BFing, allergy and alternatives

[dashmum]

I would very much appreciate BWcommunity's advice regarding my situation.

1. I am breast feeding my 6months' old daughter. Since her 3 months she had red chicks and few rough spots on legs. There are short periods though when everything is almost clear. I still cannot figure out the reason. I am on a diet, eating baby-safe foods, but, following the ped's advice, at 4 months I tried to stick to a HIGHLY strict diet for 3 weeks - rice, boiled meat, boiled water and rice bread. It has some effect, but still her skin wasn't perfect. My milk supply dropped, the baby hardly gained weight.
I tried to introduce 3 types of formulas - and discovered that she vomits after all of them. I didn't tried non-lactose one though.

So I started eating my regular hypollergenic foods again, my milk supply improved and now dd is putting on weight well.

The question is: what is the general idea ---- should I stop bf-ing and opt for non-lactose formula or a rice milk?
or it is better to keep it?
DD's skin is not perfect, but it's not that bad also. And after bad experience with formulas, I am ready to believe my milk is still the best for her.
My ped suggests bf-ing for 2 more months and then leaving the kid on "safe" solids with only liquid by that time being soup (+juice and tea I guess). She says it's OK to go without any formula by that time.

2. what is better for a baby between 6 and 12 months - non-lactose formula or rice milk, enriched?

3. We started solids 3 weeks ago with banana + rice, then added apple and marrows. Everything went smoothly until recently she got very red chick, just one... I suspect banana. Is it a frequent allergen? Is it a troublemaker for somebody else?

Thanks a lot for answering!!

[Canwi]

I'm no expert on allergies.  But I would strongly suggest you stay to BFing if you can for as long as possible.  You've worked hard to eleminate all the possible allergens from your diet and your LO is putting on weight well.  Introducing formula means trial and error to find one that she likes and isn't allergic to.  She's also getting lots of good antibodies, enzymes and nutrients that formulas can't recreate. 

Bit dissappointed to hear your ped say to ease off the BFing at 8 months as the World Health Organisation is recommending BFing up to age 2 or longer. 
HTH & Good luck

[Spectra]

I agree with Canwi.  If your daughter seems to be thriving and it is only slight eczema, dry skin, on her legs, and she doesn't appear to be suffering I'd continue to breastfeed.  I would only switch to a hypoallergenic formula if she got progressively worse.  If that ever happened I would go with these formulas over fortified rice milk as there is not much nutritional value to rice milk as their would be in the formula.  If you eventually had to go that route I'd try the formula as her tummy should be stronger and may not throw-up anymore.

But again, if she seems fine, other than dry skin, I'd continue doing what you are doing and hopefully she'll grow out of it soon.  The only reason I switched my son was because he was so unhappy, tired all the time, scratching at his skin and drawing blood and waking all the time as he was in so much discomfort.

In the meantime what creams/moisturizers do you use to help the dry skin?  Are you doing other things like double rinse on washing the clothes, scent/dye free detergent, no bleach. 

You are trying to make things better and that's a good thing.  Hopefully things will get better soon.