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Hi everyone...

My father was not breastfed but instead drank goat's milk from a bottle, and he has sleep apnea.
My mother breastfed me for about 6 months and I have sleep apnea.
I breastfed my son for 4-1/2 years and he has sleep apnea.

So I'm thinking with our family that OSA is more of matter of genetics or anatomy than breastfeeding, or the lack thereof.

Angela

My son was breastfed for one year. However, he developed sleep apnea at the age of four and had to have surgery to have his tonsils and adenoids removed.

I think you are looking in the wrong place. I think the problem may start in infancy, but not about feeding. I think this is a GERD issue for many (not all) folks. My son had fairly severe infant reflux. We are just now realizing that he may still have it at night. At age 5 he is able to describe how he feels a little better and he is now describing waking with a "lump in his throat" and a "bad taste in his mouth." I take this to mean reflux. We learned long ago with Harry that if he doesn't eat supper by 5pm, he will probably be up with bad dreams or other nocturnal problems. He goes to bed at 7pm and needs those full two hours to digest his food. I have encouraged him countless times to sleep on his left side which should help. Also, he has had nose/sinus problems since age one. Coming down with every bug possible and having nasal symptoms and coughs lingering for extended periods of time. He was tested for allergies but they found nothing--the allergist called it non-allergic rhinitis and gave him a steroid nasal inhaler. I'm now wondering if acid wasn't getting up there during sleep and irritating these delicate membranes. After the holidays I'm going to take him to his pediatrician to see what he thinks we can do about this. I'm desperate to prevent him from getting full blown sleep apnea as an adult.

I, too, have nighttime GERD. Just last night, for example, I forgot to take a zantac 150 before bed and woke with mild heartburn and terrible aerophagia (which I normally don't have anymore). I hadn't eaten anything for hours before bed. My mother says I was a colicky baby which I take to mean I had infant reflux. I have severe sleep apnea. I was bottle fed.

Our second child, Charlie (6 months), is also breastfed and also has reflux. He also has terrible sleep habits despite all my efforts to help him sleep better.

Anyway, that is what I think. Maybe that will help someone else.

Jen

Hi and Happy New Year to Everyone,

Just a quick update on, what I find to be, an interesting subject. As previously mentioned, Dr Brian Palmer has done some interesting research into this matter. I have corresponded with Dr Palmer and received an email back.

Those wish to know more may like to go to his website: http://www.brianpalmerdds.com

Deb

I was not breastfed. At the time I was born, breastfeeding was not in vogue. Drs. were pushing formula .
This is a interesting area for research

OldLincoln wrote:

debtheveg wrote:But were you breast or bottlefed Old Lincoln???

Don't know for sure, but I probably was breastfed because that's what they did in those days. WWII was going strong and a lot of things were rationed.

BTW, my son was breastfed until my wife got an embolism and the doctor made her stop cold turkey. I think he was about 3 or 4 months old and continued on formula. Because he had a milk allergy he was raised on soy milk. He has OSA.

I too, had a milk allergy as a baby and was raised on soy milk, then as a child, Carnation Instant powered Milk and water.

Hi,

Many people are looking at this subject. Please vote also so that we can ascertain if there is a trend. It isn't scientific, but it's interesting to see what pattern evolves.

was not.... is it too late to volunteer ? did have tonsils & adnoids removed @ age 7 as was common back then....had a friend send me a video the other day of a candid camera thing of a coffee shop with a young lass delivering REAL creamer on the spot to patrons , priceless !

You know, it strikes me that this thread (or 'study') is really kind of odd, because while we know you are only doing a DIY poll, and not being 'scientific' about it, at this point it's just SO random, and it's almost as if you could have chosen anything at all to poll about - e.g. how many people had measles as a child (and have OSA now), or hangnails, or ate Kraft dinner once a week ! Is there a point to all this? Because I really am not sure it's going to prove anything at all - certainly the poll results are not skewed, for instance, way, way to one answer or not, and the total lack of scientific method is making me cuckoo (so what else is new ).

Julie,

If you read the research of Dr Palmer, as suggested, you would see there is a big point to this subject.

Firstly, for parents-to-be, they have something to think about when deciding what road to go down with feeding. For some of us, it is the answer to why we have the physical make-up of the mouth/tongue/jaw that we have.

It's obvious that if there is a different percentage of breastfeeding to bottle feeding in OSA patients than in the general population of the same age group, then the bottle feeding has been a contributing factor to this disease in some people.

Surely, we all want to know why and how this has happened to us and for future generations to be able to avoid this dangerous condition.

Knowledge is power.

Debtheveg

Deb,

I am skeptical that bottle feeding is a major factor in the frequency of obstructive sleep apnea cases. But assume it prevents a small number of cases and then add all the really good benefits for mother and baby and it is a no brainer. Still I have enjoyed the poll and discussion.

I would like to pick a fight with you about vegetarianism some day. Start a thread.

Rooster,

Have to fly just now as I'm off to my first dental appt re mandibular device. But what gripe to you have about vegetarianism? For goodness sake, don't we have enough problems without stirring up new ones???

Just want to be a little happy, healthy, peace-loving animal lover.

Deb

Rooster,

P.S. Of course, you being a 'rooster' and me being a vegetarian, I'll always be kind to you. Hope that works both ways!!!

Deb, my point really is that you cannot assume (unless there is a BIG skew in the results to one side or the other) that it is breast or bottle feeding that's the 'cause' of OSA. There are many other factors to consider as well, things that may accompany the feeding method in some children incidentally that your study does not take into account. Why not, for instance, develop one where many, many pulmonologists are interviewed to get their take on your idea, see if they think there's any connection at all between feeding and OSA. It is a respiratory problem, after all, and I guess I just can't see any connection between the two... I don't see that suckling for a relative few short periods during the day/night over a few months could have any bearing at all on OSA, whatever the factors involved in the process. But never mind, just my 2 c's worth. I do wish you well with it all and hope you come up with some great surprises!

debtheveg wrote:Rooster,

....... I'll always be kind to you. Hope that works both ways!!!

Of course and if you don't like debating, I will back off. It's a common habit among my friends to debate. It's not fun to debate enemies because both sides eventually try to crush.

I'm an animal lover also, but I have no qualms about eating them either.
In fact, I raise them to eat whenever I can. I try not to give them names because if they have a name it makes it harder.....
Like the steer....we're debating a name....."Chuck"??? " Sir Loin"...."Filet"???
The lambs were named, "672" and "345".......figured if they were numbered it would be easier, but it didn't matter -- the mountain lion got the sheep......
I've also been places in this world where "our pets" would be fair game -- pun intended!!
We each do what our conscience tells us to do.....I certainly eat more veggies than I eat meat, but.......
(I won't do my Hamster/Gerbil joke )

Veggies have feelings too.......

cheers
goose