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37
CIRCULATION OF BOOKLET ON REARING
OF CHILDREN
The booklet on child welfare called "To Mothers and Fathers"
was circulated to all mothers who were to be attended at their
confinement by one of the Council's Midwives, either as a midwife
or maternity nurse, and to all those who were to be admitted to
the North Middlesex County Hospital and Chase Farm Hospital
for their confinement, and also to those other mothers whose
confinements were notified.
ANTE-NATAL CLINICS
During the year, 1,738 mothers attended the ante-natal clinics.
This decrease on last year's figure points to an expected fall in
the birth-rate in the early part of 1948 at least.
POST-NATAL CLINICS
During the course of the year, 529 mothers attended the postnatal
clinics for examination. This examination takes place by
appointment six weeks after the confinement and is an attempt to
ensure that complete return to normal health is made.
The appointments are given to every mother whose confinement
has been conducted under the responsibility of one of the
Council's Midwives, and also to every mother whose confinement
takes place in the North Middlesex County Hospital and Chase
Farm Hospital. Appointments are not made where the confinement
has been conducted by a Private Practitioner unless specially asked
for by them.
The number of mothers availing themselves of this valuable,
and in some cases most necessary service, has increased this year,
but is, on the whole, disappointing as a post-natal examination may
enable many mothers to avoid ill-health.
INFANT WELFARE CLINICS
The total number of children who made their first attendance
at the Infant Welfare Clinics was 2,432.