Do bf babies get sick more?

[Iutr]

NO DEBATES PLEASE genuine question!

I was talking in my friendship group earlier this week then to my sisters, between these groups theres 12 kids (I’m pregnant with first due February)

it started when my friend asked how I’d feed him and I said I wanted to try breastfeeding

a few of my friends chimed in that their BF babies got sick easier compared to their formula fed child/children. 2 of my friends have only ever BF so can’t really make the argument

my 2 sisters have done a mixture too and they said the same?!! That they get sick easier and more bugs

i don’t want to think this is true but did you notice a difference if you fed your kids different ways?!!

My ds is 10. Formula fed from day 1. Never had a day off school sick or had a stomach bug. Has had a handful of colds. Started nursery at 6 months old and in the 4 years he was there the only time he was off was for chicken pox and a nasty strep a infection which end up in a hospital admission. No allergies. So much like me for not being unwell. I think its dna more than anything else.

Mine are teens and never ill.

Sorry they were EBF all of them till they were over a year.

The reality is it’s much for muchness no matter what anyone from either ‘side’ says.

On a population level BF babies have a lower chance of getting various illnesses but overall it’s generally not by a huge percentage so on a personal level it really makes little difference.

If a child is sick with a cold, bug etc it’s not ‘because’ they are BF or FF.

Also people will claim their BF baby or FF baby “never” gets sick but honestly most kids don’t get sick until they are in childcare and once they are they all get sick the same!

It’s utterly pointless to say your baby gets sick or ‘recovers’ quickly from being sick when you’re still on mat leave and they are young. None of the babies while I was on mat leave really got sick, and they were a full mix of BF, FF and combi. They all got sick in nursery though.

In my very humble experience my baby got sick less than my ff friends babies but there were many factors, their babies went to nursery which exposed them to more diseases, the bottles can be a way of being exposed to more germs vs bf , I went abroad a lot and I'm quite sure had I not been ebf my baby would have been exposed to a lot more germs. But that's only because I was ebf. If I was bottle feeding breast milk I'd assume the risks were similar because a bottle is stillbeing used.

The only thing that might be something important to consider is that ebf dc milk changes given the temperature or any illnesses the mother or dc have. It adapts to its environment so if it's hot it becomes more watery to hydrate baby, if there's germs floating about the mothers milk can provide antibodies to prevent more serious sickness and vaccinated mothers can also pass on antibodies in their milk for some diseases so perhaps it could be that bf babies get less problems.

I don't know. Just observations and things I've read but I wouldn't worry. Ebf was an absolutely wonderful bonding experience after the initial painful first few weeks so wouldn't put me off even if it was 'worse' I feel my baby gained so much than just 'food' from it.

Breast fed babies have better immune systems.
But kids need to get sick to build their immune system!

Antibodies builds their immune system up too

True but my breastfed son recovers pretty quick when he's poorly. Like one time he was only poorly for a day. Another time you wouldn't think he was poorly he was still his happy smiley self. I give him extra boob

I think they get sick less, and I accept the research evidence.

My breast fed DC never get sick.

I think it’s entirely to do with the baby, not the feeding. EBF DD has been in full-time childcare since 12 months and I can count on one hand her time off for illnesses – 1 covid, 1 noro (both of these hit the whole family), 3 random nursery bugs of the “fever and grotty just long enough to inform nursery then regained all her energy with one dose of calpol but still had to be kept off for 48 hours, driving me bats” variety. She’s just not a poorly kid – she escaped HFM, chickenpox, slapped cheek, etc, when those were going around. Even covid only slowed her for less than 48 hours. I credit it more to our lax housekeeping and slatternly parenting, she gets plenty of germs and dirt to build her immunity.

EBF second DC now and crossing my fingers he’s equally Teflon-coated!

@Emmamoo89 yes and being sick gives them the antibodies!

As with all things it is not black and white. Genetics and environment also matter, as does age of mother. Vaginal v. C-Section is also becoming increasingly more researched and could well be an important factor. Anecdotally my FF kids were and are extremely healthy, but then so am I, so lots of genetics at play there I assume.

Still breastfeeding my nearly 2 year old. He's rarely ill touch wood. Has never had a cough or been on antibiotics. Can count on one hand the times he's vomited in his life (at least one was chocolate related). He's had a brief cold handful of times.

Does he go to nursery @Wavescrashingonthebeach ? I think PP is right actually about that is what makes the biggest difference.

@Cuppasoupmonster

No but he goes soft play most days as we have a pass and I make sure he mixes with children every day so toddler groups, visits etc

sorry don't know why it's all bold I can't unbold the font

Me and one of my sisters didn't breastfeed ours and they're neeve ill. The other sister breastfed and hers are always ill with every bug going. Probably a coincidence but who really knows

No its the opposite. When baby is sick your body will pump the milk with more antibodies. I remember when my DD went into hospital at 3m with suspected sepsis and the nurses were glad she was bf as they said she'd be getting extra help from me.

Breastfed all of mine, only extremely occasional sickness, very healthy.

100% nursery that makes the difference!

Ah that’ll be it then. Baby groups just aren’t the same as 20 snotty kids being together in a room for 8 hours a day, eating and toileting together!

@Cuppasoupmonster

You haven't seen the state of the soft play with them all coughing all over each other and eating random stuff of the food ha.

Oh believe me I have! It’s nowhere near the same level of exposure though.

@Cuppasoupmonster

He starts nursery in a few weeks so il update then :)