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I think having the antibodies in breastmilk may have helped LO's immune system a little. I don't think BM will give him a higher IQ or anything like that.

It's hard to say now, because Sadie is only 3.5 months, but she's very healthy so far. No allergies, eczema, sickness, etc. She doesn't have any issues with reflux, gas, or spit up (she hasn't spit up a all since she was a week old). Like @princessbaby... not even a diaper rash yet!

I was exclusively breastfed (never had any formula), and I did have allergies growing up. I'm lactose intolerant (I eat dairy anyway, because I'm a rebel like that) & I'm overweight. My husband was formula fed, and he's thin (even though we eat the same things... ugh!) & pretty much never gets sick.

I do want to add that I think it's silly to blame being overweight or obese on formula. It's because they eat crappy food and don't exercise. It's not the formula they had when they were infants! I'm fat because I like cookies.

I have a handful of autoimmune issues-allergies, asthma, etc, and I was breastfed. Wasn't real sick as a kid, but I also wasn't exposed to much.

E has eczema-she gets formula and BM. But eczema has a large heredity component

I have a breastfed & formula fed kid in our house... G was ff and has needed antibiotics for illness twice in his whole 8.5 years of life, P is breastfed & has not gotten sick when DH & I did.

Generally though the risks of not breastfeeding are things seen later in life, not infancy & childhood. I think alot of ff moms forget that.... I mean yea G is healthy know but I really don't know how he'll be and how his "exposure" to formula & lack of breastmilk will have affected him. I really like the NIH study on the "risk of not breastfeeding" b/c I think it really speaks to the attitude concerning the short/long term effects.

My LO was breast fed until she was 9 months old and she drank pumped milk until she was almost 14 months old. She was sick all the time during her first year.

I was breastfed and am rarely sick--maybe once a year. DH was formula fed and is sick much more often. I have no idea if it's because of the way we were fed or because he is a drama queen and is "sick" every time he has a little cough or runny nose

No. I mean I only BFed for 7 weeks, but I have yet to see any negative effects from formula feeding. LO just got his first case of congestion last week at 8 months, and hasn't been sick at all otherwise. My husband and I both got an awful stomach bug a couple months ago but LO didn't catch it.

As for long-term, I was FFed from 6 weeks and am still (at 30) waiting to experience any of the bad things people talk about. No obesity or allergies, rarely sick, and I like to think I'm intelligent enough. So, I think BFing is great, but formula's pretty good too. I'd bet daycare, genes and diet/habits over the long haul probably make more of a difference when it comes to health.

It's really hard to say... I know so many formula fed babies that seem just as healthy as their breastfed counterparts.

I was breastfed for only 2 weeks and then given formula, and I've always had a really strong immune system. I rarely ever get sick. I'm also at a healthy weight and don't struggle with obesity or anything like that. I do have seasonal allergies and that's about it.

DH was breastfed for 6 months and he gets sick way more than me, and is allergic to so many things (all melons, bananas, exotic fruits... aiyaiyai he's missing out!)

DD was breastfed for 11 months and she didn't get sick until she went to daycare at 20 months, but she does have eczema and an allergy to peanuts.

I think it just depends on the person. I BF and R still has had issues. R got a cold, small, when DH came back from a trip with one. Have to use cream every diaper change or she gets a rash. Also on medicine for her reflux.

I BF for 18 months and I think it played an impact on her not having any ear infections. Ear infections seem to run in our families (my husband had tubes) but we haven't had any issues.

I think a lot of the other long term benefits are hard to relate back to BFing because other things like diet come into play. Was the baby fed organic milk after BFing or regular milk after BFing. Was the child allowed to eat lots of carbs and sugars without any fruits and veggies? Of course all of those things factor into obesity and illness rates.

Just bc bfing is "healthier" I wouldn't expect to see obviously negative results in ff babies. Formula is really great these days so yeah, ff babies are fine! That said I still do think bf is healthier, IF it works out. My guess is it's most obvious when mom or dad get sick and can pass on those immunities immediately, and I think kids who go to daycare will get sick way more often than kids with a nanny or sahm- but then those kids will get sick more often when they start preschool or kindergarten.

It's sort of like vitamins- you do everything you can to stack the odds in favor of the healthiest outcome, but it's not like an isolated thing. If your kid is prone to allergies they may get them, bf or not. But it's still worth trying.

My LO is 15 months old and has only had a handful of colds so far (maybe 3 or 4) - knock on wood! I don't know if that can be attributed to BFing (we are still nursing) or the fact that she's not in daycare. I do notice that almost every single time we are in a multiple children, "high germ" situation (ex: play groups, indoor play areas) she comes down with something, whether it be a runny nose or cough. It usually doesn't develop into anything more serious than that though (again knock on wood!).

I was FF and at 31, I have no allergies and I'm pretty healthy! Could stand to lose a few lbs but that's bc of my own unhealthy habits, not bc of formula

I have no idea. I will say that over Easter one of his cousins was sick, it passed like wildfire through the family (knocked my MIL and FIL on their asses), including myself. DH was out of town that week, but I could barely get out of bed.

A few weeks before I had been glanced with the flu and DH got it really bad for a day or two (we both had flu shots).

Both times DS didn't have so much as a sniffle. Healthy as a horse.

That said, I won't attribute that directly to BFing. DH and I very rarely get sick (twice in a year for me was ridiculous!) and DS just might have a great immune system.

As for overall health I really think it's too soon to tell.

I think breastfeeding did help...I was sick with the flu and two colds this past winter and LO never became sick. He's 11 months now and still hasn't been sick, knock on wood. However, I think a big factor is that he stays home with me full-time...I'm sure if he went to daycare he would have been exposed to a lot more germs by now!