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118
CONVALESCENT HOME TREATMENT.
Nursing Mothers.
Prior to 1935 no arrangement existed lor the provision of convalescent
home treatment lor nursing mothers.
It was felt that some women, before they had recovered
sufficiently from the effects of confinement, had to expend a considerable
amount of their small reserve of available energy in
performing their ordinary house work and looking after the new
infant ; and that a short- rest under suitable circumstances might
prevent future chronic ill-health in some of these cases.
During the summer three mothers and their infants wore sent
away for two weeks convalescence to the West Ham Central Mission
Children's Home at Hut-ton, near Brentwood.
One of the practical difficulties in a scheme of this kind is that
the mothers most in need of such convalescence are those who have
had frequent confinements at short intervals ; and they are the
mothers whom it is most difficult to persuade to leave their own
families, even for the- short period of a fortnight. Such mothers
find it difficult to make any arrangement for the home and children
being looked after during their absence ; and it would be a boon
in these cases if the Council's scheme for the provision of home helps
could be extended to meet their requirements.
MIDWIVES' ACTS, 1902-1926.
Supervision of Midwives.
During the year 46 midwives notified their intention to practise
in the Borough. The existence in Leytonstone of the Beachcroft
Road Training School of the Essex County Nursing Association
increases considerably the return of midwives practising in the area.
Seven independent midwives residing in the Borough and four
resident outside the Borough notified their intention to practise in
the area. Of these, three midwives did not undertake any cases
during the year, and three attended less than ten cases each.
That is to say, the majority of cases attended by independent midwives
were undertaken by five midwives resident in the Borough.