Can babies be allergic to breast milk? pediatrician clarifies

The benefits of breastfeeding are unquestionable. More than “a means of feeding”, it is the first physical contact between mother and child, thus being one of the main ways to strengthen this important bond of love in the first months of the baby’s life.

“Breast milk contains all the nutrients necessary for growth and development. It must be performed for two years or more, being exclusive in the first six months of life. Breastfeeding promotes the affective bond between mother and child by establishing continuous eye contact. In addition to these benefits, it prevents and reduces the severity of infectious, respiratory and allergic diseases and provides long-term protection against systemic arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia”, explains Nathália Sarkis, pediatrician at Hospital Santa Lúcia and full member of the Brazilian Society. of Pediatrics.

For the mother, breastfeeding also offers important benefits: breastfeeding in the first hour postpartum helps the uterus contract and reduces postpartum bleeding. In addition, breastfeeding mothers have a lower risk of getting breast cancer and tend to return to normal weight more quickly.

However, even due to its importance, breastfeeding usually generates many doubts and even some myths. In this sense, it reinforces the importance of the mother having a good follow-up during this period, clarifying all her doubts with trusted professionals and not believing in “everything you read or hear out there”.

Many people, for example, wrongly talk about “breast milk causing allergies in the baby”, even implying that, in these cases, the mother could no longer breastfeed. However, this is not the kind of information that can be spread lightly. Below, you can see what exactly the term “breast milk allergy” means, how this case can be identified and what measures are usually taken.

What is breast milk allergy anyway?

Nathália explains that the food ingested by the mother can be transmitted to breast milk. “And they can, in some cases, be recognized as allergenic proteins by the baby and thus cause some clinical symptoms in the baby,” she says.

Bearing this in mind, it is important for people to know that this is not an “irreversible problem” that necessarily prevents a mother from breastfeeding her baby. With proper professional follow-up, the case will be identified and handled in the best possible way.

Also according to the pediatrician, the main allergenic foods that, when consumed by the mother, can cause allergies in the baby are:

• Cow’s milk and derivatives;
• Soy;
• Egg;
• Oilseeds;
• Wheat.

It is worth emphasizing, however, that these are not “forbidden foods” for breastfeeding mothers. Each case is unique and should be treated as such.

How to identify allergy

According to Nathália, the main symptoms that the baby can present in case of allergy to some food consumed by the mother are:

• Difficulty gaining weight;
• Skin lesions such as a rash, hives or eczema;
• Perianal diaper rash;
• Blood in the stool;
• Diarrhea;
• vomiting;
• Nasal congestion or other breathing problems;
• Irritability after feeding;
• Excessive agitation.

To identify the allergy, according to the pediatrician, tests such as fecal pH measurement, fecal occult blood test, research of reducing substances in feces, among others, can be performed. “But an effective clinical evaluation is often enough for a diagnosis”, she points out.

How to fight allergy

Nathália reminds that the mother should not limit her food while breastfeeding. “This restriction process only occurs during allergy situations. Thus, when the allergen agent is identified, it must be excluded from the mother’s diet and from the baby’s diet, until its food reintroduction is possible”, she explains.

Finally, it is worth emphasizing that, during the breastfeeding phase, in general, the mother should follow a balanced diet and hydrate herself very well, without making unnecessary dietary restrictions. Any type of particularity in the diet must be indicated and accompanied by a qualified professional.