HIV and Breastfeeding - Part One - Breastfeeding: Real Moms Tell You How

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mothers2mothers trains and employs new mothers living with HIV to provide education and support to women just like themselves. These Mentor Mothers work alongside doctors and nurses to serve the needs of pregnant women and new mothers living with HIV, helping to fill the gaps in critically understaffed health systems. Our Mentor Mothers educate and support pregnant women and new mothers on various issues related to HIV and maternal and child health.

Every year more than 4.3 million women have babies in the United States. Over 75% of these women try to breastfeed their babies, most finding it difficult and often ending in tears. In a cry for help and support, 82% of all moms are still searching for answers on how to feed their newborn babies six weeks out. Despite what most people think, breastfeeding does not come naturally, it has to be learned and most women are starved for information and support. Many feel guilty, alone and let down when they turn to bottle feeding and find nobody is there to help them. Why aren’t mothers being supported? Why as a nation are we letting these women down? At last two mothers come to the rescue lending realistic advice for the modern mom. They offer their knowledge, encouragement and support, with the expertise of real moms from around the world. This book is not a medical how to book, it’s a book written by real moms for moms, the women feeding our future.

05/05/2011

HIV and Breastfeeding - Part One

For most babies, breastfeeding is without question the best way to be fed, but unfortunately breastfeeding can also transmit HIV. If no antiretroviral drugs are being taken, breastfeeding for two or more years can double the risk of the baby becoming infected.

While some HIV-positive mothers in high income countries may wish to breastfeed their child the advice from national health agencies is straightforward: they should avoid breastfeeding altogether because the risk of HIV transmission far outweighs the risks associated with replacement feeding. Replacement (sometimes known as formula) feeding is the only infant feeding method that does not expose an infant to HIV, and in regions of the world where clean water and facilities are available; it is usually promoted as the only option.

For HIV-positive women in low and middle income countries, advice on infant feeding differs from high income countries to reflect the fact there are limited resources and infrastructure. It is known that where there is little access to clean water, sanitation and health services, that not breastfeeding can greatly increase the risks of disease and even the death of the baby. So as most HIV-positive women in these countries cannot safely formula feed their infants breastfeeding is the only realistic option available.

The latest (2010) guidance produced by the WHO (World Health Organisation), and increasingly followed by individual countries, is that in order to reduce the risk of the baby becoming infected, mothers, or their infant(s), are advised to take a course of antiretroviral drugs whilst breastfeeding. While both mother and infant will take a course of antiretroviral drugs, who takes the longer course of ARVs is a decision for the national body but either option have a very high success rate. Mothers are also advised to exclusively breastfeed their infant for 6 months and, after time, introduce other food substances while continuing to breastfeed for up to a year.

Posted at 10:29 PM in Breastfeeders, Mothers2Mothers | Permalink

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