Breastfeeding is considered one of the healthiest things a mother can do for her child. Breast milk is linked to increased intelligence in children and improved overall health for women who choose to breastfeed. Breast milk has so many redeeming health qualities that the list would be too long to write out in this article.
Unfortunately, even though many government agencies have agreed that breastfeeding is the supreme, most vital, way to feed an infant, the CDC has concerns that breast milk interferes with vaccines.
Ten researchers from the CDC’s National Centers for Immunization and Respiratory Disease (NCIRD) released a report, entitled Inhibitory effect of breast milk on infectivity of live oral rotavirus vaccines. The report essentially says that breast milk’s ultra-powerful immune boosting features harm vaccines. So the ultimate solution, according to the CDC’s report, is for women to stop breastfeeding and allow vaccines the ability to work.
The lower immunogenicity and efficacy of rotavirus vaccines in poor developing countries could be explained, in part, by higher titers of IgA and neutralizing activity in breast milk consumed by their infants at the time of immunization that could effectively reduce the potency of the vaccine. Strategies to overcome this negative effect, such as delaying breast-feeding at the time of immunization, should be evaluated.
The study essentially condemns the use of breastmilk when it is seen as an interference for rotavirus vaccines.
In case you are feeling a bit confused, or maybe aggravated at hearing this, understand that many of us share the sentiment. Nothing could be healthier than breastfeeding a child. To think that we’d in any way relate breastfeeding as anything other than an amazing health bomb is by far, ridiculous. Many parents choose to skip the rotavirus vaccine due to not seeing any really good viable reason to give this to their child. But imagine the legions of moms that will skip it if they are advised to cease breastfeeding following the administering of the vaccine?