HIV and Breastfeeding

[Katie Han]

Has anyone on this forum successful breastfeed or know someone who successful breastfeed their that is HIV positive. I really want to breastfeed my baby after it is born but I'm hoping someone has real world experience they can pass down for me. I've read numerous sites that state it's safe for the first six months but after that the risks go up. But I want to breastfeeding to at least and let the baby decide when it wants to ween. Any Advice?

[jessafina]

I haven't known anyone to breastfeed with HIV, but from what I understand there is definitely a risk of transmission which increases the longer you bf. It must be a tough decision, wanting to breastfeed not only for the benefits of breastmilk but also for the experience of breastfeeding, but possibly not wanting to take the risk.
So does the baby not receive protection from it like she would from all of the other antibodies you have?
You could look into giving your baby donor milk---- at least he/she would get the benefits of breast milk. Also, once you have no milk, maybe you could use a little tube taped to your nipple. My baby was in the nicu when he was born and at first we had to do that to make sure he got enough--- you take a tenny tiny little tube attached to a syringe and they suckle the nipple, but the milk comes from the syringe.
Just a thought...

[groovyem]

If you do decide to breast feed, make sure to keep your nipples healthy. I have a tendency to get dry nipples and for some reason I get milk blisters on my nipples so right now they are a mess, mainly my right and literally it's an open wound and I leave blood spots on the pads I keep in my bra. Wish I had some good advice for you, if transmission is less likely in the early months you could consider pumping along with bfing to get a frozen stash of milk and then at 6mo switch to frozen. I am an exclusive pumper and I have a HUGE supply of frozen milk. You will have a wonderful bond with your baby even if you have to stop bfing at 6mo. Mine is 7mo now and I am amazed by our ever changing relationship every day, you don't need bfing to have an amazing bond with your child. Good luck to you!

[rparker]

No personal experience, but I think the current guidelines by La Leche League, WHO, UNICEF, etc. advise women with a known positive HIV status not to breastfeed if either formula or donor human milk are a safe and affordable option.

Here are the WHO/UNAIDS/UNICEF guidelines:
http://www.unicef.org/programme/brea...ng/feeding.htm

I've also read that anything other than exclusive breastfeeding with an HIV+ mother greatly increases the risks of transmission compared to exclusive breastfeeding.

[Peony]

Originally Posted by rparker

No personal experience, but I think the current guidelines by La Leche League, WHO, UNICEF, etc. advise women with a known positive HIV status not to breastfeed if either formula or donor human milk are a safe and affordable option.

Here are the WHO/UNAIDS/UNICEF guidelines:
http://www.unicef.org/programme/brea...ng/feeding.htm

I've also read that anything other than exclusive breastfeeding with an HIV+ mother greatly increases the risks of transmission compared to exclusive breastfeeding.

Yep. If we are talking about a 3rd world country then bfing is usually encouraged because there is a higher chance the baby will die because he/she is not bf then contracting HIV UNTIL solids or other foods/liquids are introduced then weaning is advised. In other countries, there is limited data, you can't do a blind study about HIV and bfing. Some data has shown that transmission is possible and that risk increases as the baby gets older, but none of my texts go into how much. I'm not sure if it is known. In the US it is advised for HIV+ woman not to BF because the risk of the mom's BM is greater then the risk of not bfing here, that is what every source on HIV and bfing I have states anyway.I do remember years ago that there was an article in Mothering about a HIV+ mother who BF. I don't have time to look for it now, but look through past issues, it would of been over 7 years ago I *think*, maybe 10, I can't remember.

[rparker]

Originally Posted by Peony

I do remember years ago that there was an article in Mothering about a HIV+ mother who BF. I don't have time to look for it now, but look through past issues, it would of been over 7 years ago I *think*, maybe 10, I can't remember.

If you're thinking of the same article I am... the mother was HIV+ and refused retrovirals during pregnancy, breastfed, and never had the child tested for HIV. The little girl died at some point in toddlerhood although there was some controversy about the autopsies and cause of death. (I read about the subsequent death on a non-mothering.com website.)

[Peony]

Originally Posted by rparker

If you're thinking of the same article I am... the mother was HIV+ and refused retrovirals during pregnancy, breastfed, and never had the child tested for HIV. The little girl died at some point in toddlerhood although there was some controversy about the autopsies and cause of death. (I read about the subsequent death on a non-mothering.com website.)

Interesting. I remember her refusing retrovirals, and bfing. Thanks for the added info, that was the only case I had read about in my years of lactation work and she stuck out in my mind.