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
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.
Hi Gloria,
If you’re asking if its possible to switch to formula, then the answer is yes. Formula is actually the prefered option in many countries.
Hi I need to stop in 3 months for breastfeeding as am going back to work and am HIV positive can that gives my baby problem
Hi Busisiwe,
With formula feeding there isn’t any risk of transmission. In most countries this is the prefered feeding method for infants born to positive mothers.
Am 38 weeks pregnant and HIV positive will I be wrong if I don’t breastfeed the baby at give the the formula from start
Hi Nomgbobo,
If your baby has already tested negative twice, its very unlikely that she’s positive. To know for sure however, you’ll need to wait until she is 18 months old. Please see here: http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy/hiv-negative
I am hiv+ mom, I stopped breastfeeding when my baby was 3 months, she tested from birth neg and after 6 weeks neg, now I stopped breastfeeding and I gave nan perlagon milk she is going again for another test, can it be possible that she get hiv
Hi Didi,
As Lisa says here, if you stop giving them your milk it’s better that you don’t mix feed.
Mix feeding with both formula and breastmilk is not recommended because it can increase risk to your baby of HIV.
So after that 3month you stop breastfeed you just give formula only or can you give it both formula and breastfeed?
Hi Princess,
In the UK its not recommended to give babies solid until they are 6 months old. If however you were to give your baby solids this wouldn’t have any impact on their possible status.
Was breastfeeding exclusively for 3 months then switched to formula being an hiv+ mom ,will it be ok if I start giving her rice cereal she’s 4 months now