Table 5 Free-listing of the types of food, drink, and medicine given to infants under 6 months old

1. Maize-based porridge

27

Uji

Maize, water, and sometimes sugar or cow’s milk

2. Herbs/ roots

23

Mihaso

Including mzaraf for abdominal colic, stomachache

3. Cow’s milk

15

Maziya

3. Ugali

15

Sima

4. Banana

14

Ndizi

Could be mixed with mango or potato

5. Water

12

Madzi

6. Potato

11

Viazi

6. Bean’s soup

11

Maharabuie mtsuzi

7. Medicine (not specified)

8

Mostly from hospital or over-the-counter medicine

8. Tea

7

Chai

8. Orange juice

7

Often artificially sweetened juice from shop

9. Green leafy vegetables

6

Mtsunga

9. Piriton syrup

6

Piriton

Over-the –counter-medicine for fever

10. Fish soup

5

Supu ya samaki

11.Septrin

4

Septrin

Over-the-counter medicine for fever

11. Water + Sugar + Salt (home-made ORS?)

4

Some say to increase baby’s appetite or for thirst

11. Avocado

4

Ovacado

Could be mixed with milk

12. “Gripe Water”

3

Gripe water

Over-the-counter medicine for abdominal colic, stomachache

12. Bonnissan

3

Bonissan

Over-the-counter medicine for abdominal colic, stomachache

12. Passion juice

3

Often artificially sweetened juice from shop

12. Mango

3

Embe

12. Rice-based porridge

3

Mchele Mphunga

12. Honey

3

Asali

12. Chicken soup

3

13. Goat’s milk

2

13. Malaria tablet

2

From hospital or over-the-counter medicine

13. Juice (not specified)

2

14. Pancake

1

Chapati

14. Biscuit

1

14. Panadol syrup

1

Over-the-counter medicine for fever

14. Dentinox

1

Over-the-counter medicine for abdominal colic, stomachache

14. Pineapple juice

1

14. Powder milk

1