Question
I’ve HIV and just had a baby, should I use formula?
25 October 2016. Related: All topics, Children, Disclosure, South Africa.
hi. I’m hiv positive and have given birth 5days ago. I’m currently on tribuss and undetectable. My family is too judgemental so i have not told anyone about my status. I’m feeding my baby formula but the problem is she has not pooped for 2days now and my family keeps on saying its because of formula i should breastfeed. I want to know if it is still safe for me to breastfeed even if i started by giving formula.
Answer
Congratulations on the birth of your child.
I appreciate that it can be hard to tell people about your status. You may also feel under more pressure because of having a baby. Because you are on treatment, how you choose to feed your child is your decision. The following though may help:
With regards to your baby pooing, this is normal in newborns. If however, you are concerned please talk to a doctor.
Good luck.
Hi Tee – thanks for posting – and congratulation on your new baby. Please don’t worry about the milk of magnesia. It is not going to affect the risk of HIV. Your viral load was also so low at birth, than I am sure your baby will still be negative in follow up tests.
Hie ,I’m tee .l stopped breastfeeding at 6 weeks but when I was still breastfeeding there was a time when he was constipated then I gave him milk of magnesia for about 4 times .Please will this affect his status .He tested negative at birth My viral load was 80 copies when I Gave birth
Hi Tee, congratulations on having a baby.
No. Stopping co-trimoxazole will not risk your baby’s status. Co-trimoxazole is used to prevent other infections that baby may be susceptible to while breastfeeding. As you have stopped breastfeeding this is no longer a risk.
Hie ,I’m tee I stopped breastfeeding at 6 weeks so I stopped him cotrimoxazole few days after I stopped breastfeeding .So today I went for 10 weeks the nurse said I am going to affect my baby because I stopped giving him cotrimoxazole .Please can he be hiv positive because I stopped him .He tested negative after birth .and again when I went for 6 weeks that’s when they gave me cotrimoxazole so I was giving him 10ml instead of 5ml ,will that also make him positive
Hi Chana, it is great that you are on treatment and congratulations on your pregnancy. Baby will still need nevirapine but it will not be for long. In most cases, as you are on established ART, baby will be on nevirapine for around 4 weeks. More information can be found here: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/infant-meds-when-the-mother-is-living-with-hiv
Hi im hiv positif for 12 years always used my medicine, im pregnant now . But my question is if my baby is born is it a must to use the nevirapine
Hi Palesa, congratulations on having a baby. Do you know your viral load? and how long are you planning to use formula for?
Hello
I am hiv positive started taking arvs at 30 weeks ,i gave birth 5 days ago my child was given nevirapine but at day 6 i started seeing that my breast have cuts and decided to give her formula ,is it safe to give her formula while on treatment,won’t it affect her or be affected and haven’t told my family about my status and having such conversations with our nurses is so stressing
Hi Lwandle, congratulations on having a baby. As you are undetectable and your son is being formula fed, there is no need to continue with the drops after 6 weeks.
Getting constipation as a newborn is normal. If they are eating well, they should not need any water. This link has some suggestions about how to manage constipation: https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/baby/feeding-your-baby/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-challenges/constipation/
Hello
I am HIV positive with less than 20 copies of viral load . I gave birth through C section, six weeks back. My son tested negative. However he is on viropon drops and is using formular.
How long is he supposed to take drops? Is it safe to give him boiled water as he constantly get constipated .