Allergy during breastfeeding: causes, treatment, diet

Allergy during breastfeeding: causes, treatment, diet

How does allergy manifest itself in babies

Allergy is a pathological reaction of the body to various foreign substances. Clinical immune reactions are manifested in the form of allergic diseases: atopic dermatitis, food allergy, urticaria, allergic rhinitis, Quincke's edema, bronchial asthma.

Allergic diseases (AD) have long since turned into a "disease of civilization". The most noticeable is the increase in the number of allergy sufferers among children of the first year of life. One of the causes of allergies in babies is early rejection of the mother's breast or lack of breastfeeding. In this case, the baby does not receive the necessary protective elements with mother's milk. You will learn about other causes of allergic diseases, about how to treat allergies in babies, from our article.

Causes of allergies in babies

The direct cause of allergy is the child's contact with an allergen - a foreign substrate.

One of the factors contributing to the development of allergic diseases is hereditary predisposition. If one of the parents has an allergy, then the probability of its appearance in the child is 60-70%, if both parents are sick, then the probability of the appearance of AZ increases to 90%. Unreasonable use of antibacterial drugs, especially in the first months of life, also contributes to the early development of allergic diseases in children. Harmful habits of the mother (drinking alcohol, drugs, smoking) increase the risk of the child developing allergic diseases. The question of whether a pregnant woman's diet affects the development of AZ in a child is still being debated.

How does allergy manifest itself in babies? Its main symptoms are:

  • skin peeling,
  • various rash,
  • properties,
  • pronounced belching,
  • nasal congestion,
  • difficult breathing,
  • liquid stools.

Also, Quincke's edema may develop (very rarely).

Allergy during breastfeeding

Allergy to breast milk is usually related to the diet of the nursing mother. In 85% of cases, food allergens are: cow's milk, fish and seafood, eggs, wheat, soy, hazelnuts, peanuts, honey. At the first signs of allergy in the baby, the nursing mother should write down the names of the products she used every day in order to determine what the child has an allergic reaction to. The list of products must be shown to the allergist.

BCM (cow's milk protein), as a rule, is the first dietary protein of complementary foods that babies come into contact with. It can also cause allergies.

There are three groups of reactions to BCM:

  1. Skin rash.
  2. Swelling of the face.
  3. Gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhea, vomiting).

Symptoms of atopic dermatitis may appear 1-5 days after the food sample.

It has been proven that the adjusted nutrition of a nursing mother reduces the risk of developing allergies in the baby.

Diet for allergies

Since allergies during breastfeeding can be associated with nutritional deficiencies of the nursing mother, it is necessary to completely exclude from her diet products that cause an allergic reaction in the baby.

Allergies are most often provoked by:

  • chicken meat,
  • eggs,
  • milk and milk products,
  • fish,
  • seafood,
  • peanuts,
  • citrus,
  • honey,
  • nuts,
  • red vegetables, fruits and berries.

Diet for allergies is one of the main components of prevention and treatment of AZ. Drug therapy for allergic diseases in infants should be prescribed by a doctor. Read about caring for a child's skin with atopic dermatitis on our website Dobrobut.com.

In order to avoid allergic reactions in the baby, you should follow some rules:

  • introduce complementary foods only after consulting a pediatrician;
  • the mother should try any product literally drop by drop and after feeding the child, carefully monitor the reaction of her body;
  • maintain optimal temperature and humidity in the children's room;
  • choose hypoallergenic baby care products;
  • wash children's things with special means.

Following these recommendations, you can reduce the risk of allergic diseases in the baby.

Updated: 03.04.2025
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Doctors who advise on this issue:
0experience (y.)
Sharikadze Olena Viktorivna
Sharikadze Olena Viktorivna
Pediatric allergist
15experience (y.)
Hnatiuk-Riadska Kseniia Serhiivna
Hnatiuk-Riadska Kseniia Serhiivna
Pediatric allergist; Pediatrician
24experience (y.)
Buharina Evgenia Nikolayevna
Buharina Evgenia Nikolayevna
Pediatrician
26experience (y.)
Druzhyna Olena Vadymivna
Druzhyna Olena Vadymivna
Pediatrician; Allergist; Pediatric allergist
20experience (y.)
Bas Natalia Viktorivna
Bas Natalia Viktorivna
Pediatrician
24experience (y.)
Moskvina Nataliia Anatoliivna
Moskvina Nataliia Anatoliivna
Allergist; Immunologist; Pediatric allergist
8experience (y.)
Zemlianyi Yevhen Ihorovych
Zemlianyi Yevhen Ihorovych
Anesthesiologist; Algology
13experience (y.)
Holovnia Nataliia Ivanivna
Holovnia Nataliia Ivanivna
Pediatrician; Pediatric endocrinologist
19experience (y.)
Patlan Svitlana Mykolaivna
Patlan Svitlana Mykolaivna
A general practitioner is a family doctor; Pediatrician; Physician

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