Co-sleeping and ear infections?

[IshaMT]

I may not be posting this in the right place and I apologize if that's the case. My 5 month old has an ear infection :( When talking with her doctor she asked how I nursed her. I explained that at night I nurse her with us lying side-by-side. She told me I should not be doing this since it allows milk to pool somewhere in there and will make her more likely to have ear infections. Has anyone had experience with this? It's making me kinda stressed out because this is what works best for us and I do not see my little girl being okay with anything else at this point. While I would be okay with her sleeping in her own bed and not needing to nurse to sleep, I know she would not at this point. The doctor started talking about the Ferber method, but I quickly cut her off, saying there's no way I'm doing it.

So, if anyone has any insight or advice I would appreciate your input. Thanks!

[babydanielsmom]

Well DS1 was bottle fed. We co sleep but I always sat up in the bed to feed him his bottle and he has had ALOT of ear infections. BTW, DS2 is fed the same way and he has never had an ear infection. IMO different kiddos get different illness growing up.

I'd "take with a grain of salt" any advice a Ped would except medical advice...how you put your LO to sleep, imo, is not a medical issue...it"s a Mama issue 

[RoamingWidgeteer]

(nak)

I think its pretty unlikely that nursing at night is the problem - otherwise we'd be seeing more ear infections in co-sleeping than crib-sleeping babies and that just isn't the case. And as far as I know, the eustachian tubes are too far up & back to get milk into them under normal circumstances.

[Marsupialmom]

This doctor extrapolated a bottle fact and applied it to breast-feeding. The doctor is incorrect.

http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/ear-infection-nursing.html

http://www.llli.org/NB/LVAprMay98p21NB.html