>If a mother had chicken pox when she was a  child  and now has  breastfed
>her infant, does she pass on any antibodies to protect her infant  child
>who now has been exposed to chicken pox?
>I would think the infant may get the chicken pox but perhaps a mild case?
>The infant is 4 months old.

There are probably a lot of different stories on this topic, but ours is
that when my 5 1/2 year old had chicken pox, the 1 1/2 year old (b'fed of
course) got 3 little bumps and no other symptoms. The ped was quite
surprised.

When she was 5 she had her own full-blown case of it. I feel that she had
some protection while she was breastfeeding.

Patricia Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee

mailto:[log in to unmask]