How a Parents Centre was

started in Thames

Preparation:

As soon as my husband decided to apply for country service in Thames I set to work reading all the Parents Centre library books I could lay my hands on, collected samples of all the leaflet material, collected back numbers of the bulletin and spare copies from Mary Dobbie, and talked over the background and policies of Parents Centre with Mary and Mrs. Littlewood. Both cautioned and advised tact in broaching the idea of a Parents Centre in a new community.

Exploration:

As I made friends, I talked about Parents Centre ideas, lent the magazines around, and found most young mothers reactions very favorable.  I chose a young doctor for my own pregnancy, who expressed himself sympathetic though doubtful whether a small town could support a Parents Centre (I knew that two doctors at Ngatea were also sympathetic, but with similar doubts). I discussed it with the Plunket Nurse, who proved so enthusiastic that she gave me a Parents Centre sub then and there!

I joined the Plunket Mothers Club (amongst other things) and offered to borrow the Whiteside-Taylor record to play at a meeting.  This proved a very worthwhile occasion, as I was asked to give a talk about Parents Centre at the same time, at an audience of 60, several of whom expressed interest afterwards. (I was not yet suggesting starting one in Thames, however).

I attended the ante-natal class at the hospital, where a visiting physiotherapist was teaching the psychoprophylatic method, together with talks on labour and breastfeeding. She welcomes my offer to obtain copies of “Easy Childbirth” and a set of library books from the Parents Centre Federation (thus creating an awkward precedent for Judy Pickard!), but showed little interest in expanding the talks to include tutors on aspects of child care.

Crisis:

When suddenly the Hospital course ceased (the physio could no longer come), and 12 class members were left with no one to instruct them, and no resumption in sight till two more physios could be appointed in the new year – assuming that any applied.

So this was the psychological moment.

I arranged with the Plunket Nurse to run a mothercraft series, and borrowed the Betty Parsons record for the physiotherapy in the meantime.

Pilot Course:

A course was needed straight away, but it could not be an official Parents Centre one at this stage, so I planned a “trail run”.  I was fortunate in finding a young married physiotherapist who was expecting a baby herself and who was trained in the psychoprophylactic method; she readily agreed to teach the physiotherapy, counting on her own and her husband’s participation in the course as payment. My doctor’s wife, a trained nurse, who had breastfed her baby for 9 months, agreed to give a talk on breastfeeding.

At this stage my baby arrived (having apparently swotted Erna Wright on how to be born correctly). While in the Annex I had the opportunity to discuss the course with the Matron, who proved to be sympathetic, agreed to conduct the class over the Annex, and recommended an excellent midwife for the talk on labour, with the addition of the Whiteside-Taylor record, the Dick-Read record and the Camera Talks slides, the course was now complete.  A Tuesday evening was the most convenient time for the tutors; and I decided to hold it in our lounge at home, for several reasons: to encourage an informal atmosphere, to save expense and to solve any baby-sitting problems before they arose.

I had no chance to see the doctors now, so I wrote them an explanatory letter, with a copy of the Federation of New Zealand Parents Centre introductory leaflet, and sent them a dozen copies of the invitation sheet for expectant mothers, (also drafted while in the annex). I sent copies also to the ex-members of the Hospital Course.

7 mothers enrolled (6 brought their husbands): the physiotherapist, 4 from the ex-class, 2 through my doctor and 1 through the Plunket Nurse; 3 more came along at the recommendation of the class members. The course went smoothly and pleasantly, with a good class spirit – and good results with births and breastfeeding!

Establishment:

So I laid plans for establishing a Parents Centre in Thames, First I consulted again with Mary Dobbie and Mrs. Littlewood in Auckland, then with Shirley Harland and Judy Pickard in Cambridge, to help sort out problems of organization (what a lot of details to find out). Them, leaving my husband to baby sit (fortunately it was the holidays), I visited all 8 of my local GP’s – and met a favorable response, to my astonishment, from all of them!  The three most senior agreed to act as medical advisors.  I went to see the new physiotherapists, who proved to be interested and co-operative.  A lawyer friend agreed to be Hon. Solicitor; he helped prepare the constitution, and recommended an Auditor.  I set a date for the Inaugural Meeting, booked the National President and Secretary to come, booked the films I wanted from the National Film Library for the year.

So far I had worked alone, with only my husband’s support, but a committee was needed. Two girls from the pilot course and two from the ex-hospital course agreed to be on it, and two of my friends with small children.

29 people attend the Inaugural Meeting, and the committee was safely elected; we wrote our own report for the local paper.

The following week, the first official course got under way, with an enrolment of 14, coming from 7 of the 8 doctors, and with a course considerably expanded from the pilot course.  Our physiotherapist has been greatly helped by consulting in detail with Mrs. Mackwell of Hamilton Parents Centre.  Already the committee has plenty of work to do, part of which is to become well versed in Parents Centre background, since most of them have not come through a Parents Centre class themselves.

Assessment:

Conditions here seem to have been remarkably easy for establishing a Parents Centre, since no one has opposed it, and all the essential medical personnel responded favorably.

The test, of course, will be weather the class can continue to compete successfully with the resumed Hospital class (a situation we had hoped to avoid), but at present there seems to be room for both; and whether strong local leadership will emerge to maintain continuity (6/7 of the committee have come to Thames in the part two years!).

The need for a Parents Centre is certainly there; and possible its role in a small community is wider than in a city – e.g. offering a family guidance library to all young parents (and speakers and films, when available); liaison with Plunket and pre-school centre, etc, as well as the Hospital.

M.M. Bowater, M.A

March, 1967