EDUKASI TENTANG ASI EKSKLUSIF SEBAGAI UPAYA PENINGKATAN PENGETAHUAN IBU DI POSYANDU ULU BAULA WILAYAH KERJA PUSKESMAS BAULA KABUPATEN KOLAKA

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life is a primary effort in improving the health of both mothers and infants. However, the implementation of exclusive breastfeeding in rural areas, including in Kolaka District, still faces challenges, particularly related to the low knowledge of mothers regarding the benefits and techniques of exclusive breastfeeding. This study aimed to enhance the understanding of mothers at Posyandu Ulu Baula about the importance of exclusive breastfeeding through evidence-based educational interventions. The educational activity was conducted using a descriptive participatory approach involving 15 mothers with infants aged 0-6 months. The pre-test results indicated that most participants had insufficient knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding. After the education, there was a significant improvement in knowledge, with 73.3% of participants demonstrating good knowledge, compared to only 20% before the education. These findings indicate that community-based education is effective in improving mothers' understanding of exclusive breastfeeding and can contribute to increasing the coverage of exclusive breastfeeding in the region. This educational program is expected to be replicated in other posyandu areas to improve maternal and child health quality on a sustainable basis.