View report page

34
The Committee agreed to meet financial responsibility for
the stay of unmarried mothers in Mother and Baby Homes for a
period of three months. For girls up to 18 years of age the
period was extended to an average of six months. These younger
mothers normally went to homes specialising in their care. Of
these younger mothers; their ages at the time they applied for
help were:-
14 years old - 6
15 " " - 15
16 " " - 17
17 " " - 18
18 " " - 19
Total - 75
During 1961 the ages of the younger mothers when their
babies were born were:-
Age 14 -2
"15 -10
"16 -11
"17 -9
"18 -8
Total - 40
Of these babies:-
4 were stillborn
2 died
1 now in hospital
Domiciliary Midwifery
The rising birth rate increased the work of the midwives in
coping with home confinements and with early discharges from
maternity units. Even with the rigid selection of all mothers
asking for a place in hospital, local maternity departments cannot
deal with the heavy demands during February, March and April.
All mothers being admitted were warned that they might be required
to go home earlier than anticipated, and their case notes
had a comment on the suitability of home conditions for matemitt
nursing. Part-time midwives have been recruited for these duties,
and provide relief assistance at other periods to the domiciliary
midwives. There is the risk of the practice of early discharge
being used when there are no excess demands on hospital beds.
This has not been our experience. The reason is clearly the
strain imposed upon hospital midwifery staff and the conditions