A Surprising Benefit of Breastfeeding

Before picking up the telephone to contact your pediatrician, consider using a few drops of breastmilk in her eye.
Your baby wakes up in the morning, happy, alert and ready to feed. Then you notice that she has a terrible-looking left eye ... it's full of, er, what would you call it? Goop? and kind of crusty. Before picking up the telephone to contact your pediatrician, consider using a few drops of breastmilk in her eye.

Breastmilk is full of antibodies and can be used as an alternative to stinging (and expensive) prescription antibiotic eye drops. This is not only good for your pocketbook (one prescription we purchased was $25 ... even with insurance) but it's a much gentler and completely natural option for your baby.

Before my baby was born a group of online friends told me about this natural remedy but I had neither heard of it nor had the opportunity to use it. I was amazed to hear someone recommend it ... but it really does make sense. One of the benefits of breastfeeding that is listed in every pregnancy and breastfeeding book is the presence of germ-fighting antibodies.

Just the other day I got my chance. My daughter's little eye started to "goop up," with some snot-like material creeping out of the corners, some clear discharge and minor matted lashes. I immediately remembered the advice I was given by the other moms. I tried to manually express milk but that just served to frustrate her as she tried to drink the milk and I just got it all over her nose. Instead, I just got a clean medicine dropper and pulled a few drops out of the bottle of expressed milk that was in the fridge, meant for tomorrow's feeding. I gave her three little drops, one at a time, and while surprised at first (it was cold) she tolerated it very well, even smiling and laughing at me with a gentle milk-filled eye.

That night my husband repeated this as well as the following day, and I'm glad to say that it took less than 24 hours to work.

Pass this information along to your breastfeeding pals. I've never read this in a book but I know from experience that this really works. I would say that if it doesn't improve your child's eye problem in 24 hours or so, go ahead and contact their doctor, but breastmilk will not harm him or her in any way and if it works, you've done something really neat that you and your child didn't have to pay for - financially or physically!

Disclaimer: Of course, if you feel that your child has an urgent eye condition, contact your physician right away. This page is not meant to subsitute for the advice or care of a physician and is not intended to diagnose or treat medical problems.

Monica Beyer is the mother of three children: Lauren is 6 months old, Corbin is 4 years old and Dagan is 7 years old. Websites include http://www.signingbaby.com, http://www.naturalmommy.com