All new parents living with HIV are encouraged to bottle-feed their baby to reduce the risk of passing on HIV.
Free infant formula milk
To prevent the transmission of HIV to newborn babies, official guidelines recommend that people living with HIV do not breast/chestfeed and instead exclusively formula feed their babies.
However, formula milk is an expensive option that some parents struggle to afford. Commonly available powdered formulas can cost anything from £30-£60 per month depending on the brand and that’s before you factor in the additional costs of bottles and sterilisers.
To overcome this barrier, Waverley Care provides free formula milk for babies from birth up to age one to all new parents living with HIV.
What we provide
Our free infant formula feed programme provides the following:
- infant formula milk for the first 12 months of your baby’s life,
- a starter pack which includes an electrical steamer steriliser, 2 feeding bottles and 1 cleaning brush.
Along with the practical support, we also provide emotional support during pregnancy and childbearing, flexible and confidential delivery options and signposting to other support services to address specific needs.
How to access
If you are living with HIV and are pregnant, speak to your HIV specialist nurse about a referral or get in touch with us for information and advice.