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.
My baby is on nevirapine and iam feeding him he is five months is it bad
Hi Dora, congratulations on having a daughter. I don’t recognise Novartis. Does the bottle/packet say anything else? Is this Nevirapine? Babies can also be given a medication called co-trimoxazole?
Hi I’m a Hiv positive mother and gave birth to a negative tested infant, he was tested negative again on 10 weeks, now the nurses told me to give him Novartis until he tested for 6 months is this necessary?
Hi April, congratulations on having a baby. As baby is now more than a month old it is safe to give Muthu wenyoni and gripe water. These will not interact with baby’s nevirapine.
My partner had given birth to a baby and the baby is on navirapine and now is onemonth and a week old the mom feeds the baby formula milk and sometimes she feeds the baby with danone and cerelac,she also give the baby Muthu wenyoni and gripe water is this safe for a new baby?
Hi Nyameka, congratulations on having a baby. How often is he passing a stool? and has the form of the stool changed e.g., changed colour/texture?
While still only a month old, baby is too young to be using gripe water.
Newborns being constipated is very normal and can be sorted at home. This is a link for some advice on what to do: https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/baby/feeding-your-baby/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-challenges/constipation/
I have 1 month old baby and we both negative breast feeding now he look like his struggling to do number2 (stool) everytime it look like its difficult and daughter say its normal i need 2nd opinion.
2nd is Grape water/muthi wenyoni /Mazoyi right for the baby?
Hi, congratulations on having a baby. Mixed feeding does increase the risk of transmission. Do you know your viral load? and is there a reason you thought baby needed cerelac as well as being breastfed?
I am HIV positive,am on treatment n I have a 3 months baby girl,I am breastfeeding,my girl is taking nevirapine,I am also feeding her cerelac from 2months because I thought she was getting full,is she at Risk of getting infected
Hi Sivenathi, as you have been on medication since being 4 months pregnant, there is little risk of transmission. Many women find out much later about their status and go on to have healthy, HIV negative babies.
As baby is now on nevirapine, risk of transmission is further reduced. Has baby had a test yet?