BETWEEN LOVE AND LIMITED KNOWLEDGE: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF MOTHERS' EXPERIENCES CARING FOR TODDLERS WITH STUNTING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to explore the lived experiences, perceptions, and challenges mothers face in caring for toddlers with stunting in a rural community setting in the service area of Puskesmas Sukarame, Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia.

Methodology: A qualitative descriptive design was used, involving fifteen mothers of stunted toddlers selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews lasting 45 to 60 minutes and analyzed using the six-step thematic analysis approach. Ethical approval was obtained from Universitas Padjadjaran (Approval No. 1265/UN6.KEP/EC/2024), and all participants provided informed consent before data collection.

Findings: Five major themes emerged: (1) mothers' incomplete and often inaccurate understanding of the causes of stunting, (2) economic and access barriers to nutritious food, (3) socio-cultural beliefs shaping child feeding practices, (4) emotional burden and social stigma experienced by mothers of stunted children, and (5) mothers' reliance on and trust in posyandu cadres and midwives for guidance.

Practical/Social Implications: The findings highlight the need for nutrition education that is culturally sensitive, economically feasible, and delivered by health workers already trusted by the community, rather than through generic, top-down messaging.

Originality/Value: This study offers an emic, mother-centred perspective that is largely absent from quantitative stunting surveillance data, revealing the psychosocial dimensions of caregiving that accompany the biomedical definition of stunting.