POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => Positive Women => Topic started by: catwoman on August 14, 2007, 04:14:59 pm
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Hi ladies,
I'm not a mom yet but my husband and I are planning and trying. I'm a crunchy granola type of chick. I've done so much research on our disease and mothering and in particular, breastfeeding. Before I had this, it was no question that I would breastfeed. Now, that option has changed and it is very disheartening for me. I know the view of breastfeeding in our country (US) and as of December 2006, there has been more research about HIV + women and breastfeeding. I know I'll make the proper decision when I cross that bridge but I would like to know other women's thoughts on this topic and for the mothers, how did you feel when you made your decision and what factors did you deal with.
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Hi Cat,
I breastfed my daughter, but that was 20 years ago, ten years before I was positive.
If I had a baby now, being poz, there is NO WAY I would breastfeed. NO WAY. It's just too risky.
Ann
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I always planned on breastfeeding until I found out I was poz. There is a risk of transmission if you breastfeed, there is no risk from formula. The choice was easy for me.
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At the time I was pregnant and gave birth, I was positive, and didn't know it. I nursed my daughter until she was eight months old. At ten months old is when I found out. She was 'indeterminite' at the time, until she hit eighteen months old when she was negative.
After learning that breastfeeding is a big no-no for positive women, I count my blessings every day that she was negative. It's hard enough making that decision to have a baby and being positive. I can't imagine putting my child at further risk by nursing it, no matter how much I wanted to have that experience.
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Ohla Muchacha's.
Breastfeeding is not recommended for positive mothers. If you are pregnant and take all the steps necessary such as taking care of yourself and taking your meds properly, then the chances of transmission is less than 1%. Breast feeding adds another 25%. It just doesn't make sense. I used formula with my son, and he was always in the 95% range for height and weight.
Here's my take on the old debate, breast feed or formula feed.
1. I know alot of mothers who could not breast feed due to boob malfunctions, and they're kids are just fine.
2. The mother gives the baby her antibodies for defense, breast milk only gives more. So with out it you are losing some valuable immuno defenses, but nutritionly formula is very good.
3. There are now so many different forms of formula on the market, that even allergies are a thing of the past.
4. The only real bummer about formula is the cost, but depending on where you live, there are programs to hellp with that.
For all those positive moms or moms to be, don't worry about formula, it's really quite good, and can be easier than breastfeeding too. Bonding is the same, and even dad can help out with feeding as well......
Keep staying healthy.
Nicole
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Wow, I'm glad to see so many responses. I know I will do formula. I'm just so sad that I won't be able to breastfeed. Life keeps moving and I know I'll get over it but it's nice to be able to discuss it. I've also been thinking about the other benefits of breast for the mother. Would it make sense to pump the milk and throw it out for the sake of helping the body to reset itself after childbirth? We all know that breastfeeding helps facilitate the recovery of the mother's body or is it minimal and it's just better to dry up the milk.
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In my opinion, it would probably be better to just let it dry up and be done with it. My boobs hurt outrageously bad and I was more than happy to get them back to normal! lol
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Hi again Cat,
You can always try your idea of pumping and disposing of your milk, but it might not be as easy as it sounds. For one thing, when you're breastfeeding, every time the baby cries, it triggers off a response from you and you will start leaking milk. This means every time the baby needs feeding, you will start leaking. I think it would be a difficult balancing act to feed the baby and pump at the same time.
Another aspect to consider is that if you aren't always able to get pumping when you need to, you could possibly be setting yourself up for an infection from getting blocked up. I'm pretty sure there's a specific phrase they put on this type of breast infection, but darned if I can remember it off-hand. It has been twenty years!
I can fully empathise with how disappointed you are, but I hope that can be off-set by knowing you're taking the best possible course of action for your baby. Breastfeeding can be lovely, but not lovely enough to cancel out the risk.
Hugs,
Ann
xxx
PS - Kate (aka Penguin) has kindly jogged my memory and revealed the word I was looking for - mastitis. That's the name of the breast infection you can get from being blocked up. It's not a nice infection to get - very painful!
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I have to add,
after I gave birth, my doc was kind enough to give me a prescription to dry up my milk, because of course I wasn't going to breast feed, and having swollen boobs and not being able to get it out, really hurt and sucked. So I was really happy about the pills cause the discomfort went away in about one week.
If you want to pump, as a benefit to you that's fine, but I don't recommend it. It will be twice as hard to dry up and as painful too. The only real benefit that I can see from pumping is that it helps to release hormones after birth that shrink the uterus back down. It also will help in losing some of the weight put on during pregnancy, though all of these things happen with out pumping as well.
The best advice I can give u, is have a game plan, such as a birth plan, ( how you want to deliver and such) but be very open minded about change as well.
I had to have a c-section, when I planned on natural delivery. And after the surgery I was glad I didn't breast feed, because I was in so much pain.
good luck, please keep us posted
Nicole