Just curious...
If the mother of a baby has an unknown food sensitivity, and eats that food while breast feeding, could the antibodies for that food or any other food sensitivity be transferred thru breast milk? Leading the baby to have food sensitivities.
We were having this discussion today at work and I thought it could/would be possible.
Breast Milk
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Jenny,
I doubt that enough research has been done to provide any definitive answers, but maybe someone else knows more about this topic. In chapter 14, for example, I believe I mentioned a research project in Africa where when expectant mothers came in for prenatal care, they were treated for intestinal worms (the fetuses did not have worms, only the mothers had them).
After the babies were born, a much higher percentage of the babies whose mothers had been treated, eventually developed eczema and other skin issues, than the babies whose mothers had not been treated. IOW, the mothers worms prevented the babies from developing an autoimmune disease, (much like worms prevent symptoms in patients who have an autoimmune disease, so obviously their immune systems were affected before birth.
Clearly, that doesn't answer your question, since you were asking about an entirely different topic, but I thought it is interesting that an immune system event in the mother can affect the immune system development of an unborn baby.
As you are probably aware, colostrum contains antibodies to give a baby's innate immune system a jump-start, but food sensitivities are part of the adaptive immune system, so it's a different issue. Maybe Polly is familiar with this.
Tex
I doubt that enough research has been done to provide any definitive answers, but maybe someone else knows more about this topic. In chapter 14, for example, I believe I mentioned a research project in Africa where when expectant mothers came in for prenatal care, they were treated for intestinal worms (the fetuses did not have worms, only the mothers had them).
After the babies were born, a much higher percentage of the babies whose mothers had been treated, eventually developed eczema and other skin issues, than the babies whose mothers had not been treated. IOW, the mothers worms prevented the babies from developing an autoimmune disease, (much like worms prevent symptoms in patients who have an autoimmune disease, so obviously their immune systems were affected before birth.
Clearly, that doesn't answer your question, since you were asking about an entirely different topic, but I thought it is interesting that an immune system event in the mother can affect the immune system development of an unborn baby.
As you are probably aware, colostrum contains antibodies to give a baby's innate immune system a jump-start, but food sensitivities are part of the adaptive immune system, so it's a different issue. Maybe Polly is familiar with this.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Great question Jen!
Tex, you called? Tee Hee.
This is from www. breastfeeding.com:
Breast Milk Antibodies
Antibodies, which are also called immunoglobulins, take five basic forms, denoted as IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD and IgE. All have been found in human milk, but by far the most abundant type is IgA, specifically the form known as secretory IgA, which is found in great amounts throughout the gut and respiratory system of adults. These antibodies consist of two joined IgA molecules and a so-called secretory component that seems to shield the antibody molecules from being degraded by the gastric acid and digestive enzymes in the stomach and intestines. Infants who are bottle-fed have few means for battling ingested pathogens until they begin making secretory IgA on their own, often several weeks or even months after birth.
The secretory IgA molecules passed to the suckling child are helpful in ways that go beyond their ability to bind to microorganisms and keep them away from the body's tissues. First, the collection of antibodies transmitted to an infant is highly targeted against pathogens in that child's immediate surroundings. The mother synthesizes antibodies when she ingests, inhales or otherwise comes in contact with a disease-causing agent. Each antibody she makes is specific to that agent; that is, it binds to a single protein, or antigen, on the agent and will not waste time attacking irrelevant substances. Because the mother makes antibodies only to pathogens in her environment, the baby receives the protection it most needs-against the infectious agents it is most likely to encounter in the first weeks of life.
Second, the antibodies delivered to the infant ignore useful bacteria normally found in the gut. This flora serves to crowd out the growth of harmful organisms, thus providing another measure of resistance. Researchers do not yet know how the mother's immune system knows to make antibodies against only pathogenic and not normal bacteria, but whatever the process may be, it favors the establishment of "good bacteria" in a baby's gut.
Secretory IgA molecules further keep an infant from harm in that, unlike most other antibodies, they ward off disease without causing inflammation-a process in which various chemicals destroy microbes but potentially hurt healthy tissue. In an infant's developing gut, the mucosal membrane is extremely delicate, and an excess of these chemicals can do considerable damage. Interestingly, secretory IgA can probably protect mucosal surfaces other than those in the gut. In many countries, particularly in the Middle East, western South America and northern Africa, women put milk in their infants' eyes to treat infections there. I do not know if this remedy has ever been tested scientifically, but there are theoretical reasons to believe it would work. It probably does work at least some of the time, or the practice would have died out.
Like you, Jen, I would guess that it is possible for moms to pass food-sensitivity antibodies to their infants through breast milk. I had to laugh in the first paragraph above when they say the mom makes antibodies only to pathogens in the environment. We know that MCers make antibodies to non-pathogens, like certain foods - it's the hallmark of our disease. Of course, the infants would not likely be eating any gluten, corn, meat, etc., for them to react to. But what about casein??? Additionally, re the last paragraph above, Dr. Fine believes that MC starts when we make antibodies to our good gut bacteria, allowing the bad bacteria to dominate. If an MC mom tranferred these to her infant, I wonder if it might interfere with the development of the infant's healhty GI bacteria? All interesting questions. Given the dearth of basic MC research, I'm sure it would be impossible to find any research on MC moms who have breastfed their infants. Sigh.
What do others think?
Hugs,
Polly
Tex, you called? Tee Hee.
This is from www. breastfeeding.com:
Breast Milk Antibodies
Antibodies, which are also called immunoglobulins, take five basic forms, denoted as IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD and IgE. All have been found in human milk, but by far the most abundant type is IgA, specifically the form known as secretory IgA, which is found in great amounts throughout the gut and respiratory system of adults. These antibodies consist of two joined IgA molecules and a so-called secretory component that seems to shield the antibody molecules from being degraded by the gastric acid and digestive enzymes in the stomach and intestines. Infants who are bottle-fed have few means for battling ingested pathogens until they begin making secretory IgA on their own, often several weeks or even months after birth.
The secretory IgA molecules passed to the suckling child are helpful in ways that go beyond their ability to bind to microorganisms and keep them away from the body's tissues. First, the collection of antibodies transmitted to an infant is highly targeted against pathogens in that child's immediate surroundings. The mother synthesizes antibodies when she ingests, inhales or otherwise comes in contact with a disease-causing agent. Each antibody she makes is specific to that agent; that is, it binds to a single protein, or antigen, on the agent and will not waste time attacking irrelevant substances. Because the mother makes antibodies only to pathogens in her environment, the baby receives the protection it most needs-against the infectious agents it is most likely to encounter in the first weeks of life.
Second, the antibodies delivered to the infant ignore useful bacteria normally found in the gut. This flora serves to crowd out the growth of harmful organisms, thus providing another measure of resistance. Researchers do not yet know how the mother's immune system knows to make antibodies against only pathogenic and not normal bacteria, but whatever the process may be, it favors the establishment of "good bacteria" in a baby's gut.
Secretory IgA molecules further keep an infant from harm in that, unlike most other antibodies, they ward off disease without causing inflammation-a process in which various chemicals destroy microbes but potentially hurt healthy tissue. In an infant's developing gut, the mucosal membrane is extremely delicate, and an excess of these chemicals can do considerable damage. Interestingly, secretory IgA can probably protect mucosal surfaces other than those in the gut. In many countries, particularly in the Middle East, western South America and northern Africa, women put milk in their infants' eyes to treat infections there. I do not know if this remedy has ever been tested scientifically, but there are theoretical reasons to believe it would work. It probably does work at least some of the time, or the practice would have died out.
Like you, Jen, I would guess that it is possible for moms to pass food-sensitivity antibodies to their infants through breast milk. I had to laugh in the first paragraph above when they say the mom makes antibodies only to pathogens in the environment. We know that MCers make antibodies to non-pathogens, like certain foods - it's the hallmark of our disease. Of course, the infants would not likely be eating any gluten, corn, meat, etc., for them to react to. But what about casein??? Additionally, re the last paragraph above, Dr. Fine believes that MC starts when we make antibodies to our good gut bacteria, allowing the bad bacteria to dominate. If an MC mom tranferred these to her infant, I wonder if it might interfere with the development of the infant's healhty GI bacteria? All interesting questions. Given the dearth of basic MC research, I'm sure it would be impossible to find any research on MC moms who have breastfed their infants. Sigh.
What do others think?
Hugs,
Polly
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.
wow, thanks!
Thinking about my body I feel like it is filled with bad bacteria, leaky gut and tons of food sensitivities. I do not have a child but, will hopefully have some one day ..I feel like the baby would ingest bad bacteria of mine while passing thru the birth canal and while breast feeding. Would they even be safe inside my belly? I know that breast feeding is supposed to be the best for your baby and that's all anyone would want for their child. But, in my case would it be more beneficial to bottle feed and give probiotics??
ps I am not pregnant, but am turning 30 in a few weeks so I have a lot of things on my mind haha
Jenny
Thinking about my body I feel like it is filled with bad bacteria, leaky gut and tons of food sensitivities. I do not have a child but, will hopefully have some one day ..I feel like the baby would ingest bad bacteria of mine while passing thru the birth canal and while breast feeding. Would they even be safe inside my belly? I know that breast feeding is supposed to be the best for your baby and that's all anyone would want for their child. But, in my case would it be more beneficial to bottle feed and give probiotics??
ps I am not pregnant, but am turning 30 in a few weeks so I have a lot of things on my mind haha
Jenny
IMO, since the baby is going to inherit half your genes for sure, breastfeeding should be beneficial, rather than harmful. For all we know, the body may have a way or filtering out (or just not including) any antibodies that are not appropriate for the welfare of the baby. And at this point, there's no evidence that the transmission of inappropriate antibodies would have any residual effect on the immune system of the baby. Without at least colostrum, the baby would lose what may be it's most important (or at least second most important) immune system programming.
Tex
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
If it makes you feel better, I was an immune dysfunction convention after the birth of my first child, and certainly after the birth of my second. I had raging post-partum autoantibodies and they seemed to have no effect on the babies. They are both very smart, normal, healthy children by most standards. I breastfed my son for 12 months and my daughter for 3 years. Of course many of you know my daughter has some allergy and potty issues now, but they happened after a hemorrhagic e.coli infection when she was 2, so hopefully my bacteria are not to blame. My son has a celiac gene and lactose intolerance, so we watch him closely.
I feel blessed that they are gifted learners, fully attentive and able to concentrate, full of empathy and kindness, able-bodied, healthy eaters, and they rarely get sick. These are not qualities one takes for granted anymore.
Young women need to guard their health very carefully throughout their childbearing years, not just when they plan to get pregnant. It's not just diet and exercise, it's exposures to harmful chemicals in your home, office, cosmetics and beauty products, the air you breathe, water you drink, etc.
It's good that you are thinking about it and planning ahead! And keep in mind, Dad's health is just as important as Mom's, since we now know many genetic/DNA errors that lead to autism and ADHD probably originate in the sperm, not the egg.
I feel blessed that they are gifted learners, fully attentive and able to concentrate, full of empathy and kindness, able-bodied, healthy eaters, and they rarely get sick. These are not qualities one takes for granted anymore.
Young women need to guard their health very carefully throughout their childbearing years, not just when they plan to get pregnant. It's not just diet and exercise, it's exposures to harmful chemicals in your home, office, cosmetics and beauty products, the air you breathe, water you drink, etc.
It's good that you are thinking about it and planning ahead! And keep in mind, Dad's health is just as important as Mom's, since we now know many genetic/DNA errors that lead to autism and ADHD probably originate in the sperm, not the egg.
Nope. My son had more than my daughter.
My son ultimately had all the required vaccines, but I delayed and spaced the Hep B, the MMR, and others. I opted against the Hep A and Rotaviris vaccines for both kids. No flu vaccines either.
My daughter will not get the Hep B series and I delayed and spread apart most of her vaccines. I am caught up on everything except the last MMR and varicella boosters. Given her unusual food allergies to all legumes, and mostly due to the unanswered questions about what's going on with her, I'm inclined to opt out of them, especially since I have to submit religious exemption paperwork for the Hep B anyway.
My son ultimately had all the required vaccines, but I delayed and spaced the Hep B, the MMR, and others. I opted against the Hep A and Rotaviris vaccines for both kids. No flu vaccines either.
My daughter will not get the Hep B series and I delayed and spread apart most of her vaccines. I am caught up on everything except the last MMR and varicella boosters. Given her unusual food allergies to all legumes, and mostly due to the unanswered questions about what's going on with her, I'm inclined to opt out of them, especially since I have to submit religious exemption paperwork for the Hep B anyway.
Jenny,
Article for you, emphasizing pre-pregnancy nutrition.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... ldbirth%29
Article for you, emphasizing pre-pregnancy nutrition.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... ldbirth%29
Jenny,
I thought of your post when I read this. Truly depressing since I took the pill for 10 years. Luckily I was off it for a year before I attempted pregnancy (and never took it again), but my GYN suggested women can take it right up until they want to become pregnant.
http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/ ... ds-health/
This part is truly depressing, and surely has something to do with my children's GI health status, and why MC may seem "inherited."
I thought of your post when I read this. Truly depressing since I took the pill for 10 years. Luckily I was off it for a year before I attempted pregnancy (and never took it again), but my GYN suggested women can take it right up until they want to become pregnant.
http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/ ... ds-health/
This part is truly depressing, and surely has something to do with my children's GI health status, and why MC may seem "inherited."
A Baby “Inherits” Gut Dysbiosis from Mom
A human baby is born with a sterile gut. This means that there is no bacterial activity in a fetus’ digestive system prior to birth. The vast majority of gut flora that a child eventually develops is inherited from Mom, so if Mom has gut imbalance, so will her children and probably more severely so.
Children with imbalanced gut flora are particularly predisposed to autoimmune disorders in the form of allergies, asthma, and eczema. In more severe cases of gut dysbiosis, learning disabilities manifest such as ADHD, ADD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia and others. Of course, there is sometimes an environmental “trigger” which instigates these disorders, but it is crucial to keep in mind that gut dysbiosis is the primary underlying cause.
Well, that seems to explain why autoimmune issues are increasing so rapidly — another example of iatrogenisis, thanks to doctors reliance on the drug companies for guidance and education. 
Tex
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Incidentally, as Chair of the PTA wellness committee at my kids' school, I've been able to learn all sorts of details about the school population from the school nurse. Would you believe that in a school population of 650 kids (grades PreK-5), 70% of kids have at least one allergy listed in their medical record (all types, including environmental, penicilin, etc.) and 50 kids have a life-threatening food allergy that requires an Epi-Pen? It's crazy!!
I also learned that DC has 50,000 kids with allergies in their school system.
Then I learned from the head of food service for the county schools (a very smart, progressive county), that most school lunch entrees have beans or soy hidden in them to meet the USDA protein requirements for school lunch. Even the pasta sauce has beans in it! That means no school lunch for my legume-allergic daughter. And I'm certain parents have no idea these potential allergens are lurking in their kids meals, albeit for health and nutrition promoting reasons.
One mom on the committee is from Denmark and said she never had any allergies until she came to this country as an adult. She's now allergic to red food dye and several other foods that are illegal in her country (GMOs, etc).
We're screwed.
I also learned that DC has 50,000 kids with allergies in their school system.
Then I learned from the head of food service for the county schools (a very smart, progressive county), that most school lunch entrees have beans or soy hidden in them to meet the USDA protein requirements for school lunch. Even the pasta sauce has beans in it! That means no school lunch for my legume-allergic daughter. And I'm certain parents have no idea these potential allergens are lurking in their kids meals, albeit for health and nutrition promoting reasons.
One mom on the committee is from Denmark and said she never had any allergies until she came to this country as an adult. She's now allergic to red food dye and several other foods that are illegal in her country (GMOs, etc).
We're screwed.