What if …
Q.67 What if the mother is unwell and cannot breastfeed for a number of days postpartum?
If the mother is too unwell to breastfeed or to express her milk, then the next-best substitute is breast milk from a mother who is not HIV-infected or from a milk bank. If this is not possible, then the baby will need to be fed commercial infant formula with a cup.
If the mother is taking ARVs, then she can safely start or resume breastfeeding when she is well enough. She may need special support for relactation. If the mother has not been taking ARVs throughout the antenatal period, either as ART or Option B, then the baby should be started on NVP when breastfeeding resumes.