Breast milk is complete food that contains vital nutrients needed for an infant to survive and thrive and breastfeeding not only nourishes the baby but also ensures bonding between the mother and child. It can also prevent ear infections in babies. While family and friends impart some well-meaning advice, not all advice is factually correct. Myths about breastfeeding are plenty. And one such myth is babies being allergic to mother s milk. As the mother overcomes challenges in breastfeeding like breast engorgement, cracked nipples, etc. to provide the much-needed nourishment to her baby, the last thing she would want is being told that her infant may be allergic to her breast milk.
Allergy to breast milk how far is it true?
Mother s milk is the most natural nutritious and easily digestible food that the baby s immature digestive system can handle. It has all the natural proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins in the right quantities. Babies cannot be allergic to their mother s breast milk.
So, what does it mean when there are signs of allergy in breastfeeding babies? Food that the mother eats breaks down into carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and micronutrients and is transferred to the breast through the blood. The so-called breast milk allergy could be an allergy to something which has been passed on to the baby through mother s breast milk. Weaning the baby is not the solution. Eliminating the offending foods from the mother's diet can help but doing so can be challenging and frustrating to the new mother.
Though babies cannot be allergic to their mother's breast milk, they can, in general, be allergic to human milk1. Babies deprived of their mother s milk for whatever reasons may be wet-nursed or fed breast milk from human milk banks. Such babies may develop an allergy to the breast milk.
Lactose intolerance in babies may sometimes be mistaken for breast milk allergy. It occurs due to deficiency of the lactose-digesting enzyme (lactase) in the small intestine. Congenital alactasia (congenital lactase deficiency) is a rare genetic disorder in which babies are unable to break down lactose in breast milk due to lack of lactase at birth.
Reference:
1. Schulmeister U, Swoboda I, Quirce S, de la Hoz B, Ollert M, Pauli G, Valenta R, Spitzauer S. Sensitization to human milk. Clin Exp Allergy. 2008 Jan;38(1):60-8. Epub 2007 Oct 29. PubMed PMID: 17970780.
Image source: Shutterstock (Image for representational purpose only)
