Policy on Breastfeeding and HIV - Policy on Breastfeeding and
HIV (PDF, 107 KB, 2pg.) Revised April 2005 In 1990, the New York
State Department of Health developed a policy and
recommendations regarding breastfeeding and HIV, with the help
of a workgroup made up of representatives from the CDC, HRSA,
the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Institute of Medicine's
Subcommittee on Lactation, and the Commissioner's Prenatal-
Perinatal Advisory Council. This is an update of that policy.
The recommendations remain the same; the background section
reflects the current evidence base supporting these
recommendations. It is known that breastfeeding is beneficial to
both the infant and the mother in many ways; it is the gold
standard for feeding newborns. For the infant the benefits of
breast milk include providing the best nutrition, strengthening
the infant's immune system, and emotional bonding with the
mother. Breastfeeding also offers the mother numerous health
benefits, including decreased postpartum bleeding, inc