Summits - SBCC and C4D
Gathering in person to advance informed and engaged societies
Summits - SBCC and C4D
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
Time to read
less than
1 minute
Print
a- a+
Published 13 years ago
Last updated 2 years ago
Read so far

Early cessation of breastfeeding to prevent postnatal transmission of HIV: a recommendation in need of guidance

0 comments

de Paoli, M. M., N. B. Mkwanazi, et al. (2008). "Early cessation of breastfeeding to prevent postnatal transmission of HIV: a recommendation in need of guidance." Acta Paediatr 97(12): 1663-1668.

AIM: Early and rapid cessation of breastfeeding has been recommended by WHO to reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV. This study assessed how HIV-infected mothers planned and experienced breastfeeding cessation as part of an HIV prevention strategy and how counsellors facilitated this process.

METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted among HIV-infected mothers and counsellors from local clinics and an intervention research project in Durban, South Africa.

RESULTS: Mothers enrolled in the research setting reported many success stories in contrast to mothers attending routine services. Consistent counselling and ongoing support from counsellors facilitated this, though specific advice on how to stop breastfeeding and introduce complementary feeds was inadequate amongst both sets of counsellors. Few mothers had a plan for what they were actually going to do on the day when they had decided to stop breastfeeding. Their primary motivation for wanting to rapidly stop breastfeeding, even with the difficulties involved, was to avoid infecting their child with HIV. Both counsellors and HIV-infected mothers expressed concern about practical issues, including social consequences, associated with early cessation. Mothers who had stopped breastfeeding offered some, albeit limited, recommendations to assist and guide other women.

CONCLUSION: The experiences of HIV-infected mothers planning for and stopping breastfeeding early illustrate the complexity of this recommendation and demonstrate that counsellors are ill-prepared to support mothers accomplish this safely. Guidance that acknowledges the cultural context and psychological stresses is urgently needed to direct policy, training and service delivery.