{"id":33450,"date":"2013-07-07T10:30:33","date_gmt":"2013-07-07T14:30:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=33450"},"modified":"2015-12-27T15:42:46","modified_gmt":"2015-12-27T20:42:46","slug":"what-if-cows-milk-triggers-type-1-diabetes-another-reason-to-breastfeed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=33450","title":{"rendered":"What if Cow’s Milk Triggers Type 1 Diabetes?: Another Reason to Breastfeed"},"content":{"rendered":"

I find it remarkable that my body can\u2019t make insulin, but it has no problem manufacturing something edible: milk.<\/p>\n

I have become a milk machine to my little Maya. Providing her with nourishment is one of the most rewarding things I\u2019ve ever done. But. It\u2019s really hard! Who knew?<\/p>\n

\"Breastfeeding<\/a>Breastfeeding cumulatively takes up several hours of my day. And I can\u2019t be away from Maya for more than three hours at a time because babies eat often. Sometimes I plan ahead and pump milk into a bottle with a breast pump. (Yes, I use another pump besides my insulin pump.) Then Daddy or Grandma or Auntie Meliss can feed Maya. That takes care of her hunger, but I\u2019m still in trouble. If I go too long without nursing Maya, I become engorged. (Sorry, Gentleman, for the lady talk.) I\u2019d have to take my breast pump with me everywhere I go. And honestly, carrying one pump around is enough.<\/p>\n

Despite the challenges of breastfeeding, I\u2019ve lasted four months, and I don\u2019t plan to stop any time soon. I realize that I may have diabetes to thank.<\/p>\n

I always wanted to breastfeed because I knew it was the best thing for baby. But also, somewhere along the way, I had heard that one cause of type 1 diabetes could be early consumption of cow\u2019s milk. (Many infant formulas are cow\u2019s milk based.)<\/p>\n

I never took the research seriously. In fact, I thought it sounded funny. I put it in a pile with all the other unproven causes-of-type 1 diabetes, like:<\/p>\n

Early exposure to cereal, and<\/p>\n

The Coxsackie virus (caused by fraternizing with caterpillars. I heard the caterpillar part from a reliable source on the playground.)<\/p>\n

Whether it be science or playground shenanigans, once I became pregnant, I remembered these theories. What if there was an iota of truth to them? \u00a0What if cow’s milk triggers type 1 diabetes? \u00a0<\/strong>It wouldn\u2019t be so funny. I want to give my daughter the best chance in the world to never ever ever get diabetes. One day she\u2019ll want to pick up a green caterpillar, and I\u2019ll get all frantic and whisk her away. For now, keeping cow\u2019s milk away from Maya seems very doable.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Diabetes has helped me to breastfeed in other ways too. It took me years to stop worrying about what others might think when I prick my finger in public. I still worry sometimes. But I\u2019ve become more comfortable. If I need to breastfeed in public, I just throw my nursing cover over my shoulders and get to business. Surprisingly, most people don\u2019t even notice. Recently, a guy wandered over to me while nursing and he asked if I had change of a $5. I told him my hands were tied.<\/p>\n

Breastfeeding also burns calories; this helps keep my blood sugars down. I\u2019ve had to lower my basal rates in the same way I would if I were to take a leisurely stroll for several hours. So now you know that if you want to have good blood sugar control, just have a baby and feed her breastmilk!<\/p>\n

I always say that diabetes has taught me discipline. It\u2019s time consuming, monotonous, and inconvenient. Yet people with diabetes do it every day. We have to. Breastfeeding is more pleasant than diabetes, but it also takes discipline. If I weren\u2019t doing it, I\u2019d have a lot more free time to do things for myself, like take a shower. But \u2013 I\u2019ve made breastfeeding a priority. And I\u2019m okay with the sacrifices. It\u2019s getting easier every day. I\u2019m finding a rhythm, just like I know how.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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