Getting sick whilst breastfeeding

[NorthernCroissant]

Hello everyone, this is my first post, so sorry if this isn’t in the right place!
Basically I have a theory and I’m wondering whether it’s a real thing or just a coincidence. My 8-month-old has had a few bouts of cold/viruses in his short life, and literally the day that his symptoms clear up, I start to feel rubbish. Every time. I express milk rather than directly breastfeed, but I’m wondering whether it is literally that my body notices a drop in his viral load and thinks ‘okay he’s fine, you can be sick now, you can finish concentrating all your antibodies on him.’
Does anyone else get this? Anecdotal and medical answers welcome. And if I stopped expressing milk, would we then more likely get sick at the same time?

I think you are over thinking this. If one of you catches a bug from elsewhere then the other will likely catch it a few days later anyway. In my family when we are ill it’s generally like a row of dominoes falling in turn.
The other option is that expressing doesn’t remove as much milk and makes you feel ill.

He's got lower immune than you so it makes sense he might come down with something quicker, your body tries to fight it off but sometimes doesn't.

I think you can also be on high alert with a sick baby, minute he's better your cortisol drops and you get sick, the same often happens when you stop work and go on holiday!

Apparently with direct breastfeeding your body picks up on bug through saliva on your nipple and secretes antibodies in milk - don't know if the same happens through general closeness and sloppy kisses etc if you're expressing.