Q and A

Question

Can I stop breastfeeding at 3 months?

2 May 2017. Related: All topics, Children.

Can I stop breastfeeding at 3 months instead of 6 cause my family doesn’t know and I have to go back to work.

Answer

Answer: Lisa Thorley

Thanks for getting in touch.

How long you breastfeed for is up to you. If you want to stop at 3 months then you can. If you’d like to continue to give your baby your milk, you could express it and give it to them in a bottle. Is this something that you’ve thought about?

If you do stop giving them your milk, its better that you don’t mix feed.

216 comments

  1. Lisa Thorley •

    Hi Pololo,

    If you’re asking if its OK to give your baby solids as well as milk then yes it is. This isn’t classified as mixed feeding. Are you on medication with an undetectable viral load? Has your child been tested for HIV?

  2. Pololo •

    Hi am a HIV mother should I continue breastfeeding after 6 months and giving my baby solid food, will I course any risk?

  3. Zinhle •

    My baby is 14months old in 1month back i test i get negative after 2 months i test again i get positive so i leave breastfeeding in 1month back is it possible that my baby is also positive now PLZ Help

  4. Lisa Thorley •

    Hi Zinhle,

    As a precaution I would have your baby tested.

  5. Lisa Thorley •

    Hi Pam.

    Babies need to have a mixture of milk and solid foods from 6 months on. This can be breast milk and solids, or formula and solids. No your baby isn’t at risk.

  6. Pam •

    Hi am HIV positive and breastfeeding until my baby completed 6 months old .so now I’ve started introducing solid food to her and also continuing breastfeeding …now I want to know whether am not putting the baby at risk or should I stop breastfeeding her,?

  7. Roy Trevelion •

    Hi Vovo,
    There is no risk of HIV to your baby boy if you only feed him formula milk.

  8. vovo •

    im hiv+ mother i give my baby boy formula he is hiv negative is there any risk

  9. Roy Trevelion •

    Hi Vovo,

    In the UK, HIV positive mothers are recommended not to breastfeed because this can increase risk to your baby. So bottle feeding with formula milk is recommended. If you were on HIV treatment with an undetectable viral load when giving birth, that means very low risk for your baby. But your baby would have had 2 or 4 weeks HIV treatment after being born.

    Here is the i-Base guide to HIV, pregnancy and women’s health for more info.

  10. vovo •

    i am hiv positive mother i do not breastfeed my baby is there any risk

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