American in Cyprus: Welcome Marissa

On June 19th at 6:10 a.m. we welcomed a beautiful, healthy baby to our family. Marissa Hope weighed in at 6 pounds 10 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long. She took us by surprise by arriving a little earlier than we had planned. My "mommy sense" must have kicked in because I finished packing my bag for the hospital the morning before and her bag the day before that. I had joked to Demetris over the previous weekend that I was "nesting" as I was washing all of her clothes and linens and getting everything organized. You would think that since this was my third baby, maybe I would not have worried so much about getting the bags ready, especially since the clinic is only about a ten minute drive away. However, things are different in Cyprus than they are in the US. In the US, the hospital pretty much supplies everything that you would need for the birth/delivery. In Cyprus, you are expected to bring many items yourself. The clinic gave a list of what to bring and included sheets for her hospital bed, receiving blankets, her towels, all clothing needed, and even diapers. For me, I needed to bring my own hospital gown for the delivery as well as the usual stuff you would need. So, I was careful to pack the bag on time out of fear that we would be rushing to the clinic and I wouldn't have any clothes or a blanket for her. Surely they must keep extras on hand just in case, but I didn't want to take any chances with that.
As for the actual medical care, in Cyprus there is the General Hospital which is funded by the government and provides free services for Cypriot citizens. I was able to get on Demetris' medical card to allow me to qualify for these services. The main hospital for adults was built in the last ten years and appears very clean and modern. But, the maternity ward is located at the children's hospital, which is quite old. While I was pregnant and we were trying to decide where to go and what doctor to use, we decided to walk around the maternity section of the hospital just to see what it is like. Let's just say that I didn't want to have my baby in that environment. Plus, you are not allowed to chose the doctor you want to see and confidentiality appears to be a foreign concept. Even the people who book appointments for you act like they are doing you a favor by being there. Not at all helpful or friendly. Based on the recommendation of our pediatrician, I chose a private clinic with a Cypriot doctor who had been trained in the UK. The clinic is only a few years old and very modern. One of the main reasons I liked this doctor is that he has a very low rate for c-sections. Cyprus has the highest c-section rate in Europe with a rate somewhere between 50 and 70% depending on the source. I have heard it suggested that one of the reasons for this is that some of the private doctors encourage c-sections because they can charge more for those services. There are also many women who request c-sections to avoid going through the labor process. I was very happy with the care that I received at the clinic. The obstetrician facilitated a smooth delivery and our pediatrician was present at the delivery to check the baby once she was born. Medical care in general is not as comprehensive here as it is in the states. I think the doctors here think we overdo it there, and maybe there is a bit of truth in that, but it is more comforting. Overall, we had to pay to receive the services that we wanted/expected but for us it was worth it and the end result was a most precious baby.