You are what your Mother Eats....or are you?
by Kate Kahn - 06th January 2008
A new mom has so much to think about when caring for a baby. The fear that your child might have significant allergies just provides an added dimension of fear to what, for some, is an already overwhelming time. But there’s some good news out today that might make new moms, or moms-to-be, breathe a little easier.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has re-evaluated its former policy statement on dietary restrictions based on new evidence that they may not prevent or delay allergic sensitivities. In this month’s journal of Pediatrics, researchers conclude that what a mom eats while pregnant or while lactating doesn’t affect her child’s proclivity to atopic diseases like asthma and, importantly, food allergies. In other words, staying away from peanuts while you’re pregnant or breastfeeding isn’t necessary. (It doesn’t make the same assertion when it comes to eczema. The study says more data is necessary in this area).
And for children at high risk of eczema, whose mothers can’t, or choose not to breastfeed, partially or extensively hydrolyzed [hypoallergenic] formula [without cow milk protein] are good options and may help delay or prevent the onset of atopic disease. (Other studies have concluded that feeding your child formula with intact cow milk does not significantly impact the likelihood of asthma or food allergies.)
The study is significant for several reasons:
1) According to the study, “Over the past several decades, the incidence of atopic diseases such as asthma, atopic dermatitis, and food allergies has increased dramatically. Among children up to 4 years of age, the incidence of asthma has increased 160%, and the incidence of atopic dermatitis has increased twofold to threefold. The incidence of peanut allergy has also doubled in the past decade. Thus, atopic diseases increasingly are a problem for clinicians who provide health care to children.”
2) It caused the AAP to change its policy.
It’s a lot of information to digest which is why I linked to it above. Read the study. It’s interesting and may provide a little peace of mind for moms-to-be and new mothers.
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