Comments on: CLSC last night… http://paxye.com/blog/clsc-last-night/ My journey through motherhood being a black sheep in the parenting world... Sat, 22 Nov 2008 06:25:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Anonymous http://paxye.com/blog/clsc-last-night/#comment-97 Anonymous Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 http://paxye.com/blog/?p=113#comment-97 I am pro-breastfeeding, but there is one thing that "they" always say that bothers me, and that is that breastfeeding prevents allergies! Dead wrong in my opinion. <BR/>If I hadn't of breastfed my baby, and gone straight to a hypoallergenic formula, she would not have been exposed to so many of her allergens through my breastmilk. If we had gone straight to the hypo formula, I would have been able to control what went into her body 100% -before it was too late. <BR/>If I had known that my daughter was prone to get food allergies ahead of time (hindsight is 20/20!), I would have been able to do an elimination diet to make my breast milk safe, but as it was, I blame my breast milk as the thing that aggrevated her allergies in the first place and caused her poor health for months until we finally figured out the problem.<BR/><BR/>Just some food for thought. The books and articles can say anything they want, but that is my personal experience. I am pro-breastfeeding, but there is one thing that “they” always say that bothers me, and that is that breastfeeding prevents allergies! Dead wrong in my opinion.
If I hadn’t of breastfed my baby, and gone straight to a hypoallergenic formula, she would not have been exposed to so many of her allergens through my breastmilk. If we had gone straight to the hypo formula, I would have been able to control what went into her body 100% -before it was too late.
If I had known that my daughter was prone to get food allergies ahead of time (hindsight is 20/20!), I would have been able to do an elimination diet to make my breast milk safe, but as it was, I blame my breast milk as the thing that aggrevated her allergies in the first place and caused her poor health for months until we finally figured out the problem.

Just some food for thought. The books and articles can say anything they want, but that is my personal experience.

]]> By: paxye http://paxye.com/blog/clsc-last-night/#comment-98 paxye Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 http://paxye.com/blog/?p=113#comment-98 First… I am sorry that you have had problems with your daughters health…<BR/>However… The way Breastmilk prevents allergies has been proven many times… <BR/>As you probably know up to the age of about 6 months (when solids can start to be introduced) babies have what is often called an ‘open gut’. This means that the spaces between the cells of the small intestines will readily allow intact macromolecules, including whole proteins and pathogens, to pass directly into the bloodstream. Substances in breast milk coat baby's intestines, which prevent microscopic food particles from "leaking" through baby's bloodstream. When and if they do pass into the blood (something that much more frequent in an artificially fed baby because no protective lining is made), these food particles may be treated as foreign substances by his white blood cells, which in turn attack them, therefore cause an allergic reaction. <BR/>Formula does not coat the gut and leaves these holes wide open for much more food particles to go into the bloodstream especially one of the most problematic ones which is bovine protein. <BR/>This is the reason that even a small amount of formula given in the hospital after birth can erase the positive effects that breastmilk has.<BR/><BR/>These are two great reads… <BR/><BR/>http://breastfeed.com/resources/articles/virgingut.htm<BR/>and <BR/>http://www.health-e-learning.com/articles/JustOneBottle.pdf<BR/><BR/>The thing is...Though some children may be allergic to things that pass through the breastmilk NO child is allergic to breastmilk itself and the problem can in most cases be solved by elimination diet. It may take time but it can be as efficient and even more so in the fact that it can even be easier on the allergic childs body when a allergenic food is introduced because it is in a very small dose.<BR/><BR/>Also, the ‘hypo-allergenic’ formula that you are talking about is just a formula that has less bovine protein and it can feed about 90% of babies that have a proven Milk-Allergy only … Which means that it is not the perfect solution and carries the same risks as any other formula….<BR/><BR/>Breastmilk is THE only Hypo-Allergenic food that Exists… and Formula is the CAUSE for many allergies in children that may not have had them otherwise. First… I am sorry that you have had problems with your daughters health…
However… The way Breastmilk prevents allergies has been proven many times…
As you probably know up to the age of about 6 months (when solids can start to be introduced) babies have what is often called an ‘open gut’. This means that the spaces between the cells of the small intestines will readily allow intact macromolecules, including whole proteins and pathogens, to pass directly into the bloodstream. Substances in breast milk coat baby’s intestines, which prevent microscopic food particles from “leaking” through baby’s bloodstream. When and if they do pass into the blood (something that much more frequent in an artificially fed baby because no protective lining is made), these food particles may be treated as foreign substances by his white blood cells, which in turn attack them, therefore cause an allergic reaction.
Formula does not coat the gut and leaves these holes wide open for much more food particles to go into the bloodstream especially one of the most problematic ones which is bovine protein.
This is the reason that even a small amount of formula given in the hospital after birth can erase the positive effects that breastmilk has.

These are two great reads…

http://breastfeed.com/resources/articles/virgingut.htm
and
http://www.health-e-learning.com/articles/JustOneBottle.pdf

The thing is…Though some children may be allergic to things that pass through the breastmilk NO child is allergic to breastmilk itself and the problem can in most cases be solved by elimination diet. It may take time but it can be as efficient and even more so in the fact that it can even be easier on the allergic childs body when a allergenic food is introduced because it is in a very small dose.

Also, the ‘hypo-allergenic’ formula that you are talking about is just a formula that has less bovine protein and it can feed about 90% of babies that have a proven Milk-Allergy only … Which means that it is not the perfect solution and carries the same risks as any other formula….

Breastmilk is THE only Hypo-Allergenic food that Exists… and Formula is the CAUSE for many allergies in children that may not have had them otherwise.

]]> By: Anonymous http://paxye.com/blog/clsc-last-night/#comment-99 Anonymous Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 http://paxye.com/blog/?p=113#comment-99 Thanks for the thoughts and taking time to respond. Obviously you aren't familiar with all hypo formulas though. The formula she eventually went on (and is doing marvelously on!) is 100% dairy and soy free. Not even a trace amount of those proteins in them. So NO, not all hypo formulas still have bovine protein in them. Thanks for the thoughts and taking time to respond. Obviously you aren’t familiar with all hypo formulas though. The formula she eventually went on (and is doing marvelously on!) is 100% dairy and soy free. Not even a trace amount of those proteins in them. So NO, not all hypo formulas still have bovine protein in them.

]]> By: paxye http://paxye.com/blog/clsc-last-night/#comment-100 paxye Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 http://paxye.com/blog/?p=113#comment-100 You are probably talking about Neocate right... it’s true it is an amino acid-based formula (I’m sorry)... and babies do have little reaction to it…<BR/>HOWEVER... it still carries ALL of the other risks that I mentioned in my original post…. And breastmilk still helps prevent allergies…<BR/>The thing is besides Neocate (and I think there is one other amino based formula), all other Hypoallergenic formulas DO have bovine proteins even though they have been extensively hydrolyzed... <BR/>The problem is that though a child may not have a reaction to such a formula, it still doesn't coat the gut in the way that breastmilk does and doesn't help prevent allergies in the way that breastmilk does...<BR/>It may be very true that you were not able to do an elimination diet to the extent that was needed but it doesn't mean that breastmilk was the culprit... <BR/>I would even say that with the extent of allergies that you are talking about using artificial baby milk to start with would have probably set you up with more problems from the beginning...<BR/>Also, Amino based formulas are only by prescription anyways for already known Milk allergy problems so that would not have been a first option and other hypo-allergenic formulas are known to be effective for a milk allergy only 90 % of the time. So there is still a great chance to have a reaction... <BR/><BR/>Breastmilk is true non-allergenic food, though the mom's diet can influence that, it can in most cases be fixed though it may take a lot of effort... <BR/><BR/>However, THE MOST important thing (which is why we are having this discussion in the first place) is that it is not really the breastmilk itself as a food that helps prevent allergies later on it is the PHYSICAL aspect of what it does to the gut... <BR/>and THAT is why it has been PROVEN to help prevent allergies.... <BR/>and THAT is also why Allergies, and the prevention of, will always remain on the list of the dangers of Formula and the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding. You are probably talking about Neocate right… it’s true it is an amino acid-based formula (I’m sorry)… and babies do have little reaction to it…
HOWEVER… it still carries ALL of the other risks that I mentioned in my original post…. And breastmilk still helps prevent allergies…
The thing is besides Neocate (and I think there is one other amino based formula), all other Hypoallergenic formulas DO have bovine proteins even though they have been extensively hydrolyzed…
The problem is that though a child may not have a reaction to such a formula, it still doesn’t coat the gut in the way that breastmilk does and doesn’t help prevent allergies in the way that breastmilk does…
It may be very true that you were not able to do an elimination diet to the extent that was needed but it doesn’t mean that breastmilk was the culprit…
I would even say that with the extent of allergies that you are talking about using artificial baby milk to start with would have probably set you up with more problems from the beginning…
Also, Amino based formulas are only by prescription anyways for already known Milk allergy problems so that would not have been a first option and other hypo-allergenic formulas are known to be effective for a milk allergy only 90 % of the time. So there is still a great chance to have a reaction…

Breastmilk is true non-allergenic food, though the mom’s diet can influence that, it can in most cases be fixed though it may take a lot of effort…

However, THE MOST important thing (which is why we are having this discussion in the first place) is that it is not really the breastmilk itself as a food that helps prevent allergies later on it is the PHYSICAL aspect of what it does to the gut…
and THAT is why it has been PROVEN to help prevent allergies….
and THAT is also why Allergies, and the prevention of, will always remain on the list of the dangers of Formula and the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding.

]]> By: PSUMommy http://paxye.com/blog/clsc-last-night/#comment-101 PSUMommy Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 http://paxye.com/blog/?p=113#comment-101 Why aren't you allowed to inform people about forumla? Your job (and the nurse's job) is to give women the information they need to make a choice, right? And not telling them about the risks would be like giving them medication without letting them know what the side-effects of a drug are.<BR/><BR/>That aside...can you talk about the history of formula? The best book I ever read was 'So That's What They're For'...if I'd read that before I had my first child, formula never would have passed her lips. But it does a great job of simply informing- letting the facts speak for themselves. Ya know? Why aren’t you allowed to inform people about forumla? Your job (and the nurse’s job) is to give women the information they need to make a choice, right? And not telling them about the risks would be like giving them medication without letting them know what the side-effects of a drug are.

That aside…can you talk about the history of formula? The best book I ever read was ‘So That’s What They’re For’…if I’d read that before I had my first child, formula never would have passed her lips. But it does a great job of simply informing- letting the facts speak for themselves. Ya know?

]]> By: Anonymous http://paxye.com/blog/clsc-last-night/#comment-102 Anonymous Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 http://paxye.com/blog/?p=113#comment-102 Formula doesn't "cause" the evils of this world. That's complete BS. Considering formula is only a century old and diseases have been around oh I don't know, since the beginning of time, I would say causation is not probable. May not prevent diseases, but it certainly isn't the cause of diseases. Also, the research says breastfeeding reduces xyandz. Doesn't irradicate it. So, while breastfeeding may reduce breast cancer, it doesn't protect on from getting it. It's not the cure of the world, other wise diseases would have been created in 1900 when formula was created. I get tired of hearing that breastmilk is the cure of the world. It's not. Formula doesn’t “cause” the evils of this world. That’s complete BS. Considering formula is only a century old and diseases have been around oh I don’t know, since the beginning of time, I would say causation is not probable. May not prevent diseases, but it certainly isn’t the cause of diseases. Also, the research says breastfeeding reduces xyandz. Doesn’t irradicate it. So, while breastfeeding may reduce breast cancer, it doesn’t protect on from getting it. It’s not the cure of the world, other wise diseases would have been created in 1900 when formula was created. I get tired of hearing that breastmilk is the cure of the world. It’s not.

]]> By: paxye http://paxye.com/blog/clsc-last-night/#comment-103 paxye Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000 http://paxye.com/blog/?p=113#comment-103 Diseases have been around but not in the concentrations that we have now... <BR/>Think about it... if Breastfeeding helps prevent all of this list of diseases and breastfeeding is the normal way of feeding all babies then it is not normal that we have so many cases.... So yes formula is a cause for many people developing many of these diseases... it is a risk factor and it does cause too many unnessesary deaths every year....<BR/>I have NEVER said it erraticates diseases (I'm not stupid and naive) but it does reduce the chances.... <BR/><BR/>Smoking causes lung cancer... not smoking helps prevent lung cancer but it doesn't mean that you won't get it... <BR/>If everyone stopped smoking though there is a good chance that there would be a lot less cases of lung Cancer... The same goes for Formula...<BR/><BR/>Formula is not a good option for feeding our young but it should be used as a LAST resort for those who really NEED it... (it is there for that reason)<BR/>No, Breastmilk won't cure the world, but it would save a lot of children (not all) from dying, and getting sick.... <BR/>Formula should only be availible on prescription and parents should be informed of the side effects. Diseases have been around but not in the concentrations that we have now…
Think about it… if Breastfeeding helps prevent all of this list of diseases and breastfeeding is the normal way of feeding all babies then it is not normal that we have so many cases…. So yes formula is a cause for many people developing many of these diseases… it is a risk factor and it does cause too many unnessesary deaths every year….
I have NEVER said it erraticates diseases (I’m not stupid and naive) but it does reduce the chances….

Smoking causes lung cancer… not smoking helps prevent lung cancer but it doesn’t mean that you won’t get it…
If everyone stopped smoking though there is a good chance that there would be a lot less cases of lung Cancer… The same goes for Formula…

Formula is not a good option for feeding our young but it should be used as a LAST resort for those who really NEED it… (it is there for that reason)
No, Breastmilk won’t cure the world, but it would save a lot of children (not all) from dying, and getting sick….
Formula should only be availible on prescription and parents should be informed of the side effects.

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