The hospital inpatient stay: the experience of first-time parents.

The experience of hospital inpatient stays at childbirth was studied in a longitudinal study of the experiences of 96 first-time parents during the transition to parenthood. For women, the prospect of birth was a major worry during pregnancy. Negative expectations proved in general to be justified by events, with many women reporting predominantly bad memories of the experience. Satisfaction with the hospital inpatient stay is also considered: a major source of dissatisfaction was inadequate help with breast feeding, which produced many difficulties. Middle class mothers were in general more dissatisfied with their hospital stay, as were women who had Caesarean births. Relationships were found between antenatal class attendances and the likelihood of a normal delivery and reported pain during childbirth. The role and experience of fathers was also considered. Most expected to be at the birth from an early stage in pregnancy; more than two-thirds were present for the delivery and half or more at the labour. Their experience at this time was more positive than that of their partners. But during the hospital stay, this role was much more marginal. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for antenatal preparation, breast feeding and paternal involvement.

[Psychological and physical performance standards of borderline hypertensive patients before and during treatment with propranolol]. / Psychische und physische Leistungsanforderungen an Borderline-Hypertoniker vor und unter Behandlung mit Propranolol.

On 47 borderline hypertensives discriminative reaction tests (17 test persons) and ergometries (30 test persons) were carried out. It could be proved that both in psychic and in physical demand by beta-blocker therapy heart rate and blood pressure significantly remained below the initial value. The calculation of the interior heart work resulted in an economization of the heart work. By means of the beta-blocker therapy of the borderline hypertensives a more favourable situation in an increased functional demand and a decreased reaction of the blood pressure on psychic stress was achieved.

[Reaction performance, motor coordination performance and findings in hypertensive patients under diisopropylamine and reserpine therapy]. / Reaktionsleistungen, motorische Koordinationsleistungen und Befinden von Hypertonikern unter Diisopropylamin und Reserpin.

In 64 male hypertonics the reaction and coordination functions and the condition were standardized and compared before and after a four weeks ambulatory treatment with diisopropylamine (3 times 200 mg a day) and reserpine (3 times 0.25 mg a day). The two medicaments achieved good blood pressure reducing effects. Since in reserpine the therapeutic effect later appeared, fatigue and need for sleep were more frequent and continuous, in older patients still after a treatment of four weeks right and temporary reactions decreased, wrong reaction increased and the aim accelerated, is concluded that here in particular in the behaviour of older people more frequently a longer lasting disturbance is probable.