Is it possible that a baby might be allergic to breast milk? Why does that happen? And if it does, how can one tell? In this following article, we will study this phenomenon in more detail.
It is a well-known and generally accepted fact that breast milk is the best choice that mothers can make for their newborns. Breast milk has certain special nutrients that no chemical product can duplicate. It is said these nutrients help in the development of a strong immune system that protects a baby from being afflicted by diseases and infections. All good news. And then you hear that there is a possibility that certain babies might have an allergy to breast milk. If your baby has been spitting up breast milk or refuses to feed, then the doubt will become even more stronger. Is this possible? And if so, how to tell if a baby is allergic to breast milk? In this following article, we will concentrate on some of the factors that will help us determine if a baby is allergic to mother’s breast milk.
A Baby Can be Allergic to Breast Milk – Truth or Myth
A baby being allergic to mother’s milk is really not possible. The nutrients in breast milk are such that they help prevent the onset of several allergies and keep the baby strong and it definitely does not lead to allergies. If the baby does not suffer from an allergy of breast milk, then what causes it to display signs of allergy like spitting, vomiting and refusing to feed? Let us get into the details of the same.
Allergies to Foods…
It is not that the baby is allergic to breast milk, a more plausible explanation of this phenomenon is that the baby is allergic to certain foods that the mother is eating – those that are not a part of a healthy breastfeeding diet. If you have never noticed this before, try this little experiment. Consume a lot of garlic and you’ll see that the 2nd or 3rd feeding after the consumption will have the milk smelling of garlic. In that way, there is a direct connection between the kind of food products that mothers eat and the milk that is produced as a result of that. For example, if they eat spicy foods, the smell of the milk will resemble that food.
Zero in on Allergies…
Now comes the part about the allergies. So we’ve established that the baby might be allergic to the kind of foods that are being eaten. So how do we find out if there is an allergy, so to say? One has to keep a close check on the reactions of the baby if there is a change in the feeding styles of the baby, that is, there is a change in the mother’s diet. Try and calculate the exact feed after which the baby began to display the signs of allergy. This can be calculated by following a simple method. Think of any change in your diet and whether it was different from the earlier ones – did it include anything other than the normal? Then calculate whether the baby displayed signs of an allergic reaction after that feed.
While the kind of products that a baby might be allergic to depends from one individual baby to the other, it has been seen that cow’s milk products are some of the most commonly identified foods that lead to problems in the body. Other than these food products, there are others like soy, peanuts, wheat, corn and eggs that can lead to allergic reactions in babies as well.
Kind of Allergic Reactions…
What are the signs that can be taken as allergic reactions that a baby will display? Here are some of the same – Rashes all over the body, constant crying, inability to sleep, vomiting, fussiness, development of eczema, diarrhea, mucus or blood in the stool, slow weight gain and more are taken as some of the most common signs that will make way.
Eliminating Allergies…
How does one bring about proper treatment for this condition? The best way to deal with it is to eliminate the products that you might think could be leading to this reaction. Then experiment by including them one by one and studying the way in which the baby reacts. This will help you zero in on the food that is responsible for the allergy and then simply avoiding the intake of food will stop the ‘allergic reactions’. It also stands true that as the baby grows older, these allergies that have set in, vanish on their own. Until that time, you can eliminate these food products from your diet and help your baby’s cause.
Is your baby allergic to breast milk? Not in the least. That is why if you find that the baby is displaying signs of being allergic, the first thing that you should do is study your diet and eliminate the products that might be causing the reactions. If that does not work, get a checkup done. In case there are any underlying conditions that are causing the baby to react like so, the treatment can be started out at the earliest, and you can stop doubting whether your milk has anything to do with it.
