The Role of Social Support for Improving Kangaroo Mother Care Practice among Low Birth Weight Infants’ Mothers in North Jakarta

Abstract

: Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) is a skin-to-skin contact between mother and newborn, frequent or exclusive breastfeeding, and early discharge from the hospital. Social support is crucial for improving KMC practice among Low Birth Weight Infants (LBWI)’s mothers after discharge from hospital. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between social support and KMC practice among LBWI’s mothers. This research was a cross-sectional approach implemented in three village in North Jakarta that are Cilincing, Koja, and Tanjung Priok. The respondents in this study were 50 LBWI’s mothers post-discharged from Koja Hospital, North Jakarta. The sample was selected by consecutive sampling. The data were collected by questionnaire and interview. Mann-Whitney U-test was used to analyzed the data. The average age of respondents was 31 years old, the average of parity was 2 children, most of the respondents had a low level of education (64%), all were didn’t work, and 56% of their home was close to health facility. The average duration of KMC practice was 3 hours per day. This study found that social support consisting of family support (z=-2,54, p value<0,05, CI 95%) and community health workers support (z=-2.70, p value<0,05, CI 95%) had significant relationship with practice of KMC among LBWI’s mothers. The family support were in the form of replacing mother to do KMC, helps to tie KMC clothes, assist in carrying out household chores and the community health workers support were in the form of provide education about KMC, reminding mothers to practice KMC, and correcting the KMC practice. Information and education to the family and community members are required continuously in order to support LBWI’s mothers improving KMC practice.