Question
My baby is on nevirapine and I’m breastfeeding, is my baby positive?
19 August 2016. Related: All topics, Pregnancy.
Answer
Firstly, congratulations on having your baby.
It is normal for your baby to be given a short course (4 weeks) of HIV treatment (such as nevirapine) when born. This doesn’t mean your baby is HIV positive. This will be checked later through testing. A different type of testing is also used on babies as the normal antibody test used in adults will show the baby as positive.
Our guide on pregnancy has lots more information
https://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
In the UK, the BHIVA (British HIV Association) guidelines recommend bottle feeding.
This is because in countries where mothers can have access to to formula milk AND clean water ANDÂ bottle sterilising equipment, the risk of transmitting HIV to the baby through bottle feeding is zero. There are different recommendations for other countries though and many women breastfeed. I am not sure about the recommendations in Zambia.
This means that you are doing the best that you can to protect your baby.
However, being positive and looking after a new born baby can be hard and many people need help. Do you have much support around you to help or are you touch with good care from your doctor?
Hi my I have one month old bby and on nevarapine and I started my treatment on 6 months pregnant until now and ma cd4 was 512 and am breastfeeding I want to know about if it has effect coz his tummy is rumbling and I don’t know if his feeling pain or what but doesn’t cry and also flu I don’t know if I can give him bby medicine
Hello Mary,
It’s good to hear you and your baby are on meds. If your viral load is undetectable it is the best way to protect your baby against HIV. Here is the UK a newborn baby will be tested for HIV when they are born. This HIV test is repeated after six weeks and again at three months. This is a test that looks for HIV in your baby’s blood. It’s not an HIV antibody test because all babies have their mother’s antibodies in their blood when they are born. You can ask the doctor if she can have this kind of HIV test. You can read more about this here, How and when will I know that my baby is HIV negative?. Can you talk to the sister at the clinic and ask for advice on breastfeeding or formula now that she’s been given different food.
Hi, i started giving my newborn baby formula at the hospital, she cried non stop, the doc said I can give her breast milk…. I started giving her breast milk, few days later I found out that my baby dad had given her some traditional meds to drink (baby&I on meds)…. Few days later I stopped breastfeeding and gave her formula + porridge and some water….. Is there a chance that she can be positive? I stopped the porridge n other solids the same day the sister at the clinic told me to stop! My baby is now 10 weeks old
Thanks in advance
Dear Rono,
Unfortunately we are not doctors at i-Base. Please can you talk to the doctor about your baby’s treatment.
Hi, should i stop my baby from navirapine after 12 weeks and continue breastfeeding?
Hi Esther,
Its perfectly fine for you to switch from breast milk to formula. This won’t increase the risks of your baby being positive. The important thing is that you don’t mix feed.
Hi,I’m hiv positive and breastfeeding my two weeks baby but i want switch ti formula milk will my baby be ill bcoz i switch early the reason I’m doing this is bcoz i have sore nipples
Hi Anna,
As you’re breastfeeding your baby will need to be on navirapine. This is due to the possible risk of transmission. Once you stop breastfeeding then under consultation with your doctor you can then stop giving your baby medication.
I am hiv positive and my baby is 6weaks old and on navirapine ,should i continue with breastfeeding and not giving nevirapine?
Hi Jane,
This is something that you’ll need to discuss with your babies doctor. They will be able to advise on how long the baby will need to be on medication for, and how long you can breastfeed. This is because the guidelines with regards to infant feeding vary from country to country.