Is Breastfeeding Safe?

[ItchyMeredith]

I was just diagnosed on Friday with DH and therefore celiac. I am VERY new to all of this but I have one urgent concern.

Is my breastmilk safe for my baby?? I currently breastfeed my 8 month old baby and donate my extra milk to HIV babies in Africa. I just let the milk bank know of my diagnosis and received the following email:

"I have already received a reply from the Medical Director regarding the dermatitis herpitiformis.

I regret to say that this skin condition is one in which we cannot accept milk for donation. The disease is a maladaptive response of the lgA system and lgA shows up in large quantities in milk. Our Medical Director advises that you do not donate your milk formally or informally to anyone."

I am extremely sad and disappointed that I am no longer able to donate but now I am also concerned about my little one. Is the IgA in my milk something to be concerned about for my little one? My only celiac symptom is this rash. I am very healthy otherwise.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Meredith

[Ursa Major]

It is perfectly safe for you to keep breastfeeding your baby. Your IGA should go down very quickly on a gluten-free diet, and your milk shouldn't be a concern for anybody when that happens.

[EmmaQ]

I'm sorry that the donation bank feels that DH is a problem b/c once on the gluten-free diet, the symptoms should disappear and not be a problem.

There is no problem nursing your own baby, rest assured. BF that baby and love him dearly... gluten-free breastmilk might do him some good. Gluten proteins do pass into bm, I have PUB MED to back my statement up even if many docs say nope not possible.

I just read the "foods to avoid" list for starting solids - wheat is one of them for the first year. I would highly suggest not introducing wheat or gluten to your little one, including oatmeal until you read more about Celiac and DH and the genetics involved.

It does mean that the standard "feeding" of an infant is somewhat skewed but no one really needs grains anyway once you really get into the reading... Dr. Mercola, Dangerous Grains, just to name a few.

[Rosewynde]

Not that this will help much as it's not exactly proof positive. I suspect my first real undiagnosed problems with Celiac Disease were with my second pregnancy. My youngest is 6 now and I've only recently been diagnosed. She was breast fed for the first 6 months of her life and is perfectly healthy. I was sick and eating wheat toast during that whole 6 months. I don't think Celiac or DH is a problem for your baby. And as others have said, if your gluten free the antibodies levels go back down, so you shouldn't need to worry.

[TrillumHunter]

Although recently diagnosed I had symptoms all through three pregnancies and nursing times. I nursed 4 1/2 years total. They've all tested negative and are healthy kids in general.

Good luck as you start this journey. May you recover quickly and enjoy your little one even more!