Info about ear infections and diff between bf'd and ff'd babes?

[Shaunam]

I'm really just curious about the average number of ear infections in a baby's first year of life and the difference when they are bf'd versus ff'd.

I was on my mainstream birthboard and someone posted about ear infections and said something like (loosely quoted) "now I know we all are dealing with this or have dealt with this..."

This is a board with at least 100 members. There is no way she knows we all have dealt with ear infectons. Which leads me to believe she just assumes all babies have to deal with them at one point or another.

People are always really surprised that my DS (soon to be one) hasn't had an ear infection. So, I guess it's pretty common belief.

Am I wrong? Is this a common belief? I hardly ever see threads about ear infections on mdc where most women breastfeed. I'm wondering if it's actually uncommon for breastfed babies to get ear infections in the first year.

Or am I just really, really lucky not to have dealt with ear infections?

[msumomma]

I don't know the total answer to your question, but I do know my personal experience so far. My dd will be turning one on Feb 11th, and she has not had an ear infection yet either. She's been on antibiotics twice for bronchitis...but no ear infections here. I am curious to hear what others have to say about this too. My friends who have babies under a year who ff do seem to get at least 1-2 ear infections before their babies turn one.

[jeanine123]

Don't know about average numbers or anything but maybe this link will help explain more on bfing and ear infections. FWIW my son is almost 2.5 yo and he's never had an ear infection, an ache for a weekend that we took care of with garlic oil but that's it.

http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns...n-nursing.html

[alegna]

My dd is 17 months. No ear infections. No antibiotics. 2 "colds" where she had a runny/snuffly nose for ~3 days each.

-Angela

[Viola]

My kids are 2 and 6, and neither one has had an ear infection. But then, I was bottlefed and I don't think I was prone to ear infections much myself in spite of the bottlefeeding. I do remember having some when I was older, so I wasn't completely free from them.

I do know some exclusively breastfed babies who did have recurrent ones.

But yeah, I've never had to deal with ear infections with my children although they have had a number of coughs and colds.

[Kia]

Same as Angela here. A couple of runny noses but never any ear infections and never any antibiotics.

[NaomiLorelie]

My girls are three and 18 months, and no ear infections for either of them. I was bfed for three years myself, and I had so many I almost had tubes in. I remeber the misery of ear infections well. All in all though, I definately believe that FF makes children much more prone to ear infections.

[seren]

Dd1 was exlusively bf for 4 months, did both until she was 7 months. SHe has at least one ear infeaction a year until she was three. Always around the same time of year. So not sure if it had anything to do with being bottlefed or not.

Ds had a double ear infection. He was bf until 14 months. I don't know if it was just coincidence (as my pede says) that he got it after recieving a certain shot, or not. But that was the only one he ever had.

Dd2 is almost 8 months and nothing here.

[Artisan]

I also think that MDC mamas are more likely to seek alternative treatments, like chiro care, for ear infections, so that's why you don't see many threads on it. My 3.5 year old has had one ear ache that we used a homeopathic remedy for, and it cleared up in two days. My 18 month old has never had one. I do have two friends whose babies were BF'd, and they had so many ear infections that they had to have tubes put in. One of them did seek chiro care, the other did not.

[mamaw/two]

Neither of my dd's have had an ear infection, they are almost 4 years and 14 monthes. When I was a child I had lots of ear infections ( I was bf for 13 monthes). My mother blames a milk allergy and treating the infection with antibiotics. I do know quite a few people who ff and it seems that their children are alot more prone to them.

[zaner'smama]

Hi! My hubby and I were just talking about this yesterday. My breastfeeding son is nearly 9 months old and has never had an earache, or been sick at all.
By comparison, when I was a baby/toddler, I had a lot of problems with my ears and had tubes put in three different times. I was breastfed for about 6 weeks.
I've also seen friends who had ff babies, and dealt with a lot of colds and such.
Yay for boobie milk!!
~Betsy

[Slabobbin]

My son (who was ff btw) had ear infection after ear infection. He ended up with tubes at 13 months. They kept telling me it was just the short tube in his ears and his bone structure and that it was probably heriditary (DH and I both had tons of ear infections as a child - both ff). DD who is bf (but with supplemental formula due to low supply caused by PCOS) has had one ear infection in her entire life and she is almost 11 months old. I know that is antedoal but that has been my experience.

[hansona2001]

BF VS FF and ear infections

The evidence is clear that it seems to be that BF infants and children get much fewer ear infections than the general population that is FF. Unfortunately for me, my son that was initially BF for 2 weeks before we had to stop had at least 6 within the first year. My FF daughter never had an ear infection until the age of 5 when her tonsils grew so large that they blocked her eustacian tubes and caused fluid build up. My FF son has never had an ear infection in his life. He is 7. My girlfriends daughter who was exclusively BF until the age of 3 months had severe bouts with ear infections since she was one month old (YIKES FOR HER and BABY) and still continues with them on formula. My other friend exclusively BF both her children and I don't believe they had too many if at all ( I can't really remember but it doesn't stick out to me). There are so many reasons other than immunity and BF that can cause ear infections. The most promising is that if your child is going to be prone to them, BF may at least help to hold them at bay or prevent them (hopefully) , so I say go for it and hope that you reap the ear infection benefit. Even if not, you can still reap all of the others of BF!!!

[sillymamaof2]

My DS was BF untill he was 18 months, his first ear infection and first antibiotic was when he 4(discovered a well check from failing hearing exam, suprise, suprise, my son had no complaints).
My DD now 19 months still Bf, no ear infections and no antibiotics. I have been very lucky!

[Pen]

DS, now age 8 and BF for 4 years, had his first and so far only ear infection at age 6. (should have kept him at the breast until 6) It lasted less than two days. Crazy. DD, now 8.5 months old, EBF for 8.5 mos and counting. And I refuse to comment. hint, hint, nudge, nudge....
PS during DS's first year I had the flu, bronchitis,and several colds. We lived with another baby who was always sick with something (BTW FF) and DS didn't even get a diaper rash. DD had a runny nose on aug 24 from 8am until 2pm. I am now sick with something that is trying to KILL me and DS and DD are healthy as... oops! can't say, must find wood...

[My4Boys]

Personal experience...my first didn't have an ear infection until he was six. My second had one when he was two (at the same time my oldest had his). And my third had one when he was two. None of my kids have had more than two ever.

[charmcitymama]

I would think that staying home vs. going to daycare plays a huge role in this as well.

[sabros]

Originally Posted by charmcitymama

I would think that staying home vs. going to daycare plays a huge role in this as well.

I'd have to agree with this; environment plays a big role in the exposure to illnesses leading to ear infections. DS started daycare at 3 months; he was never sick before that, and by the time he was a year he'd probably had 4-5 ear infections. We breastfed all the time we were together, and he had expressed milk at daycare the entire time (much of which was frozen/thawed, which I think kills some antibodies).

[Kira's mom]

DD will be three in 3 months. She has never had an ear infection or been on antibiotics. She has had a cold/fever once or twice. My cousin just told me his son was refused for a new health plan because he'd had 10 ear infections in his first year! Is this even possible? Poor baby...definately never bf'd though.

[hunnybumm]

DS#1 didn't have any ear infections that I know of before he was one. But a month after his 1st Bday he got an ear infection, treated with antibiotics. It totally cleared up, then 3 months later another ear infection I didn't treat with biotics, but I went to the doc because he was sick and he gave him a shot (big mistake, but a whole nother story). Since then I quit taking DS into the doctor if I thought he had an ear infection. However, since DS has started going to the chiro he hasn't had any odvious ear infections. I think this plays a HUGE roll.

I had chronic ear infections as a kid, same with my sister and 2 brothers. We all had tubes in our ears at least once. My mom and aunt also has chronic ear infections. So, my children are likely to have ear infections but I hope to prevent them by regular visits to the chiro.