From: "Liedtke, Nancy" <nliedtke@wicsc.tdh.state.tx.us>

Organization: Texas Department of Health

Subject: Re: Milk consumption by breastfeeding moms?

Priority: normal

Dayle Hayes wrote:

A local certified lactation consultant is recommending that new nursing moms

stop drinking milk. This is an "across the board" recommendation ~ in others

words, without any evidence of colic, or lactose intolerence, or family

history of particular problems. Just stop drinking milk (and BTW it is ok to

drink pop) ~ at their first out-of-hospital, newborn visit to a private

children's clinic.

__________

My apologies for the late response. I don't get to keep up with the

list serve as much as I would like.

I believe it is inappropriate to make an "across the board"

recommendation. This is a popular topic at lactation conferences and

I think it is a mistake when LCs or other breastfeeding

counselors take some of this information and apply it

as a wide spread rule. My fear of doing this is that it is creating

just ONE more barrier to breastfeed. Anyone in the breastfeeding

promotion field knows barriers are what we constantly have to be

breaking down. There are already too many myths about breastfeeding.

The last thing we need to do is start the myth that nursing mothers

can't drink milk. That is feeding right into the existing myth that

a nursing mom has to follow strict dietary guidelines to make good

milk for her baby - untrue!

On the flip side some mom and baby pairs have a problem with cow

milk protein intolerance. The references I know of giving evidence

of cow milk allergy in breastfed babies are: Lifschitz et al.

Anaphylactic shock due to cow's milk protein hypersensitivity in a

breastfed infant. J Ped Gastro Nutr 1988;7(1):141.

Cant et al. Egg and cow's milk hypersensitivity in exclusively

breastfed infants with eczema and detection of egg protein in

breastmilk. Br Med J 1985;291:932.

Sorva et al. Beta Lactoglobulin secretionin human milk varies widely

after cow's milk ingestion in mothers of infants with cow's milk

allergy. J All Clin Immunol 1994;93:787.

Wilson et al. Severe cow's milk induced colitis in an exclusively

breastfed neonate. Clin Ped 1990;29(2):77.

Lake et al. Dietary protein-induced colitis in breastfed infants. J

Peds, 1982;101(6):906.

I also would suggest contacting Le League's Center for Breastfeeding.

They maintain a huge database. You can get them to do a

current reference check on this subject (for a small fee). I believe

their current number is 847-519-7730.

Nutrition advise just like lactation advise needs to be done on a

case by case basis.

Nancy Liedtke

Breastfeeding Promotion Nutritionist

Texas Dept. of Health

1100 West 49th Street

Autin, TX 78756

512-406-0744; fax 512-406-0722

nliedtke@wicsc.tdh.state.tx.gov