3.2.2. Sub-Theme 2.2: Nutrition of Children

Approximately half of the participants breastfed their child from birth, whereas others fed their baby formula milk. Almost half of the participants experienced challenges with regard to breastfeeding, such as not providing an adequate supply of milk, the baby refusing to take the breast, going back to work, and receiving additional TB treatment to prevent the baby from contracting TB through breastfeeding.

The participants indicated various ages when their child started to eat solid foods, including from as young as one month to approximately a year. Several participants reported that their child ate healthy food, whereas some participants listed unhealthy food items, such as "Sweets, very much so" (Participant 4). When some of the children in this study were introduced to solid foods, they encountered various challenges, as described by Participant 14: "There was little food. I had to walk with her [child], looking where we could eat". Several participants referred to their child's weight as healthy and normal, although three of the participants commented on their children being underweight or overweight, as quoted by Participant 11: "She was a little bit overweight".
