I thought B/F babies weren't surposed to get sick?

[Meluchja]

My boy is 11 weeks old today (how quick has that gone), and he and his older sister have come down with a cold. (amounst other things)
He is really snuffly and snotty. Sneezes and coughs a little. I'm giving him panadol and saline drops and sucker.
But my question is, how come he is sick? I thought babies who were B/F weren't surposed to get sick? Could it maybe have something to do with his reflux?
Have you had this happen to you? And if so, how long did they have it for?
My eldest is also teething, and has bad eczema as well. We just can't win ATM.

[feeb]

Congartulations on baby!! and BF

BF doesnt stop them getting sick all together just reduces chances and severity of illness.

[Jodie259]

BF definately doesn't stop getting kids getting sick.

In my mums group... most of the BF babies always seemed to be sick. And 15 months later - some of those babies still are.


Sorry to hear that both of your kids are sick. Must be hard with an 11 week old to take care of. Hope they get better soon.

[pansy]

My SIL has 2 kids who were BF and they are always sick and have asthma.

Hope your kids are feeling better soon.

[DoulaRelle]

Mel, Angus is sick too atm. I think when you have older ones it is alot harder to protect them from the bugs as well iykwim.

Hope Jack gets well soon huni.

[MantaRay]

I am finding that Jack still has great immunity from being bfed for 14 months. He very rarely gets anything despite going to day care 2 days a week, and spending time at least every 2 weeks with a friend's DD who is always sick (she was ff). But this season has been so bad that both boys have had an ear infection - the first time for both of them, Jack is 2 1/2 and Thomas is still bfed at 11 months. Like the others have said, I find they get sick less often and less severely but it still happens sometimes. And unfortunately the younger one will be exposed to extra bugs through their sibling. I think you will find though that each time they do get something, it builds their immunity up even more.

I hope they both get well soon for you. It's really hard having two sick at once.

[rolymogs]

.....

[Liz]

Yeah - b/f bubs get sick. Just take comfort in the knowledge that you're giving them the best medicine - breastmilk! He's getting all those antibodies from you - even if you don't get the same cold.. it's amazing stuff

I don't really consider that DS has been really 'sick' yet.. he has bouts of sniffles but that's about it.. and it only lasts a few days with him. Hasn't ever had a temperature or anything.

I've heard too that breastmilk is great to put up their nose to help clear it.. probably better than saline

Hope everyone feels better soon. We're all stuffed up here at the moment too with sniffles and misery. DS is almost over his now tho.. just me & DH soldiering on now!

[Tobily]

Yeah they do still get sick but my experience has been that it's never as severe or as long.

We've had a few bouts of colds throughout winter where DH, DD and I have all been miserable, snotty coughing messes...DS gets a slight runny nose for a day or two and that's it.

He's 11 months old now and he's had probably 3 snotty noses and that's all - by the time she was his age DD (who was FF'd from about 2 months) had numerous really bad colds, rotavirus, a UTI and a viral infection that gave her mouth ulcers. DS's managed to avoid all that so far...touch wood!!

[paradise lost]

DD got sick once before i started to supplement with FF but once she was totally FF she did get sick more often. I think it just depends on the baby though.

Bx

[Meluchja]

Thanks ladies.
I would agree with the most of you. I think all babies are different, some are prone to get sick more than others, but maybe B/F bubbas will probably get over it quicker.
I guess I just needed to vent, thanks for listening and helping

[BellyBelly]

The reason why breastfed babies tend to get sick less or with less severity is because breastmilk contains living white blood cells. Something formula does not. Babies will still catch lurgies no matter how they are fed though

[Kristen]

Yeah, I had the same thought when Mia got sick a couple of weeks ago!

Her cold lasted for about 9 days, but the worst of it was over within 5-7. I used panadol only on one day when she had a bit of a fever, but otherwise I used the fess nasal drops and the aspirator every feed just to clean her out, and she seemed a little happier, even though she probably felt rotten (as we all do when we have colds!)