You know the "yeah, but I know a bf baby who's ill all the time" old chestnut?

[hunkermunker]

Not very well thought out, is it?

Nope! Justification imo...although I did have a fleeting smug moment that my DS who was ff from 6wks didn't seem to get many bugs as a b'fed child I know......then....he started nursery.....

My smugness soon evaporated....

No, it isn't, hunker

What's on your mind, 'hun' ?

I believe the standard reply to that is "And do you know your arse from your elbow?"

It's true though that bf baby does not necessarily = healthier baby and vice versa, it's a statistical thing.

yeah I know that old chestnut - and have to admit I did wonder where I was going wrong with DS1 (my only exclusively BF child).......felt neurotic first time mother of the year down the Dr.s with him every month LOL.

but yes, people seem to use anecdotal evidence as proof to the contrary more for this (and weaning at 6 weeks I suppose) than anything else I've noticed

ARGH!

Standard reply being to the chestnut of the title, not Tiktok!

Sorry

then I'd have all the smug FF mothers who were lucky and didn't have babies who were ill all the time saying things like "oh well you see BF didn't help him ward off any of his infections did it"

FUCK OFF was my thought.........but never said it of course

It's OK, Wandering....I knew you didn't mean me

Well, I have been thinking about it recently.

DS1 has had tonsillitis a few times this winter (I used to get it A Lot).

He's just getting over an ear infection (again, I used to get them A Lot).

He has very mild eczema (as do I - actually, mine worse than his and flares much more often).

DS2, on the other hand, gets the occasional sniffle and has vomited once in his two years.

DS1 is 3.10 and was bf for 17m, DS2 was 2 last month and still bf. Neither have ever had any formula.

So both fall into the category of bf for longer than your average bear.

So I guess for some people, DS1 would fall into the "sickly bf child" category - or rather, "sicklier than my ff child" category. He's farm-child healthy the rest of the time, but seems prone to these ENT things.

And this is what I mean by not thinking it through properly - how would DS1 get tonsillitis or ear infections less frequently if I'd ff him? That's rhetorical, btw

god I'd never class your DS1 as a sickly BF child!!! That sounds pretty tame to me .

Laryngitis at 2/3 weeks old
Chest infection every time he got a cold (roughly once a month) which would only shift with the aid of antibiotics and inhaler......this continued until he nearly 2, then on and off until he started nursery - then thankfully he grew out of it.
Vomitted - can't remember, not many but lots of the runs (not going to try and spell the "D" word LOL)
Separate from the chest infections he had bronchiolitis

I'm sure there was something else - but I can't remember what it was now.

All of the above before he was 1 (I stopped BF him at 14 months - not a drop of formula passed his lips...........nor any of my loving EBM but that's another thread).

So your DS1 sounds positively healthy by my standard LOL

In my long and winding experience of babies and toddlers, I have known many children who are prone to just the one thing.

Some are pukers.
Some get sky high temperatures.
Some always have ear infections.
Some are always smeared with biscuit...

And many of these children have been breastfed past a year.

I am entirely overlooking any effect my nannying 'expertise' might have had on the puking (I'm not a great cook) and biscuits especially.

Oh, poor DS1, FAQ! Has he grown out of it?

WT, that reminds me - DS1 gets sky-high temps every now and then - every month or so between one and two although no other symptoms (except teeth coming through) and now occasionally with no other symptoms, but usually with a throat or ear infection.

I think they're coming down slightly as he gets older - his "record" is 41.3 and this time he "only" got to 39.6. Poor boiling boy. Doctor said today it showed his immune system was working well - no idea if that's true or not, but sounds good so I'm taking it

I think all children different i bf all 4, ds1 never gets ill has the odd sniffle and shakes off any bugs going around, dd2 gets everything going and had a cold what seemed like forever on and off for about 6mths. I still believe bf best in my opinion...bonding etc!! But i don't really think it matters how they are fed, if they are going to be ill they will be ill, we can only do what we feel is best and as long as you and your baby are happy who cares what other people say you know you are doing what is right for you and your baby!!!

HM - yes he definitely seems to have grown out of it now - thankfully! Interestingly he NEVER had a temp with any of them though - even when he was really poorly.

DS2 - FF from 5 days old has been to the doctors 2 times IIRC (both times it was just a cold - but with memories of DS1 in my mind I had to get him checked over) which of course is also absolute, unquestionable and resounding proof of.... nowt at all really

DS3 BF for 3 weeks exclusively, and mixfed until 4/5 months has had 1 ear infection (which ended up with him being admitted to hospital for the day) and a couple of chest infections which is also absolute, unquestionable and resounding proof of.... nowt at all really

OH DS is the picture of health, despite everything he sticks in his mouth, nose and ears. He was b/fed until he was 2.4 yrs.

DD was b/fed till 7 months but has been a sickly child since birth really.

It's proof positive that all children are different

yeah here are my conclusive remarks:

dd1 bf to three and a bit
never been to the doctor
had chickenpox, v mild. been sick about five or six times, ever. never had a cough or cold, though did once have croup. never snotty.

dd2 been tot he dr once with vomiting bug (24 hour thing), otherwise never been ill except for chickenpox. has runny nose though, almost all the time.
neither have any allergies or eczema, though dd2 does have rather sensitive skin.

both have fantastic digestion, never been constipated, at least 2 or 3 bowel movements a day.

there you go, no need to do any more research. ever.

oh gosh - bowel movements - how could I forget the inconsistency with my DS1 and DS2 (obviously DS3 too young to count especially as he's just getting used to proper food).

DS1 (7) goes every other day (if you're lucky) has to be REMINDED to go and try and do one..takes him ages to "perform" as he's so flipping constipated half the time (been like it since he was a toddler)

DS2 (4) minimum of 2/3 a day, goes totally of his accord, has hardly got his bottom on the toilet before the yell "I'm FINIIIIIISHED" comes floating through the house.

Ah, but

babycarrot, in rude health, never been poorly, excl bf to 6 months

skinniest baby on the block.

Proof that bf makes you healthy. And gives you hollow legs.

so there.

ahhh but VLC

I was BF until I was over 1yr old - I'm short and battle with my weight -

My brother was FF and is 6ft and can eat for England - but is as thin as a rake

So there

Ah, but, FAQ - my older brother was ff and is 6ft 2 and skinny as a rake and not especially healthy.

I was b/fed, but am short and chubby and not especially healthy.

My younger two brothers are both 6ft and 6ft 3 inches, and the 6ft 3 brother who is rarely ill but has allergies but was b/fed for 15 months.

So, therefore, proof positive that smoking throughout pg produces a bad brood.

yeah i agree it just depends on the child in question i exclusively BF DD for 6mo and she has had loads of health problems. urine infections, ear infctions, croupe (x2), bowel problems from birth and according to the idiot HV she was "overweight" from about 4 weeks old!! FYI HV she was born on the 95th centile and has stayed there steadily on weight and height since then and still 2 years later she is on the 95th centile[ggrrr] my friend FF her DS and he is the smallest skinniest child i have ever met statistics only include the people who fit the 'desired criteria'...
xx ei xx

I agree, i prefer the natural way, it does have it's advantages but then so does ff and i say all children different...i think some children are going to be ill or not as the case may be regardless of how they are fed..I used to think bf answer to everything as my first child thrived and is and has never really been poorly, even when he had chickenpox not ill just few spots, but then i had dd1 and she was completely different colds and coughs all the time although fed exactly the same...i think obviously bf could help but not always so!!!