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These figures show a total number of 298 attendances compared with
119 in 1934.
Expansion of Maternity and Child Welfare Services.
As the result of a report made on Maternal Mortality a small subcommittee
was appointed at the end of 1934 to consider what additional services
should be provided in the district. As a result of this several new services were
instituted, and the existing services were enlarged.
A comprehensive Economic Circumstances Scale was approved during
the summer by the Council and the various services came into operation at the
end of the year. Because of this late date there were few of the services of
which persons had actually availed themselves by the end of the year, but at
the beginning of the new year these services were in a state of fairly rapid
expansion. The services made available at the end of the year were as follows :
(1) Provision of milk daily from the third month of pregnancy (instead
of from the sixth month) ;
(2) Provision of other nutrients during pregnancy ;
(3) Provision of dental treatment (including dentures) ;
(4) Provision of a midwife at confinement;
(5) Provision of a home help at confinement;
(6) Provision of sterilised accouchement sets for confinement.
These services are available free or at part cost to all expectant mothers
if their income falls below a certain scale. In addition there are the ante-natal
clinics, the infant welfare clinics and the service already established for
obtaining birth control advice.
Towards the end of the year also the Council approved the commencing
of Mothercraft sessions. These were started at the Manor House in March,
1936, and it is hoped that when the new Branch Centre is built sessions will be
held there. The sessions start at 2.30 p.m. and are of about an hour to an hour
and a-half's duration.
The objects of mothercraft are to enable expectant mothers and mothers
of infants to learn in a detailed manner the best ways of preparing for and
bringing up their children, to enable them to obtain material at cost price for
baby's clothes, to receive advice and instruction with regard to cutting out,
needlework, etc., and generally, by collective and individual advice, to help
them in any difficulties which may concern them in regard to their babies.
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