Breastfeeding?

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Totally a personal decision whether she breastfeeds or decides that she doesn't want to go gluten-free

I disagree. It is not a totally personal decision. Just because commercially made formula is out there doesn't mean it is an equal option to breastfeeding or even a viable one (for a potentially celiac child). That's like saying it's totally a personal choice to drink alcohol or do drugs while pregnant, or that it's a totally personal decision to feed your newborn skim milk from a carton.

Formula is NOT EVEN CLOSE to breast milk (with or without gluten). The studies are already out there--why in the name of heaven would you think it's a personal choice, like what color shoes to wear?

Obviously, we are lucky to have formula available for women who cannot produce milk or who are on medications that make breastfeeding downright dangerous. But, I repeat, it is not a totally personal decision, not when the health and well-being of an infant are riding on it.

[Michi8]

I agree with you that baby 411 isn't my style of parenting. I was given the book for hosting a shower. I do read the Dr. Sears books and it was in the Dr. Sears sleep book where I read that the only allergen that could affect a baby through breast milk is wheat/gluten. I'm not doubting that peanuts/milk/soy and other things go through the milk, but from what I have read if the baby will end up being allergic to peanuts/milk/soy and the mom eats those things while breastfeeding, the baby won't get sick.

Earlier you claimed you read it in "Baby 411" and said that the only allergen that gets into breastmilk is wheat. Can you point out where in Dr. Sears books you're getting this info?

However if the baby has celiac and the mom eats gluten the baby will get sick. You said below that your friend's second baby got sick when he first had peanuts, but not when she was breastfeeding. That was the only point I was trying to make, that the baby wouldn't get sick from breastfed peanuts.

Dr Sears has written about allergens (milk especially) getting into breastmilk. The significance of allergens in breastmilk is that it presents the first exposure. Giving the food orally is the second exposure. It takes two exposures to develop allergy: one for sensitization, and then the allergy presents itself on the second exposure. I can use my son's penicillin allergy as an example as well. It wasn't through breastmilk, but crossed the placenta...he was first exposed during birth (I had penicillin during surgery) and then when he was given his first penicillin for ear infection, he had an immediate reaction. The doctor was very surprised it happened that way. When I had asked what to look for for allergy, she had told me, "oh, babies won't react with their first dose!"

Michelle