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while the return of husbands has meant so many of the young
people having to live with " in-laws " or friends, and much disillusion
especially follows the birth of a child where the family
have no home of their own.
The evacuation scheme for confinements outside London has
relieved some of the strain upon the homes where room and convenience
for childbirth is often non-existent. The number taking
advantage of the scheme in 1945 was 729, compared with 643 in
the previous year and 605 in 1943.
The lack of adequate accommodation through the overcrowding
of so many homes made the prospect of a home confinement in
many cases an intolerable burden. Lack of sufficient staff curtailed
the number of beds in institutions which might have been
available, so that perforce the evacuation scheme, which, in time
of war was a safety precaution, was continued as a relief outlet to
the acute shortage of all kinds of necessaries for the confinement
of increasing numbers of expectant mothers.
Child Life Protection.
1,043 visits and re-visits were made to foster mothers and nurse
children.
Foster mothers on Register at 31.12.45 28(26)
Nurse children on Register at 31.12.45 32 (34)
The demand for foster mothers far outstrips the supply, because
factory employment is easy to obtain, and there is a greater financial
incentive.
Care of Premature Infants.
A space is provided in the notification of births card for the
insertion of the child's weight, and all cases born in the district
weighing 5½ lbs. or under are followed up specially until they are one
month old.
Close co-operation is maintained between the hospitals and the
public health department in order that on returning home the
mother shall know to whom to turn immediately an emergency
arises needing extra equipment, help in feeding the infant, and so on.
Of the 108 premature children notified in the year, 36 were born
at home and 72 in hospital. Of the former, one died in the first
24 hours, two had to be admitted to hospital and 35 survived the
first month. Of the 72 born in hospital, 7 died in the first 24 hours,
two died later and 61 are known to have survived the first month.
The remaining two were taken away by their parents who could
not subsequently be traced.