Saturday, April 27, 2013

Hyperlactation vs. Food Allergies




It seems that more recently we are seeing many babies that have been diagnosed with food allergies. Milk, Soy, Corn, Egg, and the list goes on and on. For a breastfeeding mother, this can be a devastating and complicated medical issue to tackle. Is my baby allergic to my breast milk? Should I change to a recommended hypoallergenic formula?

NO, it is not biologically possible for a baby to be allergic to mothers milk, it is however possible that a baby could be having an allergic reaction or a sensitivity to a food component in mothers milk (ie: something mom ate). If this is the case, it is important that a Mom be aware of the foods that she is eating, and try to slowly eliminate certain foods that may be associated with babies symptoms.

With all that said, I have also more recently been thinking that some of these allergic and colic symptoms could also be associated with hyperlactation.

Hyperlactation can make breastfeeding your baby quite difficult due to the fact that the baby has a hard time keeping up with the fast flow.

Hyperlactation is when your body produces a lot more breast milk than you need to meet your baby’s needs. The milk may come out fast, you may have a forceful letdown, which may cause milk to leak or spray between and during feedings.

It is normal in the beginning for your body to over produce, and the reason for this is that the first weeks after birth, your body is learning to regulate your supply. But when these symptoms of fullness, engorgement and overproduction continue after 4-6 weeks postpartum we can assume that you are over producing.

Babies who are nursing from a mother who may have a forceful letdown may show signs and symptoms during and after a feeding that are very similar to those of a baby with reflux, colic and food allergies. This makes diagnosing a true allergy very difficult and more often than not, mom will be advised to limit her intake of many foods to help with baby’s symptoms. Eliminating foods from Mom’s diet is not going to help the symptoms for a baby experiencing hyperlactation and when a mother eliminates foods from her own diet she is putting herself at nutritional risk, when in short, an allergy isn’t really the issue in the first place.

If you suspect that your baby may be showing symptoms of an allergy, contact you pediatrician and discuss your concerns! Seeking help from an IBCLC is so important to help you through these difficult times. Having the support from a team of professional in combination with your pediatrician is invaluable.