HI - I had a discussion with several physicians on this topic. The consensus seems to be that breastfeeding is far and away the best thing you can do for a baby if there's ANY allergy in the family, and that the lactating mother should go cold turkey on any foods that cause an allergic reaction in her child. Allergy, however, should not be confused with colick. Many babies will develop gas and cramps from milk in the mother s diet, but that particular reaction usually is a digestive issue rather than an allergy issue, and typically passes between 6 and 12 months of age. If a child with allergy needs to go on formula, then don't fuss with different brands. The different categories are milk formula, soy formula, hypoallergenic formula (which does contain casein, but is okay for a majority of allergic kidsd) and amin acid formula which is fearfully expensive and available only by prescription. (Ask your pediatrician if this is an issue for you.) The WHO recommends that children breastfeed until the age of 4; the APA says until the age of 2 since diarrheic diseases aren't very prevalaent in the US and the general level of nutrition is better than in devloping countries. But in any event, breastfeeding until the age of 4 is socially awkward but entirely healthful for your child. And may be a lifesaver if you've got allergy problems. I hope I've parroted everything correctly. --Beth Kevles [log in to unmask] http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic PS - Support for extended breastfeeding can be helpful; try your local La Leche League if you need moral support, or misc.kids.breastfeeding on the Internet.