Can a Baby Be Allergic to the Mother's Breast Milk?
Babies cannot be allergic to their mothers' breast milk, but they can have an allergic reaction to proteins or other components in foods that the mother eats.
Other People Are Reading
-
Signs
-
Baby's fussiness can be related to foods mother eats. Numerous signs of distress in baby can point to a possible allergic reaction: rash, projectile vomiting, redness around the anus, blood in the stool, mucous in the stool, fussiness, eczema, sleep difficulty and slow weight gain.
Diagnosis
-
A complete health history for both parents and the baby allows health care providers to determine the likelihood of allergies in the baby.
-
Allergens
-
Potential allergens exist in many foods. Common allergens present in breast milk are: nuts, soy, dairy products, wheat, eggs, fish and meat. Some babies may be allergic to other foods or additives.
Treatment
-
Mothers of babies who are experiencing an allergic reaction are advised to follow an elimination diet. They remove allergens from their diet for a period of time to eliminate the adverse effects and determine which allergens may be causing a problem for the baby. It may take from two to four weeks for each allergen as the baby's system heals from the irritation.
Outcome
-
With or without allergies, baby can enjoy eating. Most babies with food allergies outgrow them by the age of 3.Those that don't can learn to live within the limitations of their diet when parents make eating enjoyable.
-
References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Daniel Lobo Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Christopher Patterson Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Raul Urzua de la Sotta Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Bob Whitehead
