Kate was diagnosed with HIV when pregnant with her second child. She has had two children after her diagnosis. Excellent antenatal care, caesarean sections and baby formula, instead of breastfeeding, ensured that there was no transmission of the virus from mother to babies. Her current antiretroviral therapy (ART) is Atripla and her CD4 count is 600.

Hana was diagnosed as HIV positive in 1999 and, feels that her antenatal care, and the paediatric care her children got, was excellent. At the time of labour, her viral load was undetectable so she was able to have both her babies through normal delivery. But her obstetrician told her she would not be able to breastfeed, as the virus can be passed from mother to baby through breastmilk. Her children are HIV negative.

Zainab has three children and breastfed the first two for thirteen months. She plans to do the same with her ten-month-old daughter. On all three occasions, she has experienced sore and cracked nipples when breastfeeding. The last time she followed the advice provided by the breastfeeding support worker about changing the breastfeeding position of the baby to ensure good latching.

Maryam breastfed all her three children but with her oldest one she did mix feeding. The use of formula came about because her child cried a lot and Maryam felt she didn't have enough milk. Maryam breastfed her second baby for a year and her last child for ten months. But with her youngest son, she started mix-feeding early on, as she was studying full-time. She advises health professionals to talk to expectant parents and demonstrate how breastfeeding is done rather than just giving leaflets.

Lizzie had gestational diabetes during pregnancy and believed that breastfeeding was crucial to protect her son from developing the condition in later life. She held the view that breastfeeding was the most natural and hence, uncomplicated thing to do. Lizzie never had sufficient milk to satisfy her son's hunger. Feeding on demand, using a breast pump did not stimulate her milk supply but only feelings of exhaustion and of failure. After three months she started to top up her breastfeeding with baby formula. She continued to breastfeed with both breastmilk and formula until her son was five months.

In Ruth's first pregnancy, she developed pre-eclampsia at 32 weeks and stayed in hospital till the birth of her son by emergency C section at just over 35 weeks. Her baby weighed 4lb. Ruth was unable to physically breastfeed and used an electrical pump to expressed her milk for 4¬Ω months. The experience was both emotionally and physically exhausting. She felt a failure as well as under pressure by health professionals to feed her son breastmilk. In her second pregnancy, Ruth developed severe gestational diabetes and was also at high risk of developing pre-eclampsia. Her second son was delivered by planned C section at 38 weeks. Her second son received her expressed milk for four weeks, and then she started a mix-feeding routine and then formula.

Jessy was unable to breastfeed her two children because unknown to her at the time, she suffered from Raynaud's, which causes vasospasms that blocks the flow of blood commonly to hands and feet. Vasospasms can also occur in the nipples of lactating mothers. Jessy was not provided with this information by health professionals during pregnancy or when trying to breastfeed. There is treatment available.

Sandra was diagnosed with stage 1 cervical cancer in 2003, aged 58. She had a hysterectomy but, because of complications, also had to have bowel surgery.

Lynne was diagnosed with CIN3 in 2006, aged 55, and further abnormalities were found at her second follow-up appointment. She was treated firstly by LLETZ and later had a hysterectomy.

Richard mentioned his frequent urination in passing to his doctor who gave him a PSA test. A score of 18.5 prompted a biopsy and other tests which gave a diagnosis of prostate cancer in 2009. He began his brachytherapy treatment just before Christmas 2009.