Infant Feeding among Black women living with HIV: A Community Based Participatory Research (The CRAIF Project)

This research was done to examine and understand the infant feeding practices and experiences of HIV-positive Black women living in Ottawa, Canada, Port Harcourt, Nigeria and Miami, the USA during the first year of life. This study sought not only to understand the experiences of Black mothers residing in western countries but also to explore the experiences of indigenous Black women in Nigeria as promising inexpensive solutions there may inform practice in Canada and the U.S. Through a mixed-method approach, the study examined and provided an understanding of the sociocultural factors of infant feeding practices and experiences of childbearing HIV positive Black women during the first year of infant life (infancy period). In doing so it addressed three research questions. Namely: How do cultural beliefs and practices of HIV-positive Black mothers influence their infant feeding choices and practices within the first year of birth? How do existing global and national infant feeding recommendations for HIV-positive women influence infant feeding practices and experiences among Black mothers living with HIV? How can current knowledge and recommendations regarding pregnancy and motherhood among HIV-positive women be appraised and tailored to enhance culturally appropriate interventions for this sub-population?