Let us just remind ourselves what does "reducing the risks" means. It
means that, when we compare a population of breastfed kids with a
population of mixed or ABM fed kids, we see less food-allergy and asthma
in the breast-fed population. Not none, but less. Remember that
allergy/asthma is multi-factorial, with a strong genetic component. What
breastfeeding does, really, is reducing the risks of allergy and asthma
while the child breastfeeds. After weaning, we still do not know for sure.
And I am always so weary of the effects of unkept promises and false
hopes on mothers...
I should know: my three breastfed kids are
asthmatics, my second child also has peanut allergy, and, to top it off,
my third child, three, completely breastfed (lightly asthmatic and
allergy free up to now), and with a very prudent diet
when started solids, had his first (accidental) bite of peanut butter,
and was very sick on his second bite (swelling and asthma), a couple of
weeks ago. I still hear these "liberated" women who were complaining that
my pumping at work interfered with my profession going "oh, I thought
that bf would prevent all of this..."

Louise Denhez, M.D., M.P.H
Montreal, Quebec, Canada