Birth in a public hospital
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Hi, i'm due to give birth in September and i'm terrified. I've been seeing a fantastic private doctor and had hoped to give birth in a private hospital. Unfortunately i don't think i can afford that now and may have to give birth in a public hospital. I went to the local one and met the doctor (who doesn't speak any English) and although he seems pleasant the hospital was shocking. My husband was not even allowed in the ultrasound room with me, even after explaining that my Greek isn't very good. They refused to speak English although i would be very surprised if they couldn't as practically everyone does in Greece! Then the final straw came when the doctor told us that my husband is not allowed in the delivery room (a natural birth). Naturally i can't understand this and the idea of being alone with doctors with whom i can't communicate and nurses who came across as uncaring is very scary. Financially though i don't think i have a choice. If i have anouther child i will definitely go back to the UK, the idea that childbirth in Greece is either safe and expensive or backward and free is unbelievable for an EU country.
Sarah 03 Aug 2009, 05:34 - Report