I pity new mums today — maternity care was so much better in the 1960s
I WAS appalled to read Caroline Scott’s excellent article about postnatal tears in so many women (Good Health). The obstetric care in the UK, which was once second to none, is now seemingly rushed and careless. Women these days are on a conveyor belt of care, and it seems frequent mistakes are being made with their treatment. I had three children from 1965 to 1967 and was always treated with care and compassion. I had a forceps delivery with the first. Every effort was made to avoid perineal tears in those days. Most deliveries were preceded by an enema, which made things easier for the mother. We nearly all had a controlled perineal incision — a clean cut which was then safely stitched after the birth. These were monitored closely afterwards and stitches were removed between one week and ten days later. Back then, we were all nursed by devoted, sensible midwives in hospital or at home over that period. This gave us time to recover from the trauma of giving birth and establish feeding before we were sent home. I was stitched three times, as were many of my friends, and apart from the initial discomfort I recovered well. Now aged 77, I have no problems and never did. No wonder young women of today suffer so often with postnatal depression and these appalling aftereffects. These are serious injuries that, on the whole, are preventable but which ruin lives and marriages. Maternity services seem to be going backwards, when their reputation was once the envy of the world. I really feel for the young mothers who are having to cope with the undignified after-effects of what should be one of the happiest times in their lives.
ANN BULLOCK, Gillingham, Dorset.