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83
Post-natal Care
An appointment is made for each mother to attend for a postnatal
examination at the clinic which she attended as an expectant
mother, approximately six weeks after the confinement. Here she
is seen by the doctor who undertook her ante-natal care and who
knows her and any, special features connected with the case. The
hospital's or midwife's report on the confinement is held in
readiness for this examination so that the examining doctor knows
all the facts connected with the case.
Each mother is encouraged to keep this appointment so that
any defects which may have resulted from her confinement are detected
and treated at once so as to avoid future disability.
Care of Premature Infants
There is an agreement with the North Middlesex Hospital for
the admission of any woman in premature labour, to avoid delivery
at home and later transfer to hospital. The hospital will admit
the case on a midwife's or doctor's request, and this applies also
to the need to transfer a premature child born at home.
Premature babies delivered at home. The case is graded
according to the baby's requirements. More frequent visits and
a special nurse, if necessary, special clothing, hot water bottles
and breast milk (when available) are loaned out. Special cots
are not provided. Supervision of the infant is continued for as
long as required.
Infant Welfare Centres
In nine centres doctors and health visitors with special
qualifications in child health attend to give advice to mothers
of healthy infants on normal development and progress. Regular
weighing and physical examination brings to light the smallest
deviations from normal growth and well-being, and these deviations
are investigated with the mother so that they can be' remedied.
In the early months of life advice on feeding is frequestly
sought, particularly for infants who are artificially fed and
those who have reached the weaning age.
This service does much to ensure the growth of a healthy
child and is a means of educating mothers on the proper care of
their children.