Question
Can I mix feed my child?
31 May 2020. Related: All topics, Children, HIV transmission.
I need clarity, I gave birth to a negative baby. He is month old and breastfeeding so my worry is that my mom want to mix feed the child because she said he doesn’t get full. I want to know what are the chances of him being infected.
Answer
Thanks for getting in touch.
Children born to positive mothers shouldn’t be mix feed. They need to be given either formula, or as is often the case in South Africa breast milk. If they’re mixed feed (and this includes porridge) the risk of them being positive increases. Therefore, you’re going to need to tell your mother that your child shouldn’t be given anything else.
With regards to testing in babies, please see the following: https://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy/hiv-negative
Comment