Preventing Stunting through Healthy Family Practices

Not all families understand how to prevent stunting in children, leading to frequent parenting mistakes. This issue is gradually being addressed, with Posyandu (Pos Layanan Terpadu, village health services) cadres actively providing guidance. One such example can be found in Mambalan Village, West Lombok.

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One afternoon, Husnul Patimah (33) was cradling her 18-month-old son, Muhammad, in the yard of her home, while her first son, Gibran (7), was happily playing. Gibran’s joyful laughter could be heard as he played with his friends.

Husnul Patimah is grateful that both her children are healthy and cheerful. So far, their growth has been normal, with no signs of developmental issues or stunting. She regularly checks their weight and height at Posyandu activities and ensures they receive proper nutrition.

To provide balanced nutrition for her children, Husnul Patimah strives to meet the four key nutritional components: carbohydrates, animal proteins, plant-based proteins, and vegetables. She often prepares meals consisting of eggs, rice, moringa leaves, and tempeh for her children. She gained this knowledge from the Posyandu cadre who supported her.

“What’s that vegetable called, the one they say has four stars? I once attended a session at Posyandu, where they taught us about nutrition, including plant-based proteins, animal proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals,” explained Husnul Patimah, the middle school graduate.

After participating in several activities at Permata Hati Posyandu in Mambalan Village—one of the interventions by Yayasan Plan International (Plan Indonesia) through its program to build the capacity of family planning cadres for stunting prevention—Husnul Patimah admitted to learning a lot. Slowly but surely, she began to understand what stunting is and how to prevent it.

One of the lessons that stuck with her is the importance of maintaining proper nutrition for children and ensuring healthy sanitation at home. “Alhamdulillah, I understand a bit about how to prevent stunting and ensure children’s growth, and I try to apply it at home little by little,” she said.

However, Husnul acknowledged that there is still much she does not fully understand about stunting. She often consults with the cadre at Permata Hati Posyandu in Mambalan Village. “For example, when I notice my child has a good appetite but their weight and height aren’t increasing, I ask the cadre what might be missing,” she explained.

Previously, she had no understanding of stunting or how to prevent it. The guidance provided by the Posyandu cadre has been incredibly helpful. She hopes that with proper parenting, both her children will continue to grow well.

Healthy Lifestyle

Another housewife in Mambalan Village, Armah (37), admitted that she only began to understand proper parenting after regularly attending Posyandu activities. To prevent stunting, she not only focuses on proper nutrition but also ensures that her household’s sanitation is in good condition.

Poor sanitation can lead to diseases in toddlers, such as diarrhea, which can interfere with digestion and hinder their growth. Thus, maintaining clean and healthy living practices (PHBS) is a crucial step in preventing stunting.

“I always try to teach my children to maintain cleanliness, ensuring at the very least that they don’t urinate inappropriately,” she said.

Armah has three children: Novalia (16), Kesya (10), and Aditya (6 months). The height and weight of all three children have been well-maintained, which brings her immense happiness and gratitude as she observes their development over time.

“For meals, we have vegetables, tofu, and tempeh. If we have extra money, we buy meat or fish. And we get fruits occasionally,” she shared.

The Husband’s Role

Armah acknowledges the significant role her husband plays in supporting their children’s development. She explained that her husband, Lalu Jamiludin (46), helps care for the children after work. When she is busy or exhausted, he steps in to handle the child-rearing responsibilities. “We share the tasks; we take care of the children together,” she said.

Lalu Jamiludin admitted that, despite his busy schedule working to provide for the family, he still makes an effort to help with the children because raising them is a shared responsibility. “When the kids are fussy, we both help out,” he said.

As a father, he strives to meet his family’s daily needs and is grateful that his income is sufficient to cover school fees and provide food for the family.

Sri Ayuningsih, a family planning counselor in Mambalan Village, highlighted the crucial role fathers play in addressing stunting. By helping to relieve some of the mother’s stress, they enable her to care for the child more effectively.

“When the mother is breastfeeding, the father can massage her to help improve milk production. The quality of the milk improves, and she remains less stressed, as stress can negatively affect milk production,” she explained.

She emphasized that raising a child is not solely the mother’s responsibility; fathers must be equally involved. “Both father and mother must work together,” she concluded.