Allergies and the Breastfed Baby
While human breast milk does not typically cause reactions in breastfeeding infants some mothers express concern that their child may react to something passed into their breast milk.
Only 2-3 babies who are exclusively breastfed demonstrate an allergic reaction and that is usually traced back to cow’s milk in the mother’s diet. If cow’s milk is the culprit you will see signs in your baby of severe colic, abdominal discomfort, a skin rash (eczema) or hives, vomiting, severe diarrhea, or difficulty in breathing several hours after breastfeeding.
If you see any of these symptoms call your pediatrician right away!
While rare, milk allergies can be severe, life threatening, or fatal. Most babies outgrow their allergy to cow’s milk but other food allergies can be life long.
The good news is that exclusively breastfeeding for at least the first six months has been shown to significantly lessen the risk and severity of allergies in families with a strong history of allergies. If your family has a history of strong food allergies you may wish to limit your intake of milk and dairy products, fish, eggs, peanuts, and other nuts while pregnant and breastfeeding. Keep a close eye on your baby for physical changes after each feeding and maintain a constant conversation with your pediatrician.
