# I'm sick! Does that mean bf baby will get sick?



## lolo (Jul 30, 2007)

DD is 3 months old, exclusively bf. Any chance she will not get sick (flu/cold) if I have it?


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## sparkysgirl (Feb 29, 2008)

actually its good that your bf. I got sick several times last fall/winter and my baby didn't. They get the antibodies you are making to fight the illness through your breastmilk. Even later when she got older and I was just bf a 4-5x a day she still didn't get sick. In the past 16 months she has been sick twice! The bf gives them all the antibodies you have stored up from previous illnesses too. Yah for breastmilk! Just as a precaution wash your hands a lot and try not to cough/sneeze on baby. good luck, sick babies are no fun, but when they do get sick it is wonderful to have the bf to comfort them with


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## lexapurple (Dec 24, 2006)

Don't worry she will not get sick but if she does she will not get as sick as you are because she is getting antibodies from you. My DD never gotten sick from me.


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## ~ani~ (Sep 30, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lexapurple* 
if she does she will not get as sick as you are because she is getting antibodies from you.

My 2.5mo got the same cold as me. I got it because I didn't have the antibodies (of course) and he got it because I wasn't passing them along to him I guess because I didn't have them. The good news is he wasn't as stuffy as me! His really wasn't as bad as my cold.

Breastfeeding is awesome!


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## dex_millie (Oct 19, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lexapurple* 
Don't worry she will not get sick but if she does she will not get as sick as you are because she is getting antibodies from you. My DD never gotten sick from me.









:

I actually got the flu for 2 weeks and DS was barely affected. At the end of 2 weeks he got a mild fever (99degrees taken under arm) in the morning and by afternoon it was gone, while I was miserable for the 2 weeks (joint pain, headache, rarely eating, ect...). Oh my husband had it at the same time, but not as long. So DS had double dose in a very small apartment.


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## ladyleigh (Dec 5, 2006)

I had the stomache flu and bf baby between bouts of throwing up. Yeah, that was fun. But, DS never got sick. They say you SHOULD bf and give the baby the immune stimulators in your milk. I did wash my hands a ton.


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## SMR (Dec 21, 2004)

yep, keep that strong momma milk flowing! My girl never got sick when I was..


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## alllyssa (Sep 1, 2004)

She might get sick, she might not. If she catches it tho it isn't from breastfeeding, it's from your airborn germs and very likely from your hands - so wash them a lot and try not to cough in her direction. If she does get sick this young, my experience is that it won't be a big deal. My 6 month old is on her 3rd!! very mild cold (runny, stuffy nose type thing), but she has 5 older siblings.

BTW, if she gets a stuffy nose try Simply Saline - it feels kind of mean to shoot her up the nose w/salty water, but I STG, she'll sneeze a great big boogy out her nose within about 20 seconds and be able to breathe again - that stuff works GREAT!


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## amberskyfire (Sep 15, 2007)

Our pediatrician says to keep breastfeeding, that babies pretty much cannot get sick from your breastmilk and if they catch what you have, it's just from being around you. He says that breastfeeding is actually better for baby when Mom gets sick because it's better for the baby, has antibodies against the disease, and provides the closeness you both need when not feeling well.


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## mom4peace (Mar 5, 2008)

My understanding is, if the whole family is sick, a breastfed baby is the least likely to get sick. My DH has been sick a couple of times since my DS was born, and I've just kept him away. I also take echinacea. It's good for my immune system and ds gets some as well.


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## mrscakes (May 4, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ladyleigh* 
I had the stomache flu and bf baby between bouts of throwing up. Yeah, that was fun. But, DS never got sick. They say you SHOULD bf and give the baby the immune stimulators in your milk. I did wash my hands a ton.









that: I has the stomach flu (on mother's day, no less!) and Z didn't get sick at all.


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## kosheng (Oct 22, 2005)

i am on the fourth day of what dr. sears calls the "summer flu." saturday, sunday and monday i had a fever of 104, and a horrible headache.. today it is just a low grade fever and really sore throat. i was so worried that reece would catch it, but i nursed through my complete misery. i'm still not happy today, but reece seems pretty unscathed. he had a mild fever yesterday, and was pretty miserable for a while, but he's much better today.

gotta be the boob juice and the magic antibodies!!


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