A mother came to our La Leche League group several years ago with her small
baby (about 3 months old) attached to a monitor. Naturally, we were curious,
and she told us that he had been given some supplementary formula during his
first day or so in the hospital so that she could get some extra sleep. Then
she went to exclusive breastfeeding. At six weeks, she and her husband
wanted to go out, so they left the baby with Grandma and a bottle of
formula. (Note how the use of formula in the hospital encourages mothers to
see that as the reasonable alternative - but that's another discussion.)
Anyway, the baby had a severe anaphylactic allergic reaction, stopped
breathing, lived only because Grandma got him to the hospital very quickly.

Mom was told to keep him on a monitor from then on, as they thought he might
be likely to die from SIDS. She never gave him formula again, and nursed
him - no cow's milk - until he was past two. He didn't have another reaction
during that whole time. I lost track of her after that, so I don't know if
this baby later developed other allergy problems.


Teresa