Napande: Jurnal Bidan
Vol. 5 No. 1 (2026): March

The Effect of Pediatric Massage Therapy on Constipation in Formula-Fed Infants (6-12 months)

Herlina Listyaningrum (Departement of Midwifery, Poltekkes Kemenkes Pontianak, West kalimantan, Indonesia)
Oon Fatonah Akbarini (Departement of Midwifery, Poltekkes Kemenkes Pontianak, West kalimantan, Indonesia)
Rini Sulistiawati (Departement of Midwifery, Poltekkes Kemenkes Pontianak, West kalimantan, Indonesia)
Rakhmawati (Departement of Midwifery, Poltekkes Kemenkes Pontianak, West kalimantan, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
06 Apr 2026

Abstract

Background: Constipation is a prevalent health problem in infants. It is a condition in which infants have difficulty defecating, bowel movements ≤ 3 times a week, and hard and large feces. In Indonesia, the prevalence of constipation in infants is 15.7%, and it needs to be treated appropriately. The effects of constipation are classified into two categories: short-term and long-term. Short-term effects can manifest as discomfort in infants, anorexia, and lack of weight gain. Non-pharmacological interventions, such as pediatric massage therapy, are effective management strategies for infant constipation. Methods: This study employed a one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design with 38 formula-fed constipation infants aged 6-12 months. The pediatric massage therapy intervention, three times a week, was assessed before and after using the Bristol Stool Chart questionnaire. Results: Based on the statistical analysis of 38 respondents (n = 38), a Z value of −5.42 was obtained with a p value (ρ) = 0.000. This result indicates a highly significant statistical difference/relationship (p < 0.05), so the null hypothesis (H₀) is rejected, and the alternative hypothesis (H₁) is accepted. Conclusion: Pediatric massage therapy is an effective complementary therapy for managing constipation in formula-fed infants aged 6-12 months at the Puskesmas Sungai Besar, Ketapang Regency

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Journal Info

Abbrev

njb

Publisher

Subject

Health Professions Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Medicine & Pharmacology Nursing Public Health

Description

Napande: Jurnal Bidan is a national midwifery journal that publishes scientific works for midwives, nurses, academic people, and practitioners. Welcomes and invites original research articles in midwifery, including: Birth | Pregnancy | Newborn | Adolescence | Family Planning | Climacterium | ...