So, you’re about to have a baby — congratulations!

Having a baby is an exciting time. It can also be an overwhelming time as you prepare to welcome a new member into your family.

One of the things you will need to decide is how you will feed your baby. In Canada, it is recommended that people with HIV feed their babies formula rather than breastfeeding. This is because HIV can pass to a baby through breast milk. Formula gives babies all of the nutrients they need without any chance of passing HIV to the baby.

Though formula feeding is recommended, breastfeeding is an option that you can consider. If you are interested in breastfeeding, discuss this option with a trusted healthcare provider. If you breastfeed, you and your baby will need support from a healthcare team to do so as safely as possible.

This booklet will walk you through some of the things you should know about feeding your baby. Reading this booklet, along with talking to a healthcare provider, can help you to make an informed decision.

*CATIE acknowledges the diversity of people living with HIV who may have babies, which includes trans and non-binary people. We use the term breastfeeding in this resource because it is the most commonly used term. Some people prefer gender-neutral terms such as nursing, chestfeeding or body feeding.