Rawene Hospital Leads the Way In Painless Childbirth

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26933, 19 November 1948, Page 2

Rawene Hospital Leads the Way In Painless Childbirth

NOTES FOR WOMEN

The enlightened woman of to-day is beginning to demand methods by which suffering in childbirth may be alleviated, or, better still, banished altogether, in spite of the controversy which occasionally arises over this subject. Indeed, she does not now consider such service a privilege, but believes it to be a right. An assurance that such help would be available would possibly be one way of increasing the birth rate. This is one of the aspects of family planning which will receive early consideration by the newly formed Family Planning Association in Dunedin..

Most mothers are not slow to acknowledge that the majority of medical men in New Zealand are giving Increasing attention to the relief of pain in childbirth, but many women feel that the South Island is lagging behind, particularly when they learn what has been accomplished in several hospitals and nursing homes in the North' Island. Rawene Hospital, in Hokianga County. North Auckland, is probably the only hospital in the Dominion which offers painless childbirth to all mothers, and applications numbering some 700 a year are received from as far south as Invercargill. As many as 300 maternity cases are admitted every year, this number being the maximum with which the hospital can cope at the present time. The presiding genius, Dr G. M. Smith, affectionately known throughout the north as Dr “ Jock ” Smith, is a big man in every way—he towers above the average man and has just about twice the energy. His interests range from philosophy to practical engineering. His unique clinic system—the Hokianga Co-operative Health Service—is outstanding, and his knowledge of social conditions among the Maoris is considered to be second to none in the Northland. In addition, he is the author of several books, mainly on medical subjects. " No woman should feel more than one pain in childbirth, and that is the first." Dr Smith told a representative of the Daily Times who visited the Rawene Hospital a few weeks ago, and a chat with

several patients revealed that in no case was there the slightest recollection o£ pain. “ I'd come from another country to have my baby at Rawene.” one happy young mother remarked. “ I had my first baby the barbarous way,” another said, " and had I not known of the Rawene system of painless childbirth, she would have been an only child. Now, I intend to have quite a large family.” Another remarked: "I could not believe I had really had my baby.” Dr Smith considers that reassurance, resulting in peace of mind, contributes in no small measure to the success of his methods, and believes that a period of rest is more essential before a baby is born than it is after. His patients are. therefore, encouraged to come to Rawene a week or two beforehand, in order to gain reassurance by meeting patients already in hospital, and to obtain as much rest as possible away from family ties. The difficulty of accommodation presents itself here, but this resourceful doctor has plans in mind which he hopes will overcome this problem. Dr Smith says that another, but far from insurmountable, difficulty is the shortage of doctors trained in the correct technique. Nurses, too, must be trained, as patients are not left alone after the drugs are administered. No extra staff is employed at Rawene, the mortality rate compares favourable with that of anv other such institution, and the length of' stay in hospital is reduced by at least one-third of the time, some patients being able to leave after eight days.