The Australian body that sets guidelines for food allergies has found that breastfeeding does not appear to lower food allergy risks in children. The Centre for Food and Allergy Research has revised its guidelines for new parents to both state that breastfeeding does not reduce risks and to lower the age for solid food introduction to four months instead of six.
The center’s previous guidelines had recommended longer breast feeding intervals as a means towards lowering food allergy risks. That verbage has been dropped as the CFAR has found that there is no link between breast feeding and lower risks of food allergy.
Introducing potential allergens earlier is the new recommendation.
Instead, CFAR recommends starting babies on solid foods at four months, including those considered allergenic, if the baby is not otherwise at high risk of food allergies. The previous recommendation was six months of age with potential allergens being held until the child was a year old.