Author Topic: 1st lo allergy, 2nd lo bf ?  (Read 1613 times)

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Offline ~Kiki

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1st lo allergy, 2nd lo bf ?
« on: June 17, 2009, 12:15:44 pm »
Our 1st lo has an egg allergy.

Her allergist says that I need to avoid peanuts, nuts & shellfish with 2nd lo while breastfeeding (but not egg). This confuses me. He says that our 2nd child is a totally different child, but that we need to be safe with the big allergies until age 3, including me breastfeeding.

I'm just curious about what other people have been told. It seems like all of our friends that have lo's w/ allergies have been told it's not a problem while bf and what the mum eats, but they don't feed them those items until age 3.




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Offline ~ Vik ~

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Re: 1st lo allergy, 2nd lo bf ?
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2009, 13:52:17 pm »
Hi!
Your allergist's advice doesn't seem odd to me, but I'm curious to hear what others think too.
I did a paper on allergy inheritance in university, and it's correct that lo1 having an egg allergy does not increase the chance of lo2 also being allergic to eggs. Specific allergies are not inherited genetically, it is the tendancy towards having allergies that gets passed down. For example, if I'm allergic to cats, ds may develop an allergy to pollen. (If you want more detail let me know, but I won't bore you if you're not interested :)) So given  that lo1 has an allergy, it is more likely that lo2 will also develop an allergy though we cannot predict to what. Does that make sense? That is likely why your allergist advised you to cut out allergenic foods (though eggs are generally allergenic too, don't know why he specifically excluded them?)
Having said all of that, a lot of allergies run in my family and dh's family, and ds has a dairy allergy, and I haven't cut anything out of my diet while bfing. My paediatrician said it wasn't necessary unless we noticed ds reacting to something.
HTH, and good luck!
Vikki :)
D ~ dairy, egg, peanut/nut and mustard allergies
Proud to have breastfed for over 24 months!


Offline ~Kiki

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Re: 1st lo allergy, 2nd lo bf ?
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2009, 13:56:45 pm »
Yeah, I dont' think I'd be as confused if he had included the egg allergy. He said if I notice a reaction with egg, then to stop eating it. So if there's no need to include that, then I would think that would be the same for the other allergies too? I definitely don't want to have another food allergy, but I also don't want to be walking on eggshells (okay bad word choice) and afraid to eat anything.




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Offline ~ Vik ~

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Re: 1st lo allergy, 2nd lo bf ?
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2009, 14:05:50 pm »
I also don't want to be walking on eggshells (okay bad word choice) and afraid to eat anything.

LOL :)

I think that was pretty much the reason ds' paediatrician told me not to worry about it. Even when we discovered ds' dairy allergy (hives after eating a just-add-water cereal when we started solids) he told me not to worry unless I noticed a reaction. I eat peanut butter, eggs, dairy, cashews, and haven't had a problem.
If you're concerned, another option would be to elimiate all those things from your diet, and then reintroduce them slowly. That way you can watch for a reaction in your lo, and you would know exactly what caused it if one happens.  Also would save you from watching every bit that goes in your mouth while bfing!
D ~ dairy, egg, peanut/nut and mustard allergies
Proud to have breastfed for over 24 months!


Offline ~Kiki

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Re: 1st lo allergy, 2nd lo bf ?
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2009, 17:28:49 pm »
I've been thinking more like that...I think I'm planning to follow the 3 month plan of strict avoidance while I"m breastfeeding with all including eggs, and slowly introduce individually. I just know I can't possibly avoid everything with peanuts or processed in a facility with peanuts for a full year.




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Offline First Time Mom

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Re: 1st lo allergy, 2nd lo bf ?
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2009, 18:12:48 pm »
Hi Kiki. My first dd had a bad milk protein allergy (intestines would bleed into her diaper) from the time she was born and she developed a minor oatmeal allergy at 7 months (head to toe rash). Our Ped Allergist back then said she could possibly have a higher chance of other allergies such as peanuts and to avoid giving to her until she was 3. He knew I bf and I had to elimate ALL milk and milk byproduct food from my diet for almost 18 months as the milk protein did pass directly to her but he never told me to do this with any other foods other than the milk. Even when she had her oatmeal allergy I ate oatmeal, I ate peanuts, eggs, and everything else. She outgrew her 2 allergies and lucky we were fine with peanuts.

My OB knows of the allergies dd had and we have discussed bfing with the 2nd and she also never told me to avoid any foods. My plan is to eat everything and to cut out foods if ds ends up colicy (starting with all dairy) as dd was colicy (scream/cried from 7pm until 5am every night for 5 weeks straight until she started bleeding into her diaper).
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