The questions about breast feeding come up often in regards to gluten intolerance, sensitivity, and celiac disease. I have had patients tell me that their pediatrician would prefer they not breastfeed because of gluten issues in the baby. I have also had patients be told that their baby is allergic to breast milk and that formula is a better option. This is terrible advice, but unfortunately is is common advice.
Breast Milk is the Ultimate Human Nutrition
Breast feeding is the best source of nutrient dense food in babies regardless of disease status of the mother or the baby. The only exception to this rule is when the mother is taking medications that might harm the baby, or if the mother is eating a diet high in foods that the baby is allergic to. The diagram below illustrates some of the benefits of natural feeding VS. artificial formula use:
Gluten Should Not Deter You From Breast Feeding
Gluten can and does show up in mother’s milk. If your baby is gluten sensitive, gluten exposure through milk can cause multiple problems:
The presence of these issues should alert you to the need to have proper testing done to determine gluten sensitivity in you and your baby. The popularity of the gluten free diet has increased awareness, but many are going gluten free without a diagnosis. You don’t need a diagnosis to go gluten free. Despite what many so called experts say, there is no danger in avoiding grain. If you are concerned about the potential for gluten sensitivity in your baby, the easy solution is to consume a gluten free diet while you are breast feeding. You can access a list of foods to avoid here. If you would like to investigate the possibility of gluten sensitivity, the best determinant is genetic testing. If you cannot afford it, I have put together a quiz for you to take to help determine whether or not a gluten free diet is right for you.
Additionally, you should investigate the possibility of other food allergies. The presence of food allergies can cause reactions in the baby that are just as detrimental as gluten. Remember that if you choose the route of formula feeding, you are voluntarily giving your baby genetically modified corn, sugar, soy, and or dairy. No child can thrive in a healthy manor eating those items as staple foods.
If you want to investigate the horrible ways in which gluten can damage children, I would strongly encourage you to watch this video <<<
As always, please share this information with your loved ones!
All the best,
Dr. O
This makes me so sad. With my first, I breastfed exclusively until my milk dried up suddenly when he was 11 months old. With my second, I pumped for the first month before my milk dried up. She was in hospital for 2 weeks and they were unsupportive of allowing her to room with me and bottle feeding her when I was not there. I was recovering from an emergency c-section and couldn’t walk for several days or get in and out of bed without assistance. My milk dried up suddenly despite frequent pumping, attempts to get her to latch failing (even though I was an experienced breast feeder). I tried natural ways to increase my milk but all failed. Why? Doctors had no explanation but I found out 6 months later that I had malabsorption due to severe food allergies and hypothyroidism which stopped responding to medication. When all attempts to breastfeed fail, what options do we have? In Canada, there is not a single formula on the market that does not contain GMO’s. There is one organic formula available but due to a loophole in the regulations, it contains GMO omegas and is still full of toxic crap and artificial nutrients. Dr. O, what can you suggest in such circumstances? She is now 10 months old and I am searching for other options to ensure she gets the nutrition she needs and get her off formula altogether!
In hospital, mothers are asked if they want to breast feed football or lap style. Many chose football because it sounds hip. After jr gets home and unravels he is much longer and it is much harder to get his mouth where it should be. I’ve seen baby’s necks bent heads held upside down or just give up. Lap fed baby’s stomach is on the mother’s warm stomach and the mouth is always above the stomach. The head can be nestled in the elbow with good eye contact and a pillow, under the arm, supplies relaxing support and the baby’s mouth is always above the stomach.
My mother was told my little sister was allergic to her breastmilk and was told to put her on formula. This was over 30 years ago. It was a shame then and it is even worse today IMO. We have more knowledge now and that advice is still given? I will never believe there is anything on the planet better for a baby than her mother’s milk!
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This makes me so sad. With my first, I breastfed exclusively until my milk dried up suddenly when he was 11 months old. With my second, I pumped for the first month before my milk dried up. She was in hospital for 2 weeks and they were unsupportive of allowing her to room with me and bottle feeding her when I was not there. I was recovering from an emergency c-section and couldn’t walk for several days or get in and out of bed without assistance. My milk dried up suddenly despite frequent pumping, attempts to get her to latch failing (even though I was an experienced breast feeder). I tried natural ways to increase my milk but all failed. Why? Doctors had no explanation but I found out 6 months later that I had malabsorption due to severe food allergies and hypothyroidism which stopped responding to medication. When all attempts to breastfeed fail, what options do we have? In Canada, there is not a single formula on the market that does not contain GMO’s. There is one organic formula available but due to a loophole in the regulations, it contains GMO omegas and is still full of toxic crap and artificial nutrients. Dr. O, what can you suggest in such circumstances? She is now 10 months old and I am searching for other options to ensure she gets the nutrition she needs and get her off formula altogether!
Lisa, there are recipes for home made formula with goat’s milk on both Dr. Mercola’s site, and the site of the Weston Price foundation.
Two of my grandsons were fed this formula, and they thrived.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/08/05/which-infant-formulas-contain-secret-toxic-chemicals.aspx
http://www.westonaprice.org/childrens-health/recipes-for-homemade-baby-formula?qh=YToxMjp7aTowO3M6NDoiYmFieSI7aToxO3M6NjoiYmFieSdzIjtpOjI7czo2OiJiYWJpZXMiO2k6MztzOjc6ImJhYmllcyciO2k6NDtzOjc6ImZvcm11bGEiO2k6NTtzOjg6ImZvcm11bGFzIjtpOjY7czo5OiJmb3JtdWxhJ3MiO2k6NztzOjg6ImZvcm11bGFlIjtpOjg7czo2OiJyZWNpcGUiO2k6OTtzOjc6InJlY2lwZXMiO2k6MTA7czoxMjoiYmFieSBmb3JtdWxhIjtpOjExO3M6MTQ6ImZvcm11bGEgcmVjaXBlIjt9
In hospital, mothers are asked if they want to breast feed football or lap style. Many chose football because it sounds hip. After jr gets home and unravels he is much longer and it is much harder to get his mouth where it should be. I’ve seen baby’s necks bent heads held upside down or just give up. Lap fed baby’s stomach is on the mother’s warm stomach and the mouth is always above the stomach. The head can be nestled in the elbow with good eye contact and a pillow, under the arm, supplies relaxing support and the baby’s mouth is always above the stomach.
My mother was told my little sister was allergic to her breastmilk and was told to put her on formula. This was over 30 years ago. It was a shame then and it is even worse today IMO. We have more knowledge now and that advice is still given? I will never believe there is anything on the planet better for a baby than her mother’s milk!