Breastfeeding is the best way to feed the baby, however this is not always possible, because there are situations in which the mother cannot breastfeed, because she can transmit diseases to the baby, because she may need to undergo some treatment or because she uses substances that can pass to milk and harm the baby.
Furthermore, you should not breastfeed if your baby has any condition and cannot digest breast milk.
1. The mother has HIV
If the mother is a carrier of the HIV virus, she should not, at any time, breastfeed her baby, because there is a risk of the virus passing into the milk and contaminating the child. The same applies to diseases such as hepatitis B or C with a high viral load or situations in which the mother is infected by a microorganism, or has an infection in the nipple, for example.
2. The mother is undergoing treatments
If the woman is in the first week of tuberculosis treatment, is undergoing cancer treatment with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy or other medicines that pass into breast milk and can cause harm to the baby, she should not breastfeed.
3. The mother is a drug user
If the mother is a drug user or consumes alcoholic beverages, she should not breastfeed either because these substances pass into the milk and are ingested by the baby, which could harm their development.
4. The baby has phenylketonuria, galactosemia, or another metabolic disease
If the baby has phenylketonuria, galactosemia or another metabolic disease that prevents him from digesting milk correctly, he cannot be breastfed by his mother and must ingest a special synthetic milk for his condition.
Sometimes, women who have had silicone implants in their breasts or undergone breast reduction surgery are also unable to breastfeed due to changes in the anatomy of the breast.
How to feed a baby who cannot be breastfed
When a mother cannot breastfeed and wants to give breast milk to her baby, she can turn to the human milk bank closest to her home. In addition, she can also offer powdered milk adapted for the baby, following the pediatrician’s instructions. Learn how to choose the best milk for your baby.
It is important to highlight that you should never offer pure cow’s milk to your baby before he completes the first year of life, as it increases the risk of developing allergies and can also harm development, as the nutritional proportion is not suitable for babies this age.
Also find out how and when to stop breastfeeding.
