Personal anecdote about peanut allergy and breastfeeding...

Child #1:  Consumed peanut products regularly during pregnancy and 
lactation.  Did not offer child products that contained peanuts but did not 
avoid feeding products that may have been cross contaminated with 
peanuts.  Exclusively breastfed (0 ABM), complementary foods introduced at 
7.5 months, weaned at 16 months.  Outcome:  child diagnosed with class IV 
peanut allergy at age 2

Child #2:  Strictly avoided peanut products during pregnancy and lactation.  
Did not introduce child to peanut products or peanut contaminated products 
until age 4.  Exclusively breastfed (0 ABM), complementary foods introduced 
at 7 months, weaned at 18 months.  Outcome:  Child is not allergic to peanuts.

Child #3:  Strictly avoided peanut products during pregnancy and lactation.  
Child has never consumed peanut produts or peanut contaminated products.  
Exclusively breastfed (0 ABM), complementary foods introduced at 7 months, 
weaned at 20 months.  Outcome:  Diagnosed with class II peanut allergy at 
age 1.

Every time a new study on peanut allergy comes out, I'm always left shaking 
my head.  I believe peanut and other life threatening food allergies are 
extremely complex interactions between genetics and environment.  These 
studies that oversimplify this relationship leave mothers twisting in the wind 
and feeling guilty about what they did or did not feed themselves or their 
children.  I have yet to see a study in this area that left me feeling confident 
about making a recommendation to a concerned parent about this issue.  I'm 
looking forward to the day that science begins to truly unravel the mysteries 
of food allergies.

Brenda Carroll, MA, IBCLC, RLC
... and parent of two peanut allergic kids who is thankful that US camps and 
schools are careful about protecting children like mine.

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