I surely do wish someone would receive the definitive word from on High (or
Low as the case may be) about this yeast stuff.   We try really hard to
make some sense of it all, and here are some of my "sensing".

As to athlete's foot, I do know that one of the recommended OTC treatments
for yeast on the nipple is Lotrimin AF, which is made for treating
athlete's foot. And it works.  When it comes to treatment, a general
antifungal, like Gentian Violet, will work against any fungi. And there
have been posts from Very Wise Lactnetters about the necessity of
treatments for the entire family, including treatment for fingernail and
foot yeast, and the dog for ear yeast before mom and baby's yeast
overgrowth clears. So there must be a transmission of some kind. Or perhaps
a given home is a yeast-friendly environment in several respects.

We could always return to that delightful thread on baker's yeast or
brewer's yeast and its effect on unresolved nipple and breast yeast or
thrush. I have a client who has had a terrible time restoring her
yeast/bacterial balance.  Her husband has a microbrewery and "plays" with
yeast all day.

In the San Francisco Bay area we used to create our own sourdough starters
by putting flour mixed in water outside to "catch the wild yeasts of the
wind." Oh my gosh, how can we escape?!

But back to the question.  I believe that when anyone is not in optimal
health with an effective immune system and a positive, peaceful outlook on
life (WHO?),she may be susceptible to whatever yeast overgrowth is around.
And I work under the premise that any yeast/bacterial imbalance is
basically systemic, and topical treatments are best accompanied by systemic
treatments (GI).  That's why, I believe, that nystatin which works only in
the GI tract, can sometimes be *part* of a yeast treatment plan, while
other aspects of the problem are being addressed, particularly recolonizing
of the intestinal tract with "good" bacteria and greatly reducing all of
those sugars that yeast thrives on.

There can be members of the family, including the baby, who have a
"sub-clinical" case of yeast imbalance (or "just" athlete's foot, etc.) who
are cruising along with no big problem. Then you throw in a post-partum
mother with milky breasts tucked inside her bra, with fatigue, adjusting
hormones, and the shock of so much responsibility, not remembering to eat,
reaching for the sweets to make up for the nurturing she deserves, and here
comes nipple and intraductal yeast. Or, with all of those stressors, she
could achieve her yeast imbalance all by herself, especially if she
received abx at the birth.

I do believe that excessive use of sweets is a major contributing factor in
all of the yeast problems we are seeing in the US. When I recommend to
mothers that they eliminate or greatly reduce sweets it is amazing how
terrible a "sentence" it seems to some. They, themselves, are surprised
that they eat and drink sweets all day, or that it is anything unusual.
Many have never considered their diets at all. One 35-year old mother said
that all of her life she has eaten for breakfast either [sweetened] cereal
or Pop Tarts. She also drinks only sweetened beverages (never water) and
eats candy and cookies throughout the day. And her 3-year-old does the
same. Strangely, I felt cruel advising her on changing her diet.

There was another mother who had a long history of yeast infections, whose
midwife advised her to eat NO refined sugars and reduce natural ones during
her pregnancy.  She followed the plan and was yeast free throughout and
afterwards.  She was so proud of herself. She then "eased" into a return to
sweet foods occasionally.

It is so hard for us to learn that nutrition is a major part of building
health. That's one reason that it is difficult to "sell" breastfeeding as a
health enhancer.  "What's in breastmilk that keeps a baby from getting this
disease?" The scientists want to name the substance that does the
preventing. They have a hard time understanding the building of a strong
immune system that protects, while it promotes well being.  That's part of
the problem with that immunologist who said that there is nothing "in"
breastmilk for the toddler. No one has found "it" so "it" isn't in there.

I just read Linda Smith's post on this topic and I love, and agree, with
her ending line:

 Sometimes I think you can get yeast just because it's Thursday.

Patricia Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee




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