Breast Feeding and Allergies

Many parents, particularly those with allergies, take steps thought to lessen their baby’s chances of developing allergies. Two steps thought to help achieve is this goal are exclusive breast feeding and the use of partially hydrolyzed formula.

Australian researchers evaluated the food allergies of 4,537 one-year-olds and asked their mothers for information on feeding patterns. They found that 515 (11%) of the babies tested positive for food allergies. After adjusting their results for other factors, they found that neither duration of breast feeding, nor the use of hydrolyzed formula, reduced the risk of developing food allergies. 

These results go against what many parents and professionals think. Further larger studies are needed to verify this finding.