My understanding of whether babies who are sensitive to cow's-milk proteins
in their mothers' milk are typically also sensitive to other species'
proteins in the milk, is that they would not be.  But the possibility would
exist that if the mother replaced all her cow's milk products with another
species products that she may set herself and her child for a sensitivity to
the new product.  The mother being the biological mirror of her
infant--mothers often find that by eliminating the food or food group that
the baby is sensitive to makes her feel better.  My understanding is that
most people who have a sensitivity, dare I say allergy, have at least 3-5
foods that are problem foods.  It gets very complex.  I am not speaking as
someone who has expert knowledge but as a mother whose family history is one
of significant allergies.  So I did alot of reading in that area.  The books
I recommend to breastfeeding mothers that seem helpful are "Is This Your
Child?" by Doris Rapp, MD,  "Dr. Braly's Food Allergy & Nutrition-Revolution"
by James Braly, MD, and "Allergies:  Disease in Disguise" by Carolee
Bateson-Koch DC, MD

Of course in keeping with my one track mind about genetic engineering, I have
concerns about genetic engineering in regard to allergies.  When you have
scientists crossing species together and placing them in our food without
labeling, those of us with significant allergies are being placed at risk for
significant health effects or death.  That's why I ask the questions about
bovine lactoferrin--what is it bovine or human or a mix?  We are also
bioengineering human milk components in other animals such as pigs, sheep,
goats and yes mice.  And then we are also bioengineering human lactoferrin in
rice and other cereals.  So we are truly mixing life up without any public
debate or strong labeling laws to protect our most vulnerable populations.

I am amazed but not surprised by Americans who seem to have their heads in
the sand about this issue.  I find it hard to understand that infant formula
companies can get away with putting genetically engineered soy into their
formulas (although cow's milk is also genetically engineered) without any
public protest that I know of.  Or even more to the point, no fines (that I
have heard of) from those who are suppose to be monitoring our foods.  This
is introducing a new food and should have been put on the GRAS list for
approval.  How can we allow an industry to use our infants as guinea pigs?
Yes, I know we can get on our high-horse and say well if only these women
would breastfeed.  Or say infant formula has always been an experiment.  But
this is experimentation that has never before been intentionally done.  We
all know how few women exclusively breastfeed and so the mothers we work with
are often using this "stuff" besides breastfeeding.  I think the infant
formula industry must be laughing all the way to the bank because they now
know that they can get away with just about anything.  Valerie W. McClain,
IBCLC

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