I, to my dismay (great decision making), was not. Funny how it is strongly encouraged these days. Go figure.

Who was or wasn't?

I was breastfed as well. @ pb4 that's neat that your mom's from Hungary... my whole family is from there. Also, my mom and grandmother both have UC too.

I was not. I guess around the time I was born, they didn't know the benefits of breastfeeding and women were on a bottle feeding kick. I don't understand how women were brainwashed to believe something so natural wasn't beneficial or necessary but it seems like this was acceptable at the time. My mother wasn't even working at the time so it's not like she had to go to work and she couldn't breastfeed, she just didn't want to or feel it was necessary. I am sure the doctors told her this was fine. Never had a drop of breast milk...

Nope, I wasnt breast fed.

Carlie

I wasn't for long. Found out my mother was given coca cola as a medicine for something whaen she was a kid a basically became addicted to soda, so I know she drank it lot during her whole pregnancy. I wonder if that affected me. Probably 6adayibet

I was breastfed for somewhere around six months, I believe.

No one on either side of my family ever had UC. My disease was caused by going on Accutane at age 15... Was perfectly healthy beforehand, but developed UC within a month of going on the drug. Currently mid-litigation.

I was breastfed for 13 months. I nursed my first son until he self weaned at 15 months and my second until he was 10.5 months. I had to stop because I felt prednisone was affecting him. It was really important to me that I give them every chance of not getting this disease.

According to my mom I got her milk but not by breast but by the baby bottle.

We should also ask: were you born by c-section or normal? I was born by c-section hence I didn't get all the good bacteria from my mom's flora :/

It may or may not have affected some of our propensity to get UC, but one thing is certain- the body's future development depends heavily on initial formation during infancy, and much of that cannot be made up for later. For example, children not given close affection and contact with their mothers or caretakers in infancy tend to have lower IQ's and more paychiatric disorders for their entire lifetime. In the case of the immune system, mother's breast milk, full of probiotic bacteria, helps for the biomome of the child for life. Likewise, I soeculate that worm therapy may be most efefctive in those who were exposed to parasites in infancy- which may be why thise if us who grew up in developed countries dont necessatily respond that strongly to worm (helminthic) therapy.

Post Edited (Probiotic) : 8/27/2012 7:55:12 AM (GMT-6)

[quote= Likewise, I soeculate that worm therapy may be most efefctive in those who were exposed to parasites in infancy- which may be why thise if us who grew up in developed countries dont necessatily respond that strongly to worm (helminthic) therapy.

Are you saying that you have evidence that those of us not born in a developing country are less likely to respond to worm therapy?

Anyways, more on topic, yes, Im seriously suspicious that my never getting real milk may have had something to do with my allergies, asthma, UC. For sure. But, I still think intense stress in life brought it out. No doubt there are many variables.

I disagree Christine, I don't think it's irrelevant. There is WAY too much evidence out there that shows that the things we get from breast milk do directly effect our immune system for the rest of our lives. The incidents of allergies, asthma and yes UC in nonbreastfed people compared to those who were is way too compelling to suggest it is irrelevant. Again I do not suggest it is the only factor but the evidence is enough to suggest it is atleast one relevant factor (of probably many).

But I was breastfed and for a long time...and I still got CD...my mom was breastfed (longer than I was most likely) and she ended up with UC...there are a ton of factors that point to one developing an IBD...breastfed or not, isn't likely the strongest factore...and I was young when I got my CD (compared to my mom who was in her 60's when she got her UC and I actually got sick before she did.)

Just because some who were breastfed do get UC, doesn't mean that the lack of it wasnt a contributing factor in our getting it. This is a very complex issue with lots of ins, lots of outs. Oversimplifying it, while tempting, isn't the answer I dont think. I think irrelevant is way too strong a word personally. Think about it, your VERY FIRST FOOD....