To give my toddler breast milk?

[ADropInTheOcean]

DS is 3 and has a bad cough and terrible cold. He's miserable but will not take any cough medicine - he has a really sensitive gag reflex and even when I have previously been able to coax him into taking it he's been sick almost instantly.

I'm currently breastfeeding his 7 month old sister (who has also started coughing) and I know my milk will be making antibodies to help fight off this infection. Should I see if DS would take some of my milk out of a cup? I haven't breastfed him for a year but he LOVES cows milk so might be more willing to try.

WIBU for trying? I don't want him ill for Christmas - he's so excited!

Tea isn't very hydrating tbh, caffeine isn't great for that.

There are antibodies in breast milk and in theory if the baby and toddler have the same illness then it could in theory help. It would probably have to be more than one drinks worth though but it defo can't do any harm and there's nothing wrong with it so op is not bu.

Well, they’d probably be killed off in the tea :)

I've made my eldest a hot chocolate from breast milk when he's been ill. Fresh expressed milk with ovaltine powder or chocolate shot added to it. He drank it no problem and was a lot better the next day.

Yes I wouldn't put it in tea.

I think its worth a try, but dont mix it with hot tea as the heat may well denature (kill) any antibodies in the breast milk.

You could also try a teaspoonful of honey for the toddlers cough

I can't see how anyone could say yabu. Whether or not your milk will cure him is moot but just giving him your milk isn't a big deal.

Penggwn do you think so? I don’t think people would drink breastmilk even if it did cure a cold. Most don’t even feed their infants despite the benefits.

Yes go for it!! As you say there will be antibodies in it for that exact cold if it's the same his little has.

So I think it's a genius idea!

If he'll drink it, why not?

An anecdote that might make you smile - when I was about 3, I saw my DM feeding my brother and asked what he was having. She said, "milk." I liked milk (still do, just not breast milk!). I asked for some.

"Ok," said my mother, and squeezed some into a cup for me. I looked at it for a bit. Looked at her. Looked at it. Then said,

"Actually can I have juice?"

(I also used to shove books up my top to "feed" them at the same time as my mum was breastfeeding my brother. Clearly I was a stupid child!!)

Ah, satan's breast milk. Otherwise known and marketed as coconut water.

Penggwn it's obvious you aren't a fan of breastfeeding given your comments in which case you should probably leave a thread to do with breast milk.

Tbf I don't think it's coming across as @Pengggwn not being a fan of bf. Just that she likes proof of things, which is fine
I'm a 'suck it and see' type of person

I think Pengggwn is rightly saying don’t expect it to cure him. OP has said he loves cows milk but wants to give breast milk for extra antibodies.

Won't do any harm giving it as a drink.

Wouldn't expect it to 'do' anything though regarding the cold.

To be honest I think it's too late if he's got a cold - it MIGHT help him fight it off before getting it. Problem is you'd never know whether it worked or not. But either way breastmilk is good for him!

you can try

I wouldn't expect a miracle but worth a try. I'd latch him on rather than faffing about expressing (also, if there is to be any antibody benefit- probably doubtful, but who knows- you would be better having his saliva make contact with your breast).

It won't do anything to help. But won't do any harm either. So if you want to, fine.

It's fine, go nuts. Better for him than cows milk anyway.

Natural weaning age is between 4-7 and a child's immune system isn't fully developed until past toddler hood (I think 4/5 but not 100% sure without checking.) So he would probably benefit from the antibodies if it is the same illness 🙂

Hope they both feel better soon!

That is simply not true about weaning