THE EFFECT OF BABY MASSAGE EDUCATION ON TODDLER MOTHERS KNOWLEDGE ABOUT GROSS MOTOR DEVELOPMENT STIMULATION IN KALITENGAH VILLAGE, SIDOARJO REGENCY

Abstract

The Toddlerhood is a critical golden period for growth and development, including gross motor development. Baby massage is one form of stimulation that may support optimal motor development, yet many mothers have limited knowledge of its benefits and proper techniques. This study aimed to determine the effect of baby massage education on mothers' knowledge of gross motor development stimulation at Posyandu Anggrek, Kalitengah Village, Sidoarjo Regency. A pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was employed. The population consisted of 52 mothers of toddlers, with 41 respondents selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a structured knowledge questionnaire and analyzed using the Paired Sample t-Test. Before the educational intervention, most respondents had fair or poor knowledge, whereas after the intervention, the majority demonstrated good knowledge. The analysis showed a significant improvement (p = 0.000; p < 0.05). The findings indicate that baby massage education effectively improves mothers' knowledge of gross motor development stimulation and should be promoted by healthcare professionals.