[pronut-hiv] Breast Feeding And HIV

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Breast Feeding And HIV

The Chronicle Newspaper (Lilongwe)

August 1, 2005 
Posted to the web August 1, 2005 

Nyingi Nandi Ngosi
Lilongwe 

Breastfeeding among mothers who are HIV/AIDS is being challenged because of the fear of Mother To Child Transmission (MTCT) of the virus.

Most mothers cannot breastfeed as a means of reducing the risk of MTCT of the virus.

However, pregnant women who attend antenatal services are informed on the importance of breastfeeding and how breast milk is the best food for a newborn baby up to six months even without the baby getting any other food supplements.

A nurse who works at a clinic that offers pre and post antenatal services in Blantyre said pregnant women and mothers are given as much information as possible on breastfeeding their babies. "We advise mothers on the importance of breastfeeding. We inform them of the different types of breastfeeding like exclusively breastfeeding as well as breastfeeding that involves giving the baby other foods and fluids," she said.

She said in exclusive breastfeeding, a mother is encouraged to breastfeed any time the baby demands without giving the baby water or any additional food for four to six months.

Another method involves the mother breastfeeding her baby for two months and thereafter she can continue breast-feeding and giving the baby other nutrients.

"This may sound controversial, but during the first two months the baby has already had the best food from the mother's milk since the time it was born," she said.

Relating to breastfeeding and the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the nurse revealed that during sessions at the antenatal, women are encouraged to go for HIV test that is done after undergoing Voluntary Counseling. "At our clinic we encourage mothers to go for VCT. After this the mothers are able to assess the situation and if they are found to be HIV positive, it helps them to find possible solutions and make sound decision in relation to breastfeeding," she said.

She revealed that when the mother has been found HIV positive there are several methods used to feed the baby.

The first one is exclusive breastfeeding where the baby is given no other food, only breast milk for six months.

The second method involves the mother breastfeeding exclusively for two months and thereafter discontinuing breastfeeding and giving the baby other foods.

The third method involves giving artificial feeding formula to the baby. The artificial milk is bought in the markets and shops, but that this is generally too costly for most Malawians. "For the baby to have sufficient nutrients for good growth it will need 54 tins of milk for six months, each weighing 500g. This is quite expensive and many mothers cannot afford to buy and maintain the purchase of the commercial milk because of poverty," she revealed.

Wet nursing is another method used to breastfeed the baby. This involves an infected mother asking for a relative or a friend who has tested HIV negative to breastfeed her baby for her.

Another nurse working in Lilongwe revealed that in every 100 mothers only 30 are HIV positive and 15 are likely to pass the virus on to their babies.

She revealed that if infected, mothers only breastfeed and avoided giving their babies other foods, the chances of passing an HIV infection to the baby would be reduced.

She said most mothers who eventually pass the virus on to the babies do not attend antenatal services and VCT despite being the services being readily available.

This year's International Breastfeeding Week starts today (Monday) with the theme 'Continued Breastfeeding And Giving Other Foods After Six Months Of Age.'