AT THE POSTNATAL EXAMINATION – SUPPORTING POSTNATAL FAMILY PLANNING

It is sad that few hospitals now support postnatal family planning clinics and the opportunity to return to the place where the baby was born is seldom available. At such a visit the woman could show off the baby, have her new status as mother recognized and discuss her delivery, even though it might be with a doctor whose only knowledge of the delivery was from the notes. Some women will delay or postpone their postnatal examination, thereby indicating perhaps an unconscious wish to postpone entry into normal, and in particular, sexual life. Or it may be that they fear that they might fail the test of official recognition as a fully fledged mother. On the other hand, the woman who fails to attend altogether may be indicating her wish to guard her privacy and assume total responsibility for herself again. She will happily resume intercourse, using her old cap or having started herself on as old supply of Pills.

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