The hospital in which I work as an infant feeding specialist will soon
begin offering routine HIV and Hepatitis B testing to all pregnant
women. This test will  not be compulsory. All staff have been having
training to enable them to discuss this issue with the women.

I am told that all women who are HIV+ will have the choice to
breastfeed. I queried this because, call me cynical, I feel that it will
only be the woman's choice if she chooses not to breastfeed.  However I
am assured that this is not the case. It will be my job to speak to HIV+
women about the feeding issue, so time will tell.

There is a woman in the system now, who breastfed her 4 children in
Kenya, they are HIV-. We do not know her HIV status at that time. She is
pregnant now and is HIV+. I think I will be seeing her shortly if she
chooses to breastfeed.

Soon I will find out if the hospital really believes in informed choice.

Regards,

--
Carolyn Westcott RN IBCLC Southampton UK
mailto:[log in to unmask]

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