To prevent oral thrush in your little one, if you nurse, prioritize personal hygiene, including:
● Keeping your hands and nipples clean
● Changing underwear (bras) regularly and nursing pads when they get moist.
● Ensuring breasts are dry after feeding.
● Sterilizing breast pumps and their parts systematically.
According to a study by Rahmadiayni et al., mothers who practiced personal hygiene 5.167 times were less likely to experience oral thrush in their babies aged 0-6 months.
1. Promptly treat breast and nipple thrush if you notice any signs and symptoms to prevent the infection from spreading to your baby.
2. Treat your vaginal thrush, if you have it, too.
3. Use a hot wash cycle for towels, clothing, and bras that may have had contact with Candida.
4. Wash your baby’s hands and toys regularly.
5. Clean the nipples of feeding bottles and pacifiers in hot water or a dishwasher after each use if your formula-feed your baby or use pacifiers.
6. Limit sucking during feedings to 20 minutes or less, and only use a pacifier at bedtime for up to one hour a day to prevent thrush from coming back, as they can irritate your little one’s mouth.
7. Change diapers frequently to prevent diaper rash.