Breastmilk help protect toddler from illness?

[jessmke]

I pump once in the mornings, and I have started to give my toddler 5 oz of breastmilk in the morning instead of freezing it (I have an enormous freezer stash and no real need for it for my baby!). I'm wondering if the milk will help protect my toddler from colds/illnesses the way it does for the baby?

 

[Fizzyfefe]

Oh I bet. I'd give my toddler breast milk if I could! Breast milk is full of antibodies and I'm sure your little ones will be passing germs back and forth.

On a side note - Have you thought about donating your freezer stash? I received donor milk from a friend for my preemie twins and it was so wonderful.

 

[jessmke]

Oh I bet. I'd give my toddler breast milk if I could! Breast milk is full of antibodies and I'm sure your little ones will be passing germs back and forth.

On a side note - Have you thought about donating your freezer stash? I received donor milk from a friend for my preemie twins and it was so wonderful.

I have looked into donating my milk, but the local organization here that handles donations won't accept milk that was pumped before signing up as a donor. If I knew anyone personally that could use it I would definitely donate it that way, but I don't know anyone who needs it! I will end up using it eventually for my toddler probably, I still have milk in the freezer that I pumped when she was a baby! Neither of my kids will take a bottle, but I still like to have milk in the freezer when they are babies in case of emergency.

 

[_Meep_]

Assuming you are feeding your baby directly from your breast, whenever he gets ill (which no doubt your toddler will then, too), your milk will contain the antibodies that they both need to get better. There's some evidence that a breastfeeding baby's saliva 'backwashes' into the breast and if their saliva is full of germs, it then essentially communicates with you and tells your boob to make milk with the appropriate defences! So yeah, since they'll likely share illnesses, your pumped milk will definitely be able to help her. Both mine are feeding direct from the boob and we recently had baby's first cold, caught from my toddler. Both kids were better within about 2 days.

 

[jessmke]

Assuming you are feeding your baby directly from your breast, whenever he gets ill (which no doubt your toddler will then, too), your milk will contain the antibodies that they both need to get better. There's some evidence that a breastfeeding baby's saliva 'backwashes' into the breast and if their saliva is full of germs, it then essentially communicates with you and tells your boob to make milk with the appropriate defences! So yeah, since they'll likely share illnesses, your pumped milk will definitely be able to help her. Both mine are feeding direct from the boob and we recently had baby's first cold, caught from my toddler. Both kids were better within about 2 days.

My daughter stopped breastfeeding at 13 months old when I was about 4 months pregnant and my milk supply dried up. It was right around when she caught her first cold and then she had quite a few colds throughout the winter caught at playgroups and daycare. I'm glad she is interested in drinking the expressed milk because I am really hoping it will help her from getting so many colds this winter! She acts like the breastmilk is the greatest treat in the world!

 

[Rags]

Have you thought about using your freezer stash when making food for the children? I used most of mine in Ds's puddings etc

 

[jessmke]

Have you thought about using your freezer stash when making food for the children? I used most of mine in Ds's puddings etc

A friend suggested that I cook with it, but the only thing we really eat that uses milk is scrambled eggs, and it seems silly to defrost a whole bag just to use a little splash of milk. We don't eat cereal, mashed potatoes, or desserts, so I think I'll just stick to having her drink it.

 

[_Meep_]

You could also freeze some into lolly moulds so she thinks she's getting a treat lol. Even though it's not hot weather any more, my kid still loves an ice lolly as a dessert.

 

[Milina]

I know it is written in many articles you may find but I´just don´t buy it. I also did breast feeding myself and I prefer it before anything else. But I don´t think it is better than feeding with bottle.

 

[_Meep_]

Have to interject here - do you mean formula milk via bottle or breastmilk via bottle? If you're talking about formula, first of all, I've nothing - NOTHING - against formula, don't get me wrong. It's a wonderful alternative when breastfeeding is not possible or desired by the mother for whatever reason, and for sure produces beautiful, healthy infants. However, it will never ever and can never ever be superior or on a par with the live, human fluid designed for human babies that breastmilk is.

 

[jessmke]

I know it is written in many articles you may find but I´just don´t buy it. I also did breast feeding myself and I prefer it before anything else. But I don´t think it is better than feeding with bottle.

It is scientific fact that antibodies are passed from the mother to the baby in the breastmilk. I wasn't questioning this fact, I was just wondering if it would help my toddler since the milk I am producing isn't specifically being made for her.

 

[CormacksGirl]

I know it is written in many articles you may find but I´just don´t buy it. I also did breast feeding myself and I prefer it before anything else. But I don´t think it is better than feeding with bottle.

It is scientific fact that antibodies are passed from the mother to the baby in the breastmilk. I wasn't questioning this fact, I was just wondering if it would help my toddler since the milk I am producing isn't specifically being made for her.

I don't see why it wouldn't help! After all babies have donated milk not produced solely for them so I don't see the difference!x