Breastfeeding, Allergies, and Antibiotics

I was born in January 1971 -- yes, I'm turning 40 this month! -- which had the lowest breastfeeding initiation rate on record.  I can't really blame my mother for not breastfeeding.  It was the culture.  Women only breastfed if they were too poor to buy formula.  Women were told that formula was superior to breastmilk.  Much like today, women trusted their doctors and didn't question them.  As far as I know, my mom never even considered breastfeeding.  I did not receive even one drop of colostrum.

I love to read my baby book.  I was eating veal at 3 weeks of age.  Yes, veal.  I was loaded up on all kinds of baby food in that first year.

During the first 5 years of my life, I was in and out of the doctors offices regularly -- ear infections, croup, you name it.  I was hospitalized for croup and lived in a "bubble" for what-seemed-like-forever to a 5 year old.  I went through the allergy testing at the same age and started the joyous road to allergy shots for the next 7 years.  I'm not sure why they stopped doing them when I was 12, but it was perfect timing because I picked up smoking!  It was 1983 and everyone smoked -- everywhere!  Plus, I grew up in Santa Fe and it was artsy and cool.  I'm sure that was great for my lung development, since I already had oodles of problems.

When I was 18 or 19, I had an MRI and the doctor found that my sinus passages were completely white (they were supposed to be completely black) on the reading.  He asked if I did cocaine but I didn't.  Fast forward 20 years and my MRIs and cat scans all say the same thing.

I have suffered all my life with seasonal asthma and especially sinus infections.  I usually have about 5 or 6 per year.  Last year, I had 10 infections from October to July when I finally had sinus surgery.  Personally, it was the best move I've made towards better health. 

Let's talk about antibiotics for a minute.  I remember this being a big deal in the news a few years back -- the Superbug scare and antibiotics not being able to treat certain people because they are immune to antibiotics because they have been on them so much in their lifetime.  This is me!  In fact, last spring my allergist told me he hopes I never get really sick because he doesn't know if I could be treated.  I was on the strongest antibiotics possible at the time and could not get rid of the infections. (I have strong feelings about putting women who test positive for Group B Strep on antibiotics in labor just in case and then treating babies with antibiotics after birth just in case.  If there is a problem, you will know it in other ways.  Stop all the antibiotics!  Only use them when they are truly needed.)

Since the surgery, there have been a couple of times where I could tell I was starting an infection, but my ENT has me on a medicated sinus rinse (fellow sinus sufferers, you should know about this!) and it fights the infection because it's putting the antibiotic directly on the infection instead of traveling through the entire body trying to find the infection.  I wonder how I would have done if I'd been on that before the surgery...

I should add that I grew up in a very sterile environment.  My mom was a total clean freak -- still is.  I had all my immunizations.  I was probably not exposed to a whole lot of dirt, well, except that I grew up in the desert!  There are many factors to consider.  I believe, if I had been breastfed, I would not have as many problems as I do.  I also believe that starting all the solid foods at just a couple of weeks old really did a number on me as well.  My brother and sister do not have the allergy and asthma issues that I do.  I hate it when people say, "I wasn't breastfed and I turned out fine."  Sure, I'm fine, I'm surviving, although miserable half the time.  I think my brother and sister, while not allergy sufferers, have their own set of issues, would probably agree.   There is a big difference between surviving and thriving.

I really like my allergist, but for over two years we have argued over whether breastfeeding helps prevent allergies.  He has twins and I'm pretty sure his wife did not breastfeed because of his blase attitude towards it.  He insists that allergies are based on genetics.  Maybe.  My dad had allergies -- nothing like mine though.   I have always thrown back at my doctor that all of my kids have been exclusively breastfed -- no formula ever and all started solids at a late age, one at 9 months and another was over one year.  Why, with my allergies being so severe, if it's genetic, do none of my kids suffer from allergies?

So, I guess ultimately, I'll never know. There are things we can control and things we can't.  Babies can't control what kind of milk they get, but mothers can control what they feed their babies.  I only addressed allergies in this post, but the physical effects of breastfeeding are incredibly far-reaching and extensive.  Maybe another post for another day.  Mothers can control how early they introduce solid foods.  Mothers can control giving their babies and children antibiotics.  Rushing down to the pediatrician for an antibiotic every time your child is sick should not be taken lightly.

I have no doubt there will be people who comment here that they were breastfed and they still suffer from allergies.  Of course.  Again with the variables - how early and how often you received solid foods, did your mom supplement with formula, etc.  Food for thought -- how much worse off would you be if you had not been breastfed at all? 

Mothers, breastfeed your babies.  It's good for you, good for your baby (who will grow into an adult), good for the budget, good for the environment, good for humanity.  It's a no-brainer in the year 2011.