Hello to you!

[Mom23]

I'm new here, but have been visiting the site for a while to get some insight. I'm a mother of 3 and am breastfeeding my newest member of our family Hadley, who is almost 6 weeks old. My whole family got a cold thanks to the beginning of school and of course I got it too, now my infant is sick. I'm nursing exclusively and I don't understand why the baby got sick! I thought my milk carried all of the antibodies needed to protect her! Can anyone explain?

[Nipple_nectar]

Welcome to the boards! Your milk does have antibodies that give your baby a certain amount of immunity. That does not mean if you exposed yourself or baby to a serious virus or flu that your baby would not get sick. I would like to think that your baby would be way sicker without the immunities of BFing.

Also, I noticed with my kids that if they do get sick, it is only very short lived, while others may be laid up much longer.

[Brianna]

Breastmilk is a wonderfull tool for protecting our little ones from illness, but sometimes illness happens. Your breastmilk should help the illness be less severe and pass more quickly.

[Teresa64]

My ds has gotten almost every cold I have gotten. But his colds are shorter and he has less symptoms that what I end up with.

[bfmomworries]

I too just got over a summer cold, and my little one did manage to catch it too. But I agree with previous posters, her symptoms weren't as severe as mine, as a matter of fact I only knew she was sick from the odd sounded breathing when she nursed, and the fact that she woke up throughout the nights, which she never does. She never got a fever, I never had to clean out her nose or anything, just a congested breathing sound while nursing. So I figure the breastfeeding helped her from the bulk of the cold symptoms.

[ima062002]

Your baby has virtually no immune system and your milk passes down antibodies that you have made previously and the ones you are making now. But if you have been exposed to something new, you and your baby will get sick. Your body will make antibodies fast and passes them on and your baby will get well much faster than if it were to be fed a dead substance like formula.

So breastfeeding is not a total shield but nature's impfect "best protection" :).

[Mom23]

thanks to all that responded. Baby seems to be congested and snotty but still in a good mood! She's slept for 2 days straight only waking to nurse or because of being uncomfortable. No fever! I'm hoping this will pass quickly!

[jodyvo]

I felt the same way with DDs first cold. I have now learned that they get sick. It is their way of building their own immunities. It is something she probably picked up from the other kids and will continue to do so untill she is exposed to other children.
Hang in there and I hope it passes quickly. Sleep is the best thing for her now