Women who are breast-feeding might help their babies by introducing solid food after 17 weeks, according to a new study.
Researchers said exposure to solid food alongside breast milk would help prevent food allergies, caused by the immune system over-reacting to new substances.
The researchers say that the key to preventing food allergy may be to overlap breast-feeding with solid food.
The findings suggest that mothers should plan to have a slow period of weaning, starting to introduce solid food after four months of age.
The researchers from Southampton University, UK, were backed by the UK’s Food Standards Agency in their research, published in the journal Pediatrics.
Researchers compared some 41 infants who developed a food allergy with another 82 who did not.
Researchers found that those who developed allergies were introduced to cow’s milk after their mothers stopped breast-feeding them.
They also found that those with allergies were introduced to solid food earlier than others.
Researcher Dr Kate Grimshaw said: "Introducing solid foods alongside breastfeeding can benefit the immune system.
"It appears the immune system becomes educated when there is an overlap of solids and breast milk because the milk promotes tolerogenic mechanisms against the solids.
"Additionally, our findings suggest 17 weeks is a crucial time point, with solid food introduction before this time appearing to promote allergic disease whereas solid food introduction after that time point seems to promote tolerance."
Introduction of Complementary Foods and the Relationship to Food Allergy Pediatrics 18 November 2013; doi: 10.1542/peds.2012-3692 [abstract]
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