Trish,
I'm not a neonatologist, but am an NICU nurse, and would like to comment.
As has been discussed, breastmilk has been shown to offer some
protection from NEC (necrotizing enterocolitis) in premature infants.
However, once some signs of NEC show up, like distension, residuals, and
blood in the stool, then measures must be taken, including NPO ("bowel
rest"), TPN, and antibiotics. NEC can be a devastating condition.
Antibiotics increase the risk of candidiasis, or systemic thrush, which
can also be devastating in a very small premature infant. Whether thrush
in his mother's milk increases his risk, I don't know.
All that said, once he's past this NEC scare and they're able to restart
feedings, I would hope this mother would continue to pump her milk for
him. Her thrush, if it's a concern, can be cleared up, and then her milk
will continue to be the best thing for him, as it's better tolerated and
offers protective qualities his immature immune system very much needs.

Anne Stringer, RN

> A mother of a preemie (born at 28 wks gestation) has been pumping for
> her
> baby.  ( I do not have all the details, so sorry if this is sketchy).
> She
> developed nipple thrush, and is being treated.  She does not nurse the
> baby
> at all.  The baby is recieveing half formula and half breastmilk.  She
> has
> been told that her baby is at risk for developing thrush from her
> milk.  I
> would think the benefits of her milk far outweigh any risk of the baby
> developing thrush himself, but I think she needs evidence to back it
> up.  A
> few points to make, however.  The baby is somewhere around 2 lbs.  He is
> now being kept NPO because as the mother explained, "he had blood in his
> stools and they want to give his belly a rest".  (I would think the milk
> would have more benefits than being NPO, but like I said, I don't know
> the
> whole story.)  He is on TPN at this time.
>
> So, IF the milk has any trace of yeast, can he somehow acquire a yeast
> infection? And CAN the baby leach the yeast from his gut into his blood
> because he is NPO?  (Any more likely than a baby on formula?)  She's
> ready
> to stop pumping because she "doesn't want her milk to kill her baby".
> It
> all sounds crazy to me but I don't know if there's something specific to
> preemies that I'm missing here.

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