Padang State University PkM Team Conducts Mindfulness Therapy Training for Pregnant Women in Solok Regency
West Sumatra, Solok Regency - The Community Service Team (PkM) from Universitas Negeri Padang (UNP) held mindfulness therapy training for pregnant women in Nagari Kinari, Bukit Sundi District, Solok Regency, on August 3-4, 2024. This activity was carried out in the framework of the Community Partnership Program with the aim of overcoming the high birth rate of stunted babies in West Sumatra, especially in Solok Regency.
This training was motivated by the high birth rate of stunted babies in West Sumatra, which is a serious problem in public health. One of the main causes of the birth of stunted babies is the stressful conditions that pregnant women often experience during their pregnancy. Stress that is not managed properly can affect the physical and mental health of pregnant women, as well as have a negative impact on fetal growth. Therefore, mindfulness therapy was introduced as an effective method to help pregnant women manage stress and maintain health during pregnancy.
This activity was fully supported by the Government of Nagari Kinari, Bukit Sundi District, Solok Regency. The Wali Nagari, Ade Indra S.Sos, said that the activities held by the UNP Stunting Prevention Team were very beneficial for pregnant women in Nagari Kinari, so that this activity would become the village's flagship program. This activity also involved health workers at the Kinari Health Center in order to provide health counseling to pregnant women.
The activity implementation team consisted of several lecturers from the Department of Guidance and Counseling, Faculty of Education, Universitas Negeri Padang. The team was chaired by Dr. Yarmis Syukur, M.Pd., Kons, who has extensive experience in the field of counseling and psychotherapy. The team members are Azmatul Khairiah Sari, M.Pd., Triave Nuzila Zahri, M.Pd., Kons, and Ade Herdian Putra, M.Pd., who are also experts in their respective fields. In addition, several students participated in this activity, namely Fuad Mimhamimdala, S.Pd., Azzahra Farzana Mirza, and Nurul Azmi.
This training aims to provide knowledge and skills to pregnant women so that they can implement a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy and manage stress independently through mindfulness exercises. Mindfulness is a meditation technique that involves full awareness of what is happening to oneself and the surrounding environment. By teaching this technique, pregnant women are expected to be calmer, more focused, and able to cope better with stress during their pregnancy.
This training activity lasted for two days, with a series of events that included health counseling, mindfulness training sessions, discussion and consultation, as well as evaluation and follow-up. Through this mindfulness therapy training activity, it is hoped that pregnant women in Nagari Kinari can better understand the importance of maintaining mental and physical health during pregnancy. By managing stress effectively, pregnant women can create a healthier and safer environment for fetal growth, thereby reducing the risk of birth of stunted babies. In addition, this activity is also expected to be an example for other regions in an effort to reduce the birth rate of stunted babies in West Sumatra.
