Dear Mandy,

>Would there be any reason that a breastfeeding mother should not take
>Lactaid?  I have looked up the trade name in all the books I have (Briggs
>and Dr. Hale's book) but cannot pinpoint it.  I know that it is an enzymatic
>"drug" and from what I understand it should be utilized in the gut.  This
>mom I am dealing with wants to know if Lactaid can somehow react against the
>lactose in her milk.  Could this even be possible?

Lactaid is a trade name used for the enzyme lactase, and for milk treated
with it.
Since it is normally produced by the body, the only question I would have is
whether the animal of origin might cause an allergic response.  I don't know
if this
is in fact possible, or if the enzyme can be absorbed from the gut, let alone
excreted in breast milk.  I would expect it to be digested, like any other
protein.

Lactase does not damage milk nutritionally; it merely starts the digestive
process
early, enabling people who don't produce the enzyme to digest milk sucessfully.

Early in my son's life, he suffered from gas.  My wife tried lactase-treated
milk,
which seemed to have no effect (one of our friends, who had nursed successfully,
and used it for baby's gas, recommended it).  She then tried giving my son
mylicon drops (a silicone based anti-gas med.), which worked like a charm.

Jonathan