Just thought I would share some info on research mentioned in the ORGYN.com
Weekly news on Nov 28.  I had heard of the Lactation and maternal diabetes
connection, but not the celiac disease connection.  I am really interested
in this as one of my babies struggled with celiac disease and then (30 years
ago) I was not encouraged to continue breastfeeding him.  Being a retired
labor and delivery nurse I am always interested in the info the OB docs are
receiving as I think they often give only a little lip service to
breastfeeding and don't feel they are required to really know what is going
on in research regarding it.  I think this is a positive thing that these
articles are appearing where more OBs will easily see them.

"Breastfeeding and celiac disease
In other news, a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials indicates
that breastfeeding may protect children from developing celiac disease. 

Breastfeeding at the time of gluten introduction, which is not recommended
before 6 months of age, was associated with a 52 percent reduction in the
risk of celiac disease. And increasing breastfeeding duration was associated
with decreasing celiac disease risk, lead author Anthony Akobeng, from Booth
Hall Children's Hospital in the UK, told MedWire News.

Currently, the World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding
for at least the first 6 months of life. "What this study shows is that
promoting breastfeeding is an important public health strategy which could
significantly reduce the risk of celiac disease in children," Akobeng said.
 
Lactation protects against diabetes
Breastfeeding has known benefits for mothers, including weight loss,
contraception, and mother-baby bonding. Now, US research indicates that it
may also reduce their risk of diabetes. 

Alison Stuebe (Brigham and Women's Hospital) and colleagues found a woman's
risk of type 2 diabetes decreased with increasing duration of breastfeeding.
For the 15 years after giving birth, each additional year of breastfeeding
was associated with about a 15 percent reduction in risk, they report.

"Further clinical studies are needed to confirm this finding and to
elucidate the physiologic mechanisms for an inverse association between
duration of breastfeeding and risk of type 2 diabetes," the researchers
say."

Kathleen Sacks, RN IBCLC
 

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