Will breastfeeding provide immunity for my toddler against the swine flu?

[TheBreastmilksOnMe]

I have had the jab because I am pregnant and DS who is 27mths old had it last year but I understand little ones are not getting it this year which I think is totally f**d up but that is a whole other thread. I was just wondering though, as he is breastfeeding and my milk has changed to the highly concentrated colostrum- would he be getting some of the protection I and the baby have?

Gosh, Have no idea really, but think I would have to go with probably not. Not sure that it is that specific a transferrance of antibodies, but could be totally wrong. Interesting point though!

Ah, I was hoping this for my toddler and eleven month old too - I had the swine flu jab last year because I was pregnant, and since both are still getting breastmilk I assumed it gave at least a bit of immunity. DH (a GP) agreed but then he might just have been agreeing to stop me worrying about it

I doubt it.

My DD got chickenpox at a few months old when she was breastfed (because her passive immunity from me had worn off). Perhaps the milk will help him if he gets flu, although it didn't seem to help my baby...

So how does the immunity thing work then? Curious now...

i seemed to remember that the protection afforded to you from the jab could be passed on through breastfeeding

but, i might have totally made that up definitely worth looking into though!

when i was researching chicken pox and breastfeeding i did discover that after something like 6 months or so it's not effective as your baby is developing its own immune system or something like that, so i don't know if it would be similar with swine flu?

sorry, fairly useless reply!

I think...

any pathogen that the baby is exposed to is assimilated by the mother and antibodies are made. also if the mother gets the virus or whatever, she makes antibodies which naturally go in the milk.

if she did get swine flu, being able to breastfeed would offer her vital fluids and comfort anyway so would only be a goo thing.

i think... not 100%

TheBreastMilksOnMe, so does he still drink the colostrum? also curious :)

I hope that he will get some of the immunity from my breastmilk, it would be interesting to know for certain though as it does provide immunological benefits. Ruby yes he still drinks the colostrum, hasn't put him off a bit! When this baby arrives though she will be getting first dibs at it because it's in limited supply, so he will just have to wait until my full milk comes back in!