Maria
Maria was diagnosed with HIV in 2012 and has no idea how she got it. She was pleased when she learned that breastfeeding was an option and loved it.
Maria is British Asian and is married, with a 16-month-old child.
Profiles
Here, you can find any of the interviews on this site.
Holly
Holly was diagnosed with HIV in 2014 when she was in her early 30s. Initially, Holly had intended to formula feed, she herself was formula fed as a baby. Recently, however, she and her partner have been considering breastfeeding because of the additional health benefits.
Holly is White British and is seven months pregnant with their first child. She lives with her partner, Stephen (also interviewed).
Biola
Biola found out about her HIV status in 2009 while pregnant with one of her older children. Although she had not breastfed before, she decided to breastfeed her youngest child to build a strong bond and have the experience of breastfeeding.
Biola is Black African and has a partner and five children, aged 20, 10, 5 and 3 years old and an eight-month-old baby.
Joyce
Joyce formula feeds her baby and she believes it is going well. Although her HIV is undetectable, she did not want to take any risks with HIV transmission. Joyce receives free formula and peer-mentor support from a local charity, which she finds very helpful.
Joyce is in a relationship and she has three children aged 5 and 3 years-old, and a 3 week old baby.
LeaSuwanna
LeaSuwanna was diagnosed with HIV while pregnant with her second child and was advised not to breastfeed at the time. The guidelines have changed since then and she is planning to breastfeed her unborn baby.
LeaSuwanna is of Black Caribbean descent and is a trainee nurse and HIV activist. She has two children, 24 and 17 years old, and is currently pregnant.
Veronica
Veronica was diagnosed in 2002. She formula fed her baby to avoid any risk of HIV transmission. Through most of her recent pregnancy she was undetectable but occasionally had a detectable viral load, so she was advised to formula feed. She receives free formula milk from her HIV charity, which has been helpful to ease financial concerns.
Veronica is Black African and lives in Scotland. She is married and has four children, aged 15 (stepchild), 8 and 1 year old, and a 3-month-old baby.
Puleng
Puleng was diagnosed with HIV while pregnant with her first child. As she was diagnosed late in her pregnancy, breastfeeding was not an option at the time. When she was trying for her second baby, her healthcare team told her that breastfeeding could be an option this time. Puleng chose to breastfeed her youngest child and enjoyed the experience.
Puleng is of Black African origin and lives with her husband and their two children, a four-year-old child and an 11-month-old baby.
Pauline
Pauline and her husband were diagnosed with HIV in 2019, before she was pregnant, when they had attended routine sexual health screening. Pauline lives with her parents, who do not know her or her husband's HIV diagnoses. Her husband lives abroad. Pauline and her husband decided to formula feed their child.
Pauline is married and lives with her parents. She and her husband are of Black African heritage and they have an eight-month-old baby.
Danai
Danai found out her HIV diagnosis after the birth of her two older children but before she was pregnant with twins. She decided to formula feed her twins to remove any risk of HIV transmission. She was supported to do so by her medical team and was given milk vouchers.
Danai is married and migrated to the UK in 2019 from Southern Africa. Her older children are 13 and 12 years old, and she has twin babies who are five...
Amy
Amy was diagnosed with HIV shortly before she became pregnant with her youngest child who is now one-year-old. Amy decided to formula feed her baby, but wishes she had been better informed about her infant feeding choices.
Amy is in a long-term relationship and has two children, a 12 year old child, and a one-year-old baby. She has taken a period out of work due to health...