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?
My baby is on NVP can and is 2 weeks old is it safe to give her gripe water any muthi wenyoni? Thank you.
Hi Masesi, how old is baby? Gripe water does not interact with nevirapine. It is safe to give. But baby should not be given gripe water if they are less than one month old.
Hi m masesi i gave my bby a grape water twise while she’s on nvp xud i stop it
Hi Stan, congratulations on having a baby. Your baby’s risk is very small as you both have suppressed viral loads. Starting baby’s NVP the next day is not going to change the risk of transmission of baby’s health. As mum is undetectable breastfeeding will also carry low risk.
Good morning, please I and my wife are hiv + and on treatment, the last time we checked she was durable undetectable will I was at 78ml… recently we had a baby boy, via vaginal delivery but he wasn’t given NVP at the hospital after birth. We had to go get it at another clinic the next day (he was born around 1pm and we dosed him at 7:30 pm the next day.. (hope it is still OK). Although he has initiated breast feeding since at the hospital. Thanks for your response
Hi Bonisile, congratulations on having a baby. What is the name of this medication?
Hi my baby is 7weeks and I’m breastfeeding also give her Nvp.she was sick has skin problem I take her to a doctor.he give some Medication for the skin.so I want to know if the Medication can’t cause any danger
Hi my 13 days baby is on nvp and I gave her colic drop because her stomach is having a wind. What can I do to help her
Hi Samkelisiwe, colic is a common problem with babies and will usually sort itself out around 3-4 months. Baby is a little young for drops, baby should be older than 1 month before drops are used. Please follow this link for more information about how to manage colic: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/colic/
Hi Lisa, congratulations on having a baby. After a month gripe water can be given to baby. Are you wanting to stop breastfeeding completely? Gripe water will not interact with NVP. How