Food Allergies and World Breastfeeding Week 2011
.gif){kind=logo}
The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action and breastfeeding advocates in more than 170 countries worldwide will be celebrating World Breastfeeding WeekAugust 1-7! We all know how important breastfeeding is, so we wanted to share some information about this week as well as breastfeeding a little one with food allergies.
It’s always suggested that the first choice should be to breastfeed your baby because studies have shown that breastfeeding1, 2:
- Protects the baby against infections, such as ear infections and the flu; and
-
Protects against other conditions such as
- Gastroesophageal reflux
- SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)
- NEC (Necrotizing Enterocolitis) which involves the GI tract
- Diabetes, Type 1 and 2
- Asthma
- Obesity
- Diarrhea
However, while breastfeeding is important, it can become more complicated if your baby has food allergies. In that case, healthcare professionals typically recommend that the mother start an elimination diet, where she will remove the offending allergen or allergens from her diet, ultimately removing them from her baby’s diet. This can become problematic if the mom is not getting the nutrients she needs, resulting in the baby not getting the right nutrition from the breast milk alone. Therefore, a lactating mom on an elimination diet should be closely monitored by a doctor or Registered Dietitian to ensure she is getting all the vitamins and minerals she requires while avoiding the specific allergen(s). To read more about elimination diets and how to best educate yourself on reading labels to avoid certain allergens like milk, soy, peanuts, eggs, tree nuts, fish, shellfish and wheatwe recommend checking out the Consortium of Food Allergy Research website.
Here at Nutricia, we always support breastfeeding, but understand that some moms are just not able to breastfeed as they wish. If the baby has a known food allergy and if the mom is not able to breastfeed, then a formula like, Neocate Infant DHA ARA, can be an appropriate alternative.
As always, talk to your doctor about the best way to help your baby get the right nutrition they need as well as any questions you have about breastfeeding your baby.
Are you a mom who has breastfed a food allergic infant and had to follow an elimination diet? Was it hard for you? Do you have any recommendations or insights for other moms in this same situation? We would love it if you shared!
-Christine
1.http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/why-breastfeeding-is-important/#pubs
2.http://www.breastfeeding.com/all_about/all_about_more.html