howl long do protective effects of breastfeeding last?

[ruty]

I was talking to a doctor the other day, a toxicologist, and he was saying that the immuno-protective properties of breast milk decline after the child is one year old because the immunoglobulins can no longer pass thru the digestive tract. Does anyone have any scientific evidence on hand to prove or disprove this?
As my child is turning one this month and has had health probs in the past i have a special interest in this!

Its been proven that breastmilk still has definite benefits up to and beyond age two. No studies have been done beyond age two so they can't say for sure after that but it doesn't seem logical that it would suddenly stop being good for them.
How much sense does it make to say stop feeding your child your own milk because its no good anymore and instead give them another animal's milk?
I know of a paediatrician who believes children need breastmilk at least until age 5 so you can see opinions vary hugely among the medical community.

roxwood i'm definitely going to continue breastfeeding, hopefully up to two, i was just wondering specifically about the immuno-protective effects with regards to what this doctor said, whether what he says has a basis in science or not.

I just found on Kellymom studies that show that breastfed toddler get ill less often and recover more quickly than non breastfeeding toddlers.
That seems like proof to me that the immune benefits continue.

Check out this link

how long till this kicks off

Hi Ruty, I'm planning to feed at least till age two as well, I was distracted and didn't mean to press post until I'd found some info for you but then I was stupid and did.. :-) So I've posted again..

thanks roxwood, will have a look at that link in a minute when ds lets me! Don't want to kick anything off - not trying to repeat that infamous breastfeeding thread!`just trying to find out about what this bloke said to me..

Friend was convinced that there was link between her stopping b'feeding her ds at just 1 and him getting his first (of many) ear infection a week or so later.

Not sure how this could kick off.. but then I guess some of the unlikeliest posts on here have caused offence..

now hang on, that kelly mom link says that the immunoprotecticve properties increase in the second year! Hooray if that's true! So what is this doctor on about then? Does he know something we don't?

I've read that before, that as nursing frequency declines the proportion of antibodies increases to give our children extra protection as they go out to explore the wide world.

Does he know something that no breastfeeding expert does? I haven't found anything anywhere to suggest that the benefits decline after a year.

strange isn't it? and he spoke so scientifically. I'm surprised if there is no conflicting evidence, tho pleased.

I wonder if he was talking about the role immunoglobulins play in protecting the digestive system of young babies?
This no longer happens once babies start taking other foods or milks but they don't need it after six months.
There are many other benefits of breastmilk besides that one though.

I breastfed my daughter until she was 2 - just the morning & evening feeds from about 18mths, along with the odd feed on route to holidays.

She has had a handful of minor colds & chicken pox where she was barely ill. She has never had an ear infection & has no allergies. She has also never had an stomach upset, although she is inclined to be constipated.

I have a couple of friends whose children of similar ages always have some sort of ailment going on.

Maybe a coincidence ? I like to think the breastfeeding helped to contribute to her so far good health.

Once again, a health service employee demonstrates they know nothing about breastfeeding

he was quite earnest in telling me that breast milk was not useful from an immuno protective point of view after one year. Glad if he is not correct tho.

Will you tell him he's talking out of his arse and point him in the direction of the WHO website?

may just ignore him instead. its funny, he's quite a knowledgeable bloke, about pesticides and toxins, so surprised he got it wrong. But relieved.

forgot to add, my doctor told me breastfeeding was BAD for DD - I was in fact, making her constipated. What an idiot I changed to a different surgery.

WOW Mojo, thats a howler!

You should have bombed the surgery not just left it!

i took dd to the doctor a few weeks ago and he prescribed both me and her medication, i told him i was breastfeeding and he said "what still? that child should be eating crisps and biscuits now not breast milk!"
when i pointed out her various allergies and the fact that the senior paediatrician had asked me to continue bfeeding as long as i could he shut up. Stupid man

mojomummy - breastfeeding is certainly not bad for your dd - what a ridiculous thing to say!!

However, just in reponse to your earlier post - none of my 3 children have EVER had a cold (honestly!!), no allergies, no ear infections - nothing. All were formula fed (ds1 bf for about a month), so I think that while I'm sure bf can contribute to good health, much of it is down to genetics and it's not going to 'guarantee' good health and no allergies.

how depressing jenk1 what your doctor said. Crisps and biscuits? Oh dear oh dear oh dear. Even for a child without allergies. If this guy had been an ordinary gp i wouldn't have given him a second thought [sorry gps out there!] but as he is usually on the ball it threw me a bit.

Who trusts GPs anyway? My friend told me this morning that she'd been back to get some blood test results as she'd not been well. GP says 'I'd be thinking you'd be a good candidate for HRT but since you are still having periods...' to which friend said 'er, I've had a hysterectomy'

Sorry, off topic I know!

I have lost all trust in GPs, and breast consultants come to that! As soon as DS got to 6 months the breast consultant and gp told me to stop because he no longer needed it They really need extra training.I needed to c a breast consultant cos I had had a breast abcess and he made it very clear that he knew nothing about breast feeding. I wouldnt listen to the doctor, obviously has a lack of knowledge! The only health professional that has supported me is my HV!