I Put Breast Milk All Over My Child Today Because, Why Not?

104304872A few weeks ago, my son broke out in a pretty bad rash. At first it looked like insect bites, then the bumps became smaller and started to spread to different parts of his body. It turns out my cat’s recent flea problem has become a problem for him as well – he’s having a bad reaction to flea bites which in turn caused a bout of eczema. Poor thing.

First, the doctor said he was having an allergic reaction to some sort of bug bite. She prescribed some antibiotic cream, which did nothing. In fact, the bumps just seem to get worse with every application. I took him back to the doctor, and that time she recommended cortizone for what she said looked to be a breakout of eczema in addition to a reaction to flea bites.

My son is miserable. The cortizone doesn’t seem to be helping at all, either. We’ve moisturized, given oatmeal baths – removed all products with any kind of scents or possible irritants and laundered pretty much everything in the house. Of course, we’ve also treated the cat and house for this flea situation. Nothing is helping.

This morning, I remembered my son’s primary doctor (who we haven’t been able to see because he’s been on vacation) recommending breast milk as a cure for a rash my infant had developed. In fact, he recommends breast milk/ breastfeeding for a lot of things. I picked up a pump that I haven’t used in a while and expressed some milk. I dipped a cotton ball in it and put it all over my child’s legs, hands and everywhere else the rash had formed. He looked at me like I was crazy. I have to admit, I felt like a homeopathic wizard.

I just checked on the rash a few minutes ago, and either this is all in my head, or the bumps are actually becoming less inflamed. So, i’m going to keep with this strange breast milk regimen for a few days. If it works, I’m freezing the stuff before I wean so we can have a go-to stock of this liquid gold available for all that ails us. I am the woman using her breast milk for random stuff around the house. And I’m strangely okay with it.

(photo: Getty Images)

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