Breastfeeding and HIV What We Know and Considerations for Informed Choices

The Well Project’s third WATCH! advocacy webinar of 2018: “Breastfeeding and HIV: What We Know and Considerations for Informed Choices” took place on Thursday, December 13, 2018. This webinar highlights the complicated landscape of infant feeding for women living with HIV, providing unbiased information in a supportive environment. The webinar featured the personal experiences of infant feeding of two women living with HIV, Claire Gasamagera and Jessica Whitbread. Lena Serghides, PhD, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, provided an overview on the research we have to date on HIV transmission through breastfeeding. Jenell Coleman, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine provided an overview of how guidelines vary across the globe, as well as share a provider’s perspective on infant feeding, including benefits and risks, and how to best support women who choose to breastfeed. The webinar concluded with a roundtable discussion about the current environment, personal experiences, and Q&A co-moderated by The Well Project’s Krista Martel and Shannon Weber, MSW, of HIVE. Whether you are a woman living with HIV trying to decide how to feed your baby, someone who works with women living with HIV, or just someone looking to expand your knowledge, this webinar provides resources to support the decision-making process.