“Your Breast Milk is Killing Your Baby”
How 7 Words Started the Infant Food Allergy Movement
(Meet Dr.Trill)
Like many mothers, she expected breastfeeding to be an intimate bonding experience with her first daughter. In 2015, when little June was just 4 weeks old, this new mother and her husband awoke to any parent’s nightmare. Their newborn lay in her crib, covered in eczema — with a diaper full of blood.
June was admitted to the hospital and put on a “starvation diet.” Dr. Trill watched her baby cry, unable to feed her because she was told her breast milk was killing her baby. Doctors determined June had severe infant food allergies, and recommended a hypoallergenic formula since food allergens passed through Dr. Trill’s diet.
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Experts typically perform allergy testing for infants 6 months or older, so that wasn’t an option for another 5 months. Since Dr. Trill desperately wanted to breastfeed, doctors told her to remove several allergens from her diet.
Trillitye Paullin, Ph.D.
Dr. Trill removed a bulk of her typical diet to continue breastfeeding.
She felt lucky that — after two weeks of pumping like a madwoman and supplementing with formula — June returned to breastfeeding. (Paced bottle feeding for the win!) She remained on a very limited diet until June’s first birthday, which is incredibly unhealthy and not something we recommend.
When sweet little Rose joined the family in 2018, they quickly learned she also had baby food allergies. Dr. Trill, as one does in heartbreaking scenarios like this, had a big long cry — and knew what she had to do all over again.
With 3 years between her children, she hoped more resources and information would be available. She was beyond disappointed to find little to none…still.
Exhausted, on another elimination diet, breastfeeding, finishing graduate school, and serving in the National Guard — Dr. Trill was over it. She couldn’t fathom the lack of resources and credible guidance for mothers breastfeeding babies with food allergies. As the go-getter she is, she did something about it.
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Dr. Trill launched Free to Feed when her second daughter was 4 weeks old!
She decided to use her biology degree and make it her life’s mission to support families like you. Free to Feed was founded to provide support, education, and resources during your infant’s food allergy journey.
Meet Dr. Trill, Founder, and CEO of Free to Feed™
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Leading Expert in Dietary Transfer to Breast Milk & Infant Reactivity
She is the groundbreaking scientist for the food allergy world! You know how some people binge an entire tv series to relax? Dr. Trill finds that kind of peace in the lab. Looking at breast milk samples under a microscope — trying to find solutions for nursing parents of babies with food allergies. It truly lights her up.
Her Vital Education that Supports Our Mission:
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Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biology and Chemistry (Minot State University)
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Ph. D in Cellular & Molecular Biology (University of South Florida)
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Pat Tillman Scholar (where she met co-founder Dr. LaChiana)
Her Ph.D. specifically focused on proteomics (the study of proteins). We know the root cause of infant food allergies stems from specific reactions from food proteins, so basically she’s the perfect nerd for this job.
It’s almost as if fate handed this compassionate leader and scientist a baby with severe food allergies — so she could start this movement.
After 4 years of research, she holds the first patent on allergy detection in human milk!
This cutting-edge technology and research-based science deliver answers to the breastfeeding food allergy world! At Free to Feed we believe knowledge is power. Understanding the science behind food allergies allows technological advancements that support parents safely — and confidently — feeding their children.
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An Everyday Woman from North Dakota
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Born Trillitye, but known simply as Dr. Trill, she’s a daughter, sister, wife, and mother. Like so many women, her childhood holds both precious memories and heartbreaking trauma. As a survivor of physical and sexual abuse, she bravely shares this part of her story to inspire others in their healing. She believes it’s possible to overcome difficult circumstances and help others in the process.
She met her husband Peter while attending grad school for cellular and molecular biology. It didn’t take long to know it would be forever. They got married in a courthouse in 2014 and had a small ceremony with friends to celebrate their second anniversary. They’re a real couple and a real team.
To say Peter is Dr. Trill’s sidekick would be an understatement. He is the other part of her soul. They’re the type of couple we admire in movies…soulmates, co-parents, and partners who get each other to the core. Peter loves making all three of 'his girls’ happy, and will joyfully do anything for them (seriously). If you didn’t know — he’s behind the website, graphics, and Free to Free swag. Talk about a team player!
Watching June and Rose grow into their own people is their favorite part of life. As little as they are, they already know that “Mommy helps other families and babies.” (And yes, like most girl-moms, Disney songs are usually stuck in her head.) You can catch both girls' cuteness in Dr. Trill’s reels & stories on IG!
At the end of the day, Free to Feed started because concerned parents wanted the best for their babies — just like you.
Dr. Trill and her team know the food allergy trenches front and back. (Some of them are still trekking there alongside you!) Together, they bring years of medical, health, and science intelligence to provide cutting-edge programs.
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We’re honored and happy to say Free to Feed™ has helped thousands of families around the world!
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Veteran & Community Leader Who Loves Helping Others
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Even as a teenager, she knew she wanted to surround herself with motivated and successful people. At 17, during her last semester of high school, she enlisted in the National Guard.
At 19, she deployed to Iraq and quickly realized the heavy toll that hunger, rampant disease, and poverty take on people. When she returned, as an Iraqi War Veteran, she made it her mission to help others.
She took great pride in leadership roles and knew she wanted to continue serving her community when she returned home. And she did…
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Community Service Highlights:
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3 Years Serving in Tampa Platoon with The Mission Continues (TMC) — a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing veterans and civilians together to solve challenging issues in communities.
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(TMC) First Boise Platoon Leader, completing numerous service projects.
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Her favorite projects include renovating Salvation Army Gymnasium, building a school garden, and refurbishing a baseball field. Each of these projects helped children and parents in the community, which is close to Dr. Trill’s heart.
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(TMC) Education programs supporting Boise youth.
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She still proudly serves in the National Guard today!
Dr. Trill is strongly devoted to giving back. Free to Feed is her way to bring resources and support she wished she had to other food allergy families.
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What’s The Best Way She Can Support Your Family Now?
As you may now understand, Dr. Trill is our hero. She tirelessly and passionately brings innovative service to the food allergy community. After years of guiding families through their journeys, she’s learned countless lessons that apply directly to parents like you.
Her main takeaways:
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You’ll need help with what to eat.
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You’ll have questions about reaching baseline.
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You’ll want to know if your baby ‘failed’ a food.
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You’ll care about supporting your own health.
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You’ll enjoy people who truly understand what you’re going through.
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You’ll likely need more than one consultation — because this isn’t always a short journey.
