Stephanie

Stephanie found out about her HIV status when she got pregnant. Her doctors explained that breastfeeding put the baby at some risk but could be done safely. She tried breastfeeding for a few days but stopped because her breasts were sore and bleeding. She was worried that cracked nipples would increase the possibility of HIV transmission.

She migrated to London from mainland Europe 10 years ago. She is in a long-term relationship and her partner knows her HIV status.

Stephanie was diagnosed in 2020 during standard antenatal screening tests. She was shocked by her diagnosis but because she knew about the advances in HIV medication, she felt she could “cope with it”. She received a lot of support from her medical team and looked for additional information online. As she was pregnant, her medical team informed her of the latest guidelines and the best way to prevent HIV transmission.

With her partner’s support, Stephanie had planned to breastfeed for a month to give her baby colostrum and the nutritional benefits of breastmilk. She believed that breastmilk was “rich” compared to formula, but only wanted to breastfeed for a month because she was aware of the increased risk the longer a baby is breastfed.

When she was on the maternity ward, staff gave her breastfeeding support, but she stopped breastfeeding just after a few days due to cracked nipples. She was worried that cracked nipples would increase the likelihood of HIV transmission. She then received the equipment she needed to formula feed and free formula milk.

Stephanie remembers asking her doctor what she could say if someone asked her why was not breastfeeding. Her doctor advised her to tell then that her baby being premature meant her milk supply was delayed and the medication she took for high blood pressure made breastfeeding unsuitable.

Formula feeding has been fine for Stephanie and her partner, and she has been happy with it. Although she received free formula milk, their financial circumstances mean that they would also have been able to buy it themselves.

Stephanie had planned to breastfeed for a month but stopped after a few days due to cracked nipples.

Yeah, we decided, together with my partner, we decided straight away to don’t go further than the first month, maximum one month but actually we could only for a few days because after my breast started to be painful and it started to be cut so I don’t want to take any risk and that when I decided to start with the formula, so I breastfed fed just for a few days.

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Stephanie had not issues with formula feeding and felt happy to do so.

It was, I didn’t have any problem. It was, it was really good and I’m happy with it even before I could choose that I didn’t know about my situation I always felt that the formula was a not a problem for me if I had to use so I haven’t had any problem because that time.

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Stephanie’s knowledge of the latest HIV treatment helped her cope with her HIV diagnosis.

Yeah, I was quite shocked but at the same time certainly I was aware about all the treatment and everything, so, yeah, of course it was a shock, but I cope with it, I’m happy and I said, “Okay, it was in the same times, I know that it’s incurable so I can have treatment and I can normally live”. So yeah I was shocked but at the same time I surviving this.

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