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 am hiv positive and my child shes 5weeks now she didnt yet tested . My mother in low give my food on tuesday but it only happen ones so my warry is is she affected couse i breast feed her
Hi Given,
Please talk to your doctor about all the meds your baby is taking. It is really important because you want to make sure that all these meds don’t make her ill.
Here in the UK it’s recommended that HIV positive mothers do not breastfeed because that can increase the risk of HIV to their babies. If you’re thinking of switching to formula you should carry on with formula only and not mix feed with breast milk.
Hi she was given umuthi wenyoni, grape water as well as a flue sryrup and de wesels and some cough and also kidneys medication self subscribed but she is also on NVP and was once given a formula I just want to know what are the chances of her getting infected since I’m breastfeeding and was also thinking of stopping to breastfeeding since incident like this are happening to reduce her risk of getting infected my cd4 discount was over 340 when I started my medication at my second month of pregnancy and I wasn’t told about my viral load and with my last check up I was taken another blood tests and my daughter will be turning a month on the 20th I really need to know what are chances of her getting infected since I can’t even sleep at night thinking about this and not knowing her status scares me since I don’t want my daughter to get infected
Hi Shiela,
All babies who have HIV positive mothers have to take a course of HIV meds such as nevirapine. So it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor about how long she will have to take it. But please don’t stop giving her nevirapine without talking to your doctor first.
If you switch to formula it’s best to carry on with formula only. It’s not recommended to mix feed with breast milk and formula.
Hi aim hiv positive and been breast feeding my 2weeks old but the milk supply is less,if I switch to formula do I stop giving her nevarapine?
Hi Thaka,
It’s great that the ARVs have reduced your viral load to undetectable. But as Lisa says above, what babies need is milk, and milk alone. If there’s a reason why your mom thinks your baby needs something else you can talk to the doctor about it.
I’m HIV positive and breastfeeding , I’m still waiting for my child results,my cd4 count was 19 before I start ed ARVs when I was 4 months and batrim the month after at 38 weeks my viral load was 53 ,so is it safe to breastfeed and give baby sugar water as recommended by mom she knows my status
Hi Given,
I’m really sorry about this accident. But it’s very important that you take your baby to the doctor and explain what has happened. Do you know what other meds she was given? You may know already that if you are breastfeeding her it’s not recommended to mix feed with formula.
So please talk to the doctor about what has happened and get their advice.
Am an Hiv mother don’t know my child’s status yet because she’s just still have few weeks to get results she is turning month this coming Thursday there was an incident of my mother giving her other child medication while I wasn’t aware and also a formuler what are the chances of her getting infected but she is also on medication the one I got from hospital please help I’m worried
Hi Noma,
How long did you give your baby ARVs for? Are you breastfeeding or bottle feeding? How old was your baby when they were prescribed batrim, (this is an antibiotic, not an ARV)?