Postby HPeponi » Sun Sep 23, 2007 9:34 pm
I too had Dr Theodoros Katassos deliver my last baby, a handful of years ago. Although the anti natal care at Agios Nikolaos General Hosp was something I didn't look forward to due to long queues and standing in a disorderly line to wait my turn, Dr Katassos was always cheerful and encouraging. Despite having had other babies born outside Greece, I was overdue with the last one and had to be admitted for induction of birth. When things went very wrong, an unforseen complication, I was whisked off for an emergency Caesarian. I surely must have had the same anaesthetist as you Selena. He was a lovely man in "Andy Pandy" trousers with longish greying hair in a pony tail. The last thing I remember was his stroking my hand as I went under the anaesthetic and he was there by my side, talking to me, as I woke up some time later. My baby had to be transfered to intensive care in Heraklion so I didn't see him for a week, until I was fit to leave Ag Nikoloas Hospital. All this time though Dr Katassos visited me daily with a progress report and encouraged me to use a breast pump to keep my milk flow going until I could be with my baby and feed him myself. Most of the nurses were friendly and did their duty but you do need someone there to help you with the basics.
I had been very apprehensive, due to the experiences of some other friends of mine who had had their babies in Agios Nikolaos in previous years. However, I was pleasantly surprised and also very impressed with the speed with which they took my very sick baby off to Heraklion and the care that he received while he was in Venizelos Hospital.
The 40 days rule is slightly more relaxed in our area now than it was when I had my first babies. They now have more experience of how "xenees" go about life after the birth of a baby and from their initial indignation/fury are now more irritated or amused by the different approach. I found with my last baby that I could take him out for a walk in the pram without offending anyone, but it was not right to visit any Greek friends houses if they disapproved of me being out before my 40 days was up. Lots of relatives gave us evil eye pins, which they wanted to pin on to the shoulder of the baby's clothing, but I was prepared and got them to put the pins on a pretty decorative pillow which I could transfer from the foot of the cot, to pram, to Moses basket, which seemed to keep them happy!! The Pt-soo, pt-soo, pt-soo though (see Kilkis no 2), I just had to grin and bear!
Having a Greek husband, I found diplomacy was the most important thing but I am also blessed with a wonderful mother-in-law, so I count myself very lucky!!