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 Cecilia,
Breastfeeding guidelines vary depending on where someone lives. In the UK, you’d be advised to formula feed. However, if you live in for example South Africa, they breastfeeding is advised. This is if your viral load is undetectable. You’re baby will need to also take medication.
Hi,am HIV+ and pregnant,can I breastfeed my baby after birth because my family doesn’t know and I have to go back to work after 3months?please help
Hi Ifeoma,
As Lisa says above, you can stop breastfeeding but please don’t mix feed with formula and also breastmilk. If you don’t have sufficient milk then you could switch to formula only.
But please talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby. Different countries have different advice on breastfeeding for HIV positive mothers.
Can I stop breastfeeding my baby at 5,and 6 days cos is not sufficient and am HIV positive with undetectable viral load
Hi Unknown,
Are these your baby’s results? What does the doctor say?
It’s important to discuss your treatment and your baby’s treatment with your doctor. Please let us know what HIV treatment you and your baby have been given. And do you have your CD4 count and viral load results?
is it possible for a baby to test hiv negative at birth then test positive in 10 weeks
Hi Lihle,
If you need to change from breastfeeding it’s important that you don’t mix feed with both formula and breastmilk.
If your circumstance makes it important to change this is also usually okay. But your clinic can give you the best information about how and when to do this.
Please talk to the doctor about this to make sure your baby is doing well.
Can i stop breastfeeding at 1 month?..in need to go to work
Hi thobile,
If you mean either formula or breastmilk and solid food, then yes.
Can i mix feed my baby after 6 months if i’m hiv+