confusion - breastmilk antibodies

[Kestrel]

Does breastmilk help the baby fight off illness that he's been exposed to? Or only what Mom has been exposed to?


DS just started group daycare (grumble... I hate that he has to go, but I need to work). I'm afraid he's going to spend all winter sick! He's never been sick before, but he's never been with any other kids, either! It's always been just me, DS and DH. (He's almost 9 months.)

We were considering weaning, but now... I'm torn. I'm _so_ tired of my breast pump (exclusively pumping), but it's better than dealing with a sick baby, I think.

Opinions, please?

[Momof3Labs]

What mom has been exposed to. So, no, it probably won't keep him from getting sick this winter from germs at day care, but it will help keep him from getting sick (or help him fight) anything that you or DH bring home to the family.

[dragop21]

if he does pick something up at daycare, when his mouth touches you, your body will start creating a cocktail especially for his sickness. so yes, its about what you take home, but also about what he is exposed to. he should at minimum recover faster from whatever it is.
my second was sick so much her first winter, I wanted to bang my head against a wall, she wasn't even in day care. however, she recovered like SUPER fast from virtually everything she caught at any point.
:)

[Katigre]

Breastmilk also helps their immune system and gut health in general be stronger - so when he does get sick it will usually be less severe and of a shorter duration than if he wasn't bf. The benefits of bf for the immune system extend to more than just what mom is exposed to which I think is pretty cool :).

[firsttimemama]

this is a great link on this topic

http://www.llli.org/FAQ/prevention.html

[amldaley]

Daycare is just tough no matter what. I EBF'd DD to 6 months. She started daycare at 5.5 months. For the first 2.5 months of daycare, she was sick CONSTANTLY including two boughts of RSV. And I was nursing the whole time.

Don't beat yourself up. Your kids ARE going to get sick. Breastfeeding helps them get sick less often and likely lessens the severity of illnesses, but they WILL get sick.

What about just pumping morning and night? Keep up the antibodies but not the whole routine?

[twowhat?]

Breastmilk does offer some "protection" but not as much as people like to say. Breastmilk contains IgA antibodies, which are the type of antibodies that are secreted (not the antibodies that stay in the blood). So, breastmilk would offer particular protection in the gut (this is where IgA antibodies do their thing, and IgA antibodies are typically the "first line of defense" against an invader). Also, the protection is passive and not active. Meaning that your baby gets IgA antibodies from your breastmilk, but he will not MAKE his own antibodies unless he becomes ill himself...so this is why breastmilk may lessen the severity of some illnesses...kind of gives baby's immune system a jump-start to hold off the invader until baby's immune system can kick in and start making his own antibodies.

Bottom line - once baby is out in the community, he WILL get sick. Certain illnesses may be less severe if you have seen the bug before and transfer antibodies through breastmilk, but breastmilk itself will not KEEP your baby from getting sick.

My twins are exclusively breastfed, we don't attend daycare and generally are homebodies, and they have been sick several times.

[marge234]

This is from BFing expert Dr. Jack Newman. It's actually an excerpt of a statement on swine flu but is a good summary of BM properties in re immunity.

Breastfeeding protects babies against infectious illnesses. Breastmilk provides many immune factors to the baby. Although everyone talks about antibodies, antibodies are only one group of immune factors, of which there are dozens in breastmilk. These immune factors interact in many ways to protect the baby. One important way is that breastfeeding provides the baby with “mucosal immunity”. That is, breastmilk provides antibodies, mucins, lactoferrin, lysozyme, oligosaccharides and many other immune factors that line the gut and upper respiratory surface and prevent microbes (viruses, bacteria, fungi etc) from entering the baby’s body and making him sick1 2. In other words, breastfeeding, in effect, is isolation of the baby without isolating the baby.

the full statement is here
http://www.nbci.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=103&Itemid=49

[tiapam]

So he has had only BM and only in a bottle, is that right? I can understand why you would be tired of pumping. I would try to hold on through this flu season if possible, even if you do cut back. Even just maintaining a small supply, you might be able to increase it should the need arise. Do you think he would take it from the breast, assuming that would work for your circumstances? You could BF when home and give formula when he is at daycare or with DH.

I spent a *lot* of time BFing DD (did not *have* to pump and she would *not* take a bottle anyway) but I spent very little time (and money) going to the doctor and virtually nothing on Rx for DD. She never had an Rx until she was about three years old. DS has been the same. I do attribute most of that to BFing and my ped does too.

Whatever you do, he will get sick. It's so hard to see your kid sick, but you will get through it. Anything you *can* do to lessen the illness will reap benefits for you as you won't have to take as much time off work for doctor and sick days, and won't spend as much money on doc visits and meds.