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17
EXERCISES FOR EXPECTANT MOTHERS:
This class was continued and 'I am indebted to Miss Shires,
the Physiotherapist in charge, for the following report:—
"The Ante-natal Classes for the year 1947 have been
most interesting and progressive. There has been an
increase both in the number of patients and also in the
number of attendances, namely, 108 new patients and 708
attendances. Many of the mothers attend anything from
16 to 20 times. Many grateful letters of thanks have been
received showing that the simple knowledge of what to
expect during labour has taken away fear, and the official
reports show that the mothers have good co-operation
with the midwives. They seem to thoroughly enjoy the
exercises and report that they give them a feeling of
fitness."
PROVISION FOR CONFINEMENT, DOMICILIARY:
The Hendon Borough Council took over the administration
of the Midwives Acts from the Middlesex County Council on
1st April, 1937, when one of the Departmental Medical Officers
was appointed medical supervisor of midwives.
On the 1st April, 1937, there was one municipal midwife
in the service of the Hendon Borough Council. On the 1st
August, 1938, five midwives commenced duty as whole time
servants of the Council for domiciliary midwifery and
maternity nursing. Of these two were state-certified midwives
who had previously been in private practice in the Borough.
The other three, who were appointed from posts under other
local authorities and nursing associations, were state-registered
nurses as well as state-certified midwives. Arrangements were
also concluded between the Hendon Borough Council and the
Watling District Nursing Association whereby the latter
undertook responsibility for the midwifery and maternity services
in a defined area of the north-west part of the Borough.
At the same time the Watling District Nursing Association
remained free to carry on midwifery and maternity nursing
outside the Hendon Borough area.