Sinead
Sinead was diagnosed when she was pregnant with her first child. She formula fed both of her children, to avoid any risk of HIV transmission. A local charity has supported her with formula milk.
Sinead was diagnosed with HIV when she was pregnant with her first child. She had been contacting her GP for several years about different symptoms but never been offered an HIV test. She now understands that they were symptoms of advanced HIV. Both Sinead and her partner are living with HIV.
Sinead had formula fed her older child and has done the same with her new baby. Before Sinead was pregnant with her second child, the UK infant feeding guidelines had changed to allow the option of breastfeeding under certain conditions. However, Sinead was not informed about these changes by her medical team. Looking back, Sinead says that she would have chosen to formula feed even if she had known about the new guidelines. For her, removing all risk of HIV transmission was the most important thing to do.
With both of her children, Sinead has received free formula milk from a local HIV charity. Despite this, she is reluctant to attend any HIV peer support groups, because she is worried about coming across somebody she knows. Besides her partner, only a select number of family and friends know about Sinead’s HIV status.