baby there. Of course, that makes his skin reactions much more noticeable than a baby that isn’t. Something to keep in mind. Those aren’t hives. I agree with many moms here. I’m not sure that there’s a ‘term’ for this, but it appears to be an ‘exertion’ reaction. It’s hard work to breastfeed and babies also gulp / hold their breath while concentrating on nursing. I’d put money on this reaction being ‘nothing to be concerned about’.
Michelle commented on Aug 17 11 at 8:44 amAs Erin said, my little girl was about 6 months when I started solids and as soon as I gave her applesauce for the first time it happened. It looks exactly like the little bean’s reaction. It happened with all of the fruits and the sweet vegetables. Not with peas or beans or cereal. Since nothing happened with her breathing, I just slowed down on the solids and waited a month. Same thing. Eventually gave up applesauce(6 now and she loves it though) and ketchup. Especially from Mc Donalds. Everytime she dipped a french fry, it would happen. She still orders all of her cheeseburgers plain.
Dana commented on Aug 18 11 at 6:38 amMy son looked just like that whether he was breastfeeding or bottle feeding. With him, I’m pretty sure it’s just where he’s so fair skinned, and when he’s working hard he gets blotchy. (I’m fair, and I turn red any time I’m working hard too.)
Sheila commented on Oct 25 11 at 7:37 pmI just googled this and your post came up. My son is 4 mos & looks exactly like yours when nursing. Then the blotches go away but now he has a rash all over his stomach. I’m not sure the 2 are connected, the stomach could be viral I guess but sure is strange. Never happened with my girls.
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