According to research published in Medical Tribune (July 23, 1992:30), breast-feeding mothers were able to reduce the chances that their babies will develop allergies by eating a low-allergen diet.
The subjects of this study were mothers and infants from families with a history of allergies. For one year, mothers in the test group avoided common dietary allergens, including eggs, cow’s dairy, nuts, wheat and citrus. The control group of mothers ate as they normally did.
At the end of the year, 40% of the infants in the control group developed allergies, while only 13% of the infants in the test group developed allergies. The test group also had a significantly lower incidence of asthma (7% vs. 19% in the control group). The study found that restricting the mothers’ diet can lead to fewer allergies in breast-fed children.
Another study found that supplementing a mother’s diet during pregnancy with omega-3 essential fatty acids (EPA and DHA) can significantly lower the prevalence of allergies and eczema in their newborn children.
This study appeared in Acta Pediatrica (Volume 98, Issue 9, September 2009, pages 1461-1467) and looked at 145 pregnant women who either had allergies themselves or had previously had children with allergies. The women were randomly selected to receive 1.6 grams of EPA and 1.1 grams of DHA (fish oil) or a placebo from the final trimester of their pregnancy until the third or fourth month of the newborn’s life (the mothers all breastfed their children).
In those supplemented with the fish oil the prevalence of allergies or eczema was significantly lower than for the placebo group.
We can’t control everything, but based on these and other studies, expectant moms can at least positively influence the immune health of their children by avoiding common food allergens and taking about 3.0 grams of EPA + DHA daily through a high quality fish oil supplement like Omega Pure EPA DHA 720 (you’d need to take 2 gel caps 2x/day to get 3.0 grams).