Melissa, I understand the need to prevent thrush in a new baby but I am
concerned that the answer to prevent thrush is to give a newborn EBM with
meds in it by cup. While that may seem like a safe prevention tactic, I
have
several concerns about it. That means that the mom must pump her milk. I
tend to believe that pumping in the first 4-6 weeks should be avoided unless
absolutely necessary. It is an intervention and all interventions have
ramifications. Should we interfere at this point? Are we absolutely sure
this baby will suffer from candida?
The bacteria you are suggesting proliferates in the intestines of humans.
Currently this particular bacteria (part of the probiotic industry) is part
of the biotechnological revolution. Cultures are taken from human feces in
order to synthesize this microbe. Yet research indicates that human
lactoferrin (a component in human milk) promotes the proliferation of
bifidobacteria in an infant's intestines. So if this baby is exclusively
breastfeed, it would seem highly likely that human milk would protect this
infant. If the mother does the preventative measures in her pregnancy, it
might seem possible that this mother might never have to pump and give this
infant her milk and this medicine in a cup.
There is a US patent that is relevant to this discussion. It is patent #
5543392 with the assignee being Morinaga Milk Industry Co. (Tokyo, Japan).
It is called "Digestive tract cell activating agent of EGF (epidermal growth
factor) and lactoferrin." It says:
"Breastmilk contains, in addition to EGF, other substances showing
proliferation stimulating function. Lactoferrin (hereinafter sometimes
referred to as "Lf") is an iron-binding protein having a molecular weight of
about 80,000 contained in a very large quantity in breastmilk, and has been
known to exhibit an antimicrobial activity against detrimental
micro-organisms such as Escherichia coli, candida, clostridium and
Staphylococcus [Journal of Pediatrics, Vol. 91, p. 1, 1979; and Journal of
Dairy Science, Vol. 67, p. 60, 1981]. The known functions of Lf and its
hydrolysate thereof include antimicrobial activity and inhibition of
tyrosinase activity (European Patent Provisional Publication No. 438,750);
prevention of adherence of pathogen (Japanese Patent Provisional Publication
No. 3.multidot.220,130); and antiviral activity (Japanese Patent Provisional
Publication No. 1 233,266). More recently, it has been clarified that DNA
synthesis of rat small intestine epithelial crypt cells is accelerated by Lf
[B. L. Nichols, et al: Pediatric Research, Vol. 21, p. 563, 1987], and Lf is
attracting the general attention as a new proliferation stimulating factor
in
breastmilk. From the same point of view as that of EGF, blending of Lf to an
infant food composition is also proposed (Japanese Patent Provisional
Publication No. 1-93,534)."
Nestle has a patent in which they take the bifidobacterium from the feces of
breastfed infants to synthesize for use in their special infant formula.
(posted this some months ago) Formula-fed infants do not have sufficient
quantities of this bacteria in their feces for "harvesting." I found a
biotech web site that briefly states that, "Biotech is developing processes
to make foods with medical properties, sometimes called nutriceuticals.
Examples include gastrointestinal-disease fighting products, milk-like foods
useful for infant formulas, and probiotic and nutritional supplements for
AIDS and cancer patients." http://www.agwest.sk.ca/sabic_food.shtml#7 This
is just once again about genetically engineering or synthesizing products
based on research on the properties of human lactoferrin. Why not give the
infant a chance with the real stuff first?
So I think the answer should be that prevention of thrush in newborns is
exclusive breastfeeding with mothers taking the preventative measures.
(avoidance of antibiotics, dietary changes, etc.) Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC
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