The Hidden Connection Between Breastfeeding, Allergies, and Alaina’s Eczema

See how supporting both mom and baby’s immune systems helped calm Alaina’s eczema and food reactions naturally.

When babies develop eczema shortly after starting solid foods, many parents assume food allergies are to blame. And while food reactions can contribute to inflammation and eczema flares, they’re often just one piece of a much bigger picture.

Alaina’s story shows how gut health, immune dysfunction, breastfeeding, and environmental triggers can all work together to influence eczema and allergies in young children.

Alaina’s healing journey

When Taylor’s daughter Alaina was about 6 months old, she suddenly developed eczema. It spread from her face to her neck, arms, and knees. Taylor didn’t understand why her daughter’s skin was suddenly reacting this way.

Not long after, Alaina had a severe allergic reaction to peanut butter that led to an emergency 911 call. Allergy testing later confirmed she was allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, and eggs. Taylor wondered if the eczema and the allergies were connected since Alaina’s eczema appeared when she started eating solid foods.

But after talking with an allergist and Alaina’s pediatrician, she was told eczema is “just genetic” and food had nothing to do with her rash. Her doctor gave her a steroid cream, and suggested that Alaina would eventually grow out of it.

Like many parents, Taylor spent countless nights researching. She tried every holistic cream and solution she could find online, but nothing worked.

“I spent any free time I had during the day researching how to heal her. I went down a million rabbit holes, but felt like I just kept spinning in circles.”

That’s when Taylor and I started looking beyond Alaina’s skin, and into the deeper imbalances contributing to her eczema.

One of the biggest areas we focused on was something many parents never think about: the connection between breastfeeding, gut health, and a child’s immune system development.

The connection between breastfeeding and eczema

Many parents are surprised to learn how closely a mother’s gut health and immune system can impact a breastfeeding baby’s eczema.

The nutrients, bacteria, proteins, and inflammatory compounds passed through breast milk help shape a baby’s developing immune system. When a mother is dealing with gut imbalances, chronic stress, histamine overload, or inflammation, it can sometimes make a baby’s immune system more reactive as well.

This doesn’t mean breastfeeding causes eczema. Breast milk is incredibly beneficial for babies. But in sensitive children, underlying gut and immune imbalances in both mom and baby can contribute to more inflammation, allergies, and eczema flares.

And this became one of the most important areas we addressed during Alaina’s healing journey.

The steps we took to heal Alaina’s eczema

#1 Starting with functional testing

Stool and urine testing uncovered candida and bacterial overgrowth that were impacting Taylor’s breast milk, and therefore, Alaina’s gut health. We also looked for a common histamine-producing bacteria that I often see in breastfeeding moms whose babies have eczema. Thankfully, Taylor tested negative for that particular bacteria, which allowed us to avoid unnecessary dietary restrictions.

This is why I’m so big on testing—it ensures every step of treatment is tailored to the child AND parent, rather than relying on guesswork.

#2 Reducing inflammatory triggers

Even though Alaina’s allergist said food wasn’t a factor, I suspected it was playing a role in Alaina’s eczema (not just for Alaina, but for Taylor too!). Taylor went on an elimination diet and removed eggs, treenuts, and peanut butter. This gave Alaina’s immune system space to focus on healing rather than reacting to potential allergens in Taylor’s breastmilk.

#3 Supporting Alaina’s skin barrier

Taylor didn’t want to rely on steroid creams during emergency flares, so we created a holistic skin regimen for Alaina to follow. This gave Alaina the quick and gentle relief she needed while her body did the deeper healing work.

My goal is never to “cure” eczema with creams alone, but to support your skin while we address the underlying root causes.

#4 Tracking the healing process

We tracked Alaina’s skin daily on a simple 0–10 scale, noting flare-ups and improvements. Over time, her flares became shorter and less intense. Tracking Alaina’s progress gave us clear evidence that our approach was working and motivated Taylor to keep going, especially when things were hard.

What used to take a week to resolve now only lasted a few days. After just two months of following these steps, Alaina’s eczema was gone!

How You Can Heal Too

Alaina’s healing journey wasn’t about finding the right cream or taking the right test. It was about addressing the underlying imbalances, showing up consistently, and doing the work.

“Everybody’s eczema journey is different. There is no cream or supplement that’s going to fix you. Find someone like Julia who can look at your scenario and tell you what you need to do. We would not be here if it wasn't for Julia.”

Are you a breastfeeding mom like Taylor who’s struggling to heal your child’s eczema? Or maybe you’re tired of trying every cream and diet you can find, but not finding lasting relief?

If you’re ready for targeted support to heal your eczema, here’s how I can help:

The Ex-zema™ Root Cause Solution: Get access to my 10-step proven method for identifying and addressing the root causes of your eczema—at an affordable price. Inside the membership, you’ll find structured guidance, expert-led trainings, and a supportive community to help you heal every step of the way.

Ex-zema™ 1-1 Coaching: For those ready to fast-track their healing with personalized support, my one-on-one coaching offers a tailored approach to overcoming eczema based on your individual situation. We’ll work closely together to uncover your unique root causes, create a customized healing plan, and make adjustments along the way so you can see real, lasting results.