Breastfeeding concerns

[Magic69]

My DS1 was a preemie, he was born at 27 weeks and I gave him exclusive breast milk for 8 months (when I went back to work).

He is always getting ill with colds and flu.

My DS2 was BF for three months and he always seems to be getting ear infections and colds.

I cant help thinking if I had BF them longer they would be healthier. However my HV says that may not be the case, that some children are just more prone to infections than others.

I have a baby now and I am contemplating stopping at 6 months when I start a new job. She is exclusively BF, albeit after a lot of difficulty and mixing formula feeds initially.

Has anyone thought back and wished they had BF their kids longer....? do you blame yourself when the kids get ill?

I formula fed from birth and dd has never had any of these ailments and was the healthiest any baby could be. Never had colds and infections as a baby and no allergies etc.

I think you are being extremely hard on yourself.

I bf DD for 4 weeks only, for various reasons. You could never meet a healthier, more robust child.

So no, I don't regret it. Your midwife is giving you good advice.

Thank you.
I guess when kids get ill I feel guilty and think I could have done something. I was BF for one year and I remember getting ill all the time too, maybe I am putting 2 and 2 together and coming up with 5

I've BF my DD till she was nearly 2yo and so far she has had two ear infections, a chest infection and tonsillitis; so honestly don't be so hard on yourself. You are doing an amazing job!
It seems that some DCs are just more prone to infections.

I couldn't breastfeed by son. I tried but we were on NICU and nothing came out.

When he is ill he gets a horrible cough that I have put down to his complications at birth, but never have I considered it a factor that I didn't BF.

try not to beat yourself up about it,
k

It reduces the chance on a population level. You won't be able to see a difference in individuals - it's definitely not the case that if you'd breastfed them more, they wouldn't have got that particular cold :) Don't worry. It just doesn't work like that.

Only about a third of babies in the UK are still being breastfed at 6 months, so if you get to that point then you've breastfed longer than the other two thirds. That doesn't seem anything to get worried about.

You don't necessarily have to stop breastfeeding altogether when you start work, it may be possible to continue with some feeds e.g in the morning/evening and at night.

Yes you could feed day and night, and have you considered expressing at work?

My DS1 was breastfed until he was 9 months, he was always getting colds, ear infections and glue ear until around two years, but I don't put it down to not breastfeeding him long enough, see it as a good thing,(I know that's hard) but it will help strengthen his immune system. My DS1 is never ill and hasn't had any illnesses since he was three, he's now nine and never catches the bugs we get. DS2 was fed until 7 months and he's never really had more than a cold or cough. I think it just depends on the child, some children are more prone to it than others.

Also no I don't regret not feeding longer, I did what I could for how long I could

Your HV is right, give yourself a break. I BFed for nearly a year and DD still has food allergies and gets every cold going. Luck of the draw.

My DS is 20 months old, still breast fed and is always getting coughs and colds and the like. He very recently had a nasty chest infection and Hand Foot and Mouth disease.

Kids get ill, breast fed or not, please don't be hard on yourself

I bf my daughter (now nine months) and she'd had a few colds so far.

My sisters children (one ff and the second combined until eff from 4ms) caught almost every cold going in first couple of years, partially due to going back to work early so both in nursery part time from a young age and you pick up all sorts there I imagine. Anyway the eldest is 6 now and has not had one day of school! We think it's because his immune system is so strong from fighting off all those nasty colds as a baby/toddler!

so I wouldn't worry! Definitely nothing to do with how long you bf and if anything, your LO will be getting 100% attendance certificates :)