Question
My family are giving my baby water, is this OK?
4 April 2017. Related: All topics, Children.
I’m HIV+ mother and my baby is 3wèeks old . My CD4 count was 311 and undetectable viral load. I’m breastfeeding her and my family don;t know about my status. She tested HIV – n. Shes taking her meds as well (nvp). My worry is that now my mom believe the baby needs water so we giving her water almost every day and my breast milk is not enough for her as shes always sucking me. They say she doesn’t get full so we must feed her. I would to know what are the chances of my baby being HIV +
Answer
Thanks for getting in touch.
And congratulations on the birth of your daughter. Its also great to hear that she’s already tested negative.
Your family giving your daughter won’t influence her possible status. However, babies who are this young don’t need water. What they need is milk, and milk alone. If you feel like you aren’t producing enough milk, you may need to change to formula. However, if you do this, you must not mix feed.
The best thing to do would be to speak to your babies doctor. They will be able to tell you if she’s growing or not. If its any help some babies suckle more than others.
Hi Lerato, congratulations on having a baby. No this will not risk transmission to baby.
Are you exclusively formula feeding? and how old is baby.
If you are only using formula, giving baby this additional water (boiled) is not going to risk transmission to baby. It is safe.
Pls be honest, will baby be infected (mom hiv+ n is LTD) IF given boiled water to drink rather than straight from the tap one ? Baby is on formula
Hi Palesa, you are right that the recommendation to breastfeed also depends on you taking HIV meds. Even if your immune system is able to keep viral load undetectable with out meds now, this could easily change. Please talk to your doctor and clinic about this.
Good morning,I’m hiv positive mother who just gave birth with viral load thats lower than undetectable and breastfeeding,my baby was tested at birth but still waiting for results.She was put on Nvp for 6 weeks then after she was off the nivaporine,and she was not given anything they said I can continue to breastfeed.I wanted to ask can my hiv not pass to my baby if not on any medication
Hi Makananelo, congratulations on having a son. Baby is still very young and it is not recommended to give baby any medications without talking to a doctor first. It would be safe to give baby muthi wenyoni after the age of one month and it will not interact with Bindopin suspension.
Please see this previous question for information about gripe water: https://i-base.info/qa/17697
Hi,I’m HIV positive and my son is a week and 4 days old and was weighing 3.1kg,,it was said he will be tested at 6 weeks and he is taking Bindopin Suspension,can I give him muthi wenyoni and gripe water?
Hi Yolanda, congratulations on having a baby.
Yes you can give Gripe water now that baby is older than a month.
This constipation is expected. When switching from breast to formula milk it can take a few days/weeks for baby to get used to the new type of feed.
Information about constipation can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/baby/feeding-your-baby/bottle-feeding/bottle-feeding-challenges/constipation-and-bottle-feeding/