In depth interviews
Interview questions developed by ProPAN (Process for the Promotion of Child feeding) (PAHO, WHO, and UNICEF,2013) were adapted and used to collect data about how mothers feed complementary foods to their children at 6, 9 and 12 months of the child’s life (responsive feeding practices). Before undertaking the data collection, interview guides were reviewed and piloted to check that the questions were enabling the most pertinent information to be gathered. Table 1. summarizes the main content of the interview guide. Questions asked the mothers how they fed their children during the main meal (lunch), the day before the interview. Mother encouragement during feeding was assessed by asking mothers (1) if they did anything to encourage the child to eat and what they did, (2) if mothers talked to the child during feeding and what they told to their children and how they managed food refusal. Mothers were also asked what they do if the child stops eating or when she feels her child is still hungry or did not eat enough. Strategies to motivate the child to eat, and if not, the reasons for not motivating the child to eat or difficulties she would have in doing this were also a topic of the interviews. Mothers were also asked if the child was sometimes given the opportunity to self-feed at any time during feeding episode. Each follow-up interview included a review of previous interviews to encourage focus on the longitudinal nature of mother -child interaction during feeding and validate data from the previous interview[17]. For instance, at 9 and 12 months, the interviewer asked the mothers if they made some changes in the ways they interact with their babies during feeding from the last visit. If yes, mothers were invited to talk more about changes they made and the reasons behind changes.