Thrush (yeast infection) in breastfeeding women

Recent increase in diabetes in U.S. population is a big concern. Diabetes is becoming more prevalent in younger people due to obesity.

Diabetes will increase complications for pregnant women, including thrush during breastfeeding. High glucose level will encourage colonization of Candida Albicans (yeast germ that causes thrush) on the nipple, breast tissue, and vagina. Their infants will be more likely to be infected by Candida during birth.

Thrush during breastfeeding can be serious, because it can cause mastitis, infection and of breast. It appears to be more common than physicians, nurses, or lactation specialists have suspected. Diagnosis is a challenge, so when nipple pain is accompanied by other signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, or itchiness, etc., a nursing mom should promptly see a physician or a lactation specialist.

I also wonder if certain types of nursing pads promote thrush. Yeast loves dark, moist, warm places, such as skin condition during breastfeeding. No clinical trials have been done to study how some nursing pads are linked to breast infections.

EPIBi(TM) nursing pads by Persimmon Scientific offers nursing pads impregnated with germ-killing activity against Candida Albicans, MRSA, and Pseudomonas germs.
These nursing pads are undergoing their first production, and they are expected on the market in mid-October, 2009.

Would love to hear back from readers about your experiences with thrush. Elly Hann
ellyhann@epibinursingpads.com