Breastfed babies are less likely to suffer from allergies and I'll happily admit that for me this was one of the many reasons that I chose to breastfeed.
Every year I am plagued with hayfever and using certain cleansing products has been known to bring me out in a rash of angry red hives. As there's also a family history of psoriasis and asthma in both my own and my husband's family the beneficial effects of breastfeeding in order to lessen my childrens chances of suffering from any of these illnesses/ allergic reactions was paramount to me.
Here's an interesting story I received recently concerning that very topic:
Breastfeeding and Allergies
by http://PigInTheKitchen.blogspot.com/
I have four children (8 yrs to 2yrs), all of whom were breastfed. My youngest has allergies to dairy products, eggs and some nuts. Because my eldest child also has allergies, I was on the alert for them in my youngest, and when feeding her dairy products produced hives around her mouth, I immediately stopped. Up until the point where I started weaning her, she had some eczema.
It became obvious that the milk allergy was a bit nasty; if one of her siblings kissed her with buttery lips, she would come up in hives. After getting various non-committal answers from GP'S, I decided that as she couldn't tolerate any cow's milk, I would carry on breastfeeding, but cut from my diet all the things to which she was allergic. It was not a miracle cure, but after about 3 months you wouldn't know she had eczema. When she would finally take a special hypo-allergenic milk by the age of one, I could stop breastfeeding. As soon as she was on that milk, any trace of eczema disappeared and has not returned.
She still has all her allergies, but my point is that if a child is known to have allergies, then if the breastfeeding mother eats those allergens, they will be passed on through the milk, at least that is my experience. No GP or Consultant that I saw would agree with me; they just nodded at my interesting theory.
In response to my daughter's allergies I have created a recipe blog, everything is egg-free, dairy-free, soya-free, mainly gluten-free, and yummy! Do drop by and have a look: http://piginthekitchen.blogspot.com/
If you'd like to share your pregnancy and/ or breastfeeding story and gain some extra visibility for your website or blog or just some personal recognition for yourself, email it to me and I'll select the best to publish both here and on www.BreastFeedingMums.com!
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