How might mothers milk help to protect baby from thrush?
Mother’s milk may actually help to protect baby against candida overgrowth, as some studies have shown a greater incidence of thrush in babies who are formula fed (Zollner 2003, Hoppe 1997). Components of human milk, including sIgA and lactoferrin, are active against Candida albicans (Riordan 2004, Morrill 2003, Andersson 2000, Goldman 1998). In fact, because human milk inhibits the growth of candida, it can be difficult to culture candida in milk without the use of special techniques (Morrill 2003). In addition, human milk encourages the growth of “good bacteria” such as lactobacillus in baby’s GI tract, which helps to limit fungal growth (Riordan 2004). These inherent defenses against candida overgrowth may help to prevent thrush in a healthy baby who drinks expressed milk containing candida from a previous outbreak. Expressed milk that has been frozen should still be protective against candida overgrowth. Lactoferrin and sIgA are two of the primary components of milk that are active
