Why am I asking? One of the conclusions some researchers have come to is that something in the maternal environment creates FA children. Children seem to be born allergic, regardless of what they're fed and what their mothers avoid during pregnancy and nursing. (PA and other allergies can be delayed by early avoidance, but not necessarily prevented...)
The human immune system is designed to be challenged by pathogens and immunological triggers. One of the major sources of those pathogens and immune compounds is food. The theory is that, because we mothers did not get this initial immunological challenge, it somehow changed either our eggs (if it happened before birth) or it "flipped switches" on certain genes that can lead to FA (if it happened after we were born). One of the reasons that's been proposed for the lack of immunological challenge is the introduction of formula to infants in the 60's.
So...pop quiz. Were you nursed or formula-fed as an infant?
Boy, you give something to think about!! I'm due with my fourth child in 3 weeks. I have a 4.5 yo daughter, a 2.5 yo daughter and a 16 month old son. My first was nursed for 5 months, 2nd- not at all because of medical reasons (on my part) and my 3rd for 3 months. My 1st has severe eczema, my 2nd has the PA,EA,TNA and shellfish and a sensitivity to certain additives/preservatives, and just discovered patches of eczema. My third has eczema and a senitivity to additives/preservatives.
I was formula fed.
What I'm wondering then, is if the theory is true that I was not "immunologically challenged", does it really make a difference wether or not I nurse this time around? As far a allergies go and eczema, it seems not. Personally, I think breast is best, because of all the other benefits, and certainly there are immunolocical benefits even if moms were formula fed. That just has not been an easy road for me. We'll see what happens this time [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]
Kara
My mom said that when I was born 1967, that breastfeeding was not in vogue. She said they even gave her a pill to dry up her breastmilk.
She has an older sister whose children were born in the late 1950s and early 1960's who breastfed all her kids. So, I think that formulas were becoming popular and breastfeeding was becoming less so.
By the way, I think that my DS was definitely born with allergies.....he was displaying allergic signs from very early on.
[This message has been edited by saknjmom (edited October 23, 2006).]
Yeah, one of the nice side-effects of this theory if it's proven is that it will stop the mommy-guilt about what pregnant mothers eat and/or avoid...
If it helps your decision, I did not avoid with either of my kids because my doctor believed there was more known harm to eliminating nutritious foods than there was potential for causing allergies in the baby (something that's been completely inconclusive in research). I ended up with a son with multiple food allergies, and a daughter with a patented Teflon-tummy and no allergies. I ate the same foods with both and nursed for the same amount of time with both.
I was also born in 1967 and was indeed formula fed. Interesting. Can't wait to see how this thread evolves!
[i]Excellent[/i]
A way for my [i]mother[/i] to be the one who "caused it." (laughs wickedly....)
And after all her conversations with me about what could have "caused that"... yeah, like we don't have any atopy in OUR family. SHeesh.
BTW, I was breast fed, then formula fed, but ultimately given a goat milk based experimental formula. Why, you ask? Because I was milk allergic and diagnosed as failing to thrive. Goat milk gave me the LEAST trouble, evidently. This was in the 60s. Amazingly, my FIL's infancy has the same exact story. (He was born in the early 30s.)
Both my husband and I were formula fed in 1974--and like others said, it was most definitely not in fashion to be breast-fed.
I breastfed my 2.5 PA DS exclusively for 4 months, and then supplemented with SOY formula(another thread here suggested a soy-PA connection) b/c I was not making enough breast milk (was even on meds to increase it). My son weaned himself, much to my dismay, at 9 months and was formula fed until 1 year when we switched to cow's milk. He has eczema and PA.
Will be following this thread closely. Thanks for starting it!
Jen
Very interesting. 1966 - both BF and FF.
My mom (and my MIL too) also say that BF was not "in" then; FF was pushed.
Corvalis Mom, what you said about Goat milk? I had forgotten this, but apparently I couldn't keep the forumula down when I was a baby. My mom said that i would crawl around and burp and spit up. When I was an infant, I apparently spit up constantly. She told me about giving me Goat Milk.
My mom has passed, so I can't ask her but when DS was a baby he spit up constantly and I remember her telling me I was getting paid back!!!
I was born in 1964, and was breastfed for 4 months, then switched to formula. Solids were probably introduced at around that time. I had no signs of allergies or asthma until adulthood. My mother, otoh, had pretty bad asthma as a child.
--Debbie
I was born in 1960. Formula fed only.
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