This archive report was first published on 8 May 2020.
Phenny Awiti's Journey with Breastfeeding ¶
Phenny Awiti, a mother of three, has been open about her journey with breastfeeding her HIV positive status. In a recent post on Instagram, she revealed that she breastfeeds her newborn son, Kwe, with zero risk of infecting him.
According to Awiti, she has an undetectable viral load, which means she cannot infect her child with HIV through breastfeeding. She has been taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) and has a viral load of less than 20 copies of the virus in her system.
Awiti also noted that she breastfed her two daughters and is doing the same with Kwe. She emphasized that breastfeeding is exclusive for six months, after which they introduce mixed feeding. She also mentioned that her son is on ARVs syrup called Nevirapine and septrin as well.
Awiti's revelation has welcomed cheer and applause from fellow mothers and her online family for taking measures to ensure she brings up healthy but HIV-free children.
Published on May 8, 2020, at 5:25 PM EAT.