Breast-feeding

Breast-feeding

In Canada, doctors recommend that you do not breast-feed your baby if you are HIV positive. Since there is a 25 to 50 percent chance that a baby can be infected through breast milk, guidelines strongly encourage HIV positive mothers to use baby formula.

“My son took really quickly to bottle feeding, which kept his weight in check. I found that I could still bond with him by letting him sleep on my chest.”

If you cannot afford baby formula, some provinces provide it free of charge. It is important not to feed your baby both formula and breast milk. Feeding both can increase the chance of your baby becoming HIV positive. Donor breast milk is an alternative to formula, but it may not be affordable or available in your area. As well, you must be certain that the woman donating the breast milk is not infected with HIV or other germs.

Several studies are underway to find ways to reduce the amount of HIV in breast milk. These studies are especially important in places where women cannot afford formula or do not have clean water. Although research has shown that it is possible to reduce the amount of HIV in breast milk by heating it or by having the mother stay on anti-HIV drugs for 6 months after birth, these methods do not eliminate HIV and are therefore NOT safe and are NOT recommended in Canada.

You may need extra support, especially if breast-feeding is an expectation among your family, friends and community.