A Never Ending Support for Mothers in South Nias
Mama Edzhar (23 years old), who lives in South Nias, has successfully exclusively breastfed her second child, Helna (girl, 8 months old), and continues to breastfeed her. This success wasn't immediate but came through various experiences and efforts.
Upon returning home after giving birth to Helna, the baby cried, likely wanting milk because her tummy was empty. A neighbour suggested giving her water and formula. "But my husband and I didn't want to follow their advice. We made up our minds: we had to give her breast milk. We'd just try it because we had experience with our first child, who drank formula, so our first child was often ill, a fussy eater, and had allergies," she recounted.
Mama Edzhar and her husband noticed the difference in their first and second children's health. "I'm happy to give my child breast milk because it has the benefit of making her healthy and strong and rarely ill," she expressed. She obtained information about breastfeeding from community health volunteers, the village midwife, health centre staff, the village government, the Obor Berkat Foundation (LOB), and Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI) during activities she participated in. This support from various parties further strengthened her commitment to continue breastfeeding and providing complementary foods.
Mama Virgil (39 years old) is a community health volunteer who has diligently provided education on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF). She has been a health volunteer for ten years and attended IYCF orientation for health volunteers a few years ago. She continues to diligently educate the community, including Mama Edzhar. "Because I want the children in my village to be healthy. I want to share the knowledge I've received with mothers of toddlers," Mama Virgil explained her motivation.
However, the most crucial support for Mama Edzhar came from her family, especially her husband. "My husband is happy, my husband loves me even more through his actions," she said. Currently, Helna has started receiving complementary foods. One of the challenges in providing complementary foods is that children are sometimes fussy eaters, so patience is needed. Moreover, the age gap between her second and first child, Edzhar (boy, 2 years old), isn't very large. Fortunately, Edzhar has started to eat independently. Mama Edzhar is grateful that her husband supports her in feeding, for example, by holding the child when she doesn't want to eat. Her husband holds or cradles the child while Mama Edzhar feeds her, so the child will eat. "I'm so happy to have support from my husband. He always supports and encourages me to give her rice and home-cooked food, not instant baby food," she said.
To help meet the nutritional needs of their children and family, Mama Edzhar and her husband, with assistance from LOB and WVI, created a nutrition garden. "One of the good things for our children is to give them vegetables, eggs, and fish. Sometimes my husband goes to sea, so he can bring fish. We get vegetables from the garden," Mama Edzhar explained. Her gratitude for her husband's great support makes Mama Edzhar readily praise him. "My husband looks tough, but he has a soft heart," she said with a happy smile.
Mama Edzhar also diligently takes her child to the village health post (posyandu). Besides receiving weighing, measuring, and immunisation services, she also learns how to care for her child and provide breast milk and complementary foods. "I arrive by 9 am (at the posyandu), leaving other work. The first thing I look at is the progress. It's not because of the souvenirs (given at the posyandu). If her weight increases, I become even more enthusiastic. If it decreases, we look at what hasn't been done, maybe because I'm busy with work, so the child isn't well cared for," she revealed. It's no wonder that Mama Edzhar received appreciation from the village head for being a mother of a toddler who always diligently attends the health post, even when it rains.
"I hope all mothers also give breast milk. Formula milk isn't good for children. Besides giving breast milk, you must also provide nutritious complementary foods and snacks for children so they can grow and develop and stay healthy," Mama Edzhar concluded, encouraging other parents.
Author: Selvianis Wehalo dan Nurdelima Bohalima (Field Facilitator for South Nias Area Programme), C. Vita Aristyanita (MCHN Specialist)
Editor: Mariana Kurniawati (Communication Executive)
