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MIDWIFERY
There were four practising midwives in the Borough of Wanstead
and Woodford during the year 1961 until May when one resigned and
for the remainder of the year there were three. A good midwifery
service was maintained.
Training of pupil midwives in the district was continued throughout
the year and good examination results were obtained by the pupils.
No. of confinements attended as midwife 184
No. of confinements attended as maternity nurse,
i.e. doctor also present 67
184 patients in the district received Gas & Air analgesia
48 ,, Trilene
178 ,, Pethedine
Ante-Natal Clinic
There were 592 attendances at the ante-natal clinic at 118 Hermon
Hill.
At this Clinic sessions are held weekly on an appointments system,
midwives examining their own patients and working in close co-operation
with the general practitioners concerned.
One general practitioner conducts an ante-natal clinic for his own
patients at his surgery, with a Local Authority midwife in attendance.
The scheme works well and achieves a maximum of co-operation between
doctor and midwife.
Relaxation Classes
Many requests have been received from general practitioners for their
patients to attend these classes which have retained their popularity
with expectant mothers, and many mothers have expressed their appreciation
of the advice they have been given and the help they have
found the instruction to be at the time of their confinement. It is
interesting to note that more requests are now being received from
general practitioners for their patients to attend the classes.
Three weekly sessions are held in the Clinic at 118 Hermon Hill the
classes being deliberately kept numerically small to enable individual
attention to be given. By this means the Health Visitor is enabled to
maintain personal contact.
At these classes short talks are given on preparation for the confinement
and on various aspects of personal hygiene for mother and infant.
48