Archive for the ‘Events’ Category
May 11th, 2011 | 
Author: Sorry, this entry is only available in Greek.
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On Saturday, 11th of December 2010, “Birth Choices” held the projection of Suzanne Arms film: “Giving life to the future – Childbirth: challenges and choices”.
Throughout the film Suzanne Arms focuses attention on the importance of love and kindness toward the mother and baby during the birth process. She shows the beauty, wonder and transformative power of normal, natural childbirth as well as directly addressing the prevailing concerns of most mothers: Will my body work? Why should I have to feel any pain in labor? What is safe for my baby and me?
What you saw:
- How empowering birth can be for a woman
- What a healthy, full-term newborn looks like who’s mother has not had drugs or anesthesia
- What a midwife-style prenatal visit looks/feels like (with a toddler sibling present)
- What true support looks like in labor
- A midwife-attended labor and natural birth (with a middle class couple, in an modern home)
- Active birth: upright, active positions in labor, use of a birthing stool, the mother feeling her baby’s head as it emerges and helping draw her baby out and up onto her chest
- Extraordinary joy a woman feels after completing the hard work of birth without drugs or anesthesia
- Active father support in labor and during delivery
- Still photos of a water birth
After the projection followed an open discussion about the childbirth and the condition that exist in Greece. Many thanks to mikropolis and to the people who came although the cold night!
PLACE: Micropolis, Venizelou Heraklion and Vas 18, 2nd Floor, Thessaloniki
TIME: 6:00 p.m.
FREE ENTRANCE
On Saturday, 27th of November 2010, “Birth Choices” organized a meeting for action!
First of all we want to thank the volunteers who took part in the meeting, and “Micropolis” which helped us once again by giving us the place! We were a lot of people (adults and children). New volunteers, who are ready to act collectively making truth our goals. We exchange views and ideas, which makes us feel optimistic about our future. Were decided:
- To open a dialogue for natural birth in Greece with the Ministry of Health, the Greek Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the association of Midwives in Thessaloniki.
- To analyze what is happening today in hospitals on childbirth and breastfeeding (conditions for mother and baby) and how can we publicize our positions in public and private hospitals.
- To investigate and push for legislation that exists (or rather absence) in Greece for giving birth at home.
- To analyze the theme of “childbirth and economic crisis” trying to gather alternative proposals.
- To organize a film screening in December. 
Go VOLUNTEERS to get some ACTION!
PLACE: Micropolis, Venizelou Heraklion and Vas 18, 2nd Floor, Thessaloniki
TIME: 6:00 p.m.
Free entrance!
On Saturday October 16th 2010 “Birth Choices” held an open discussion about associations’s future actions.
Since March 2008 we have been engaged in getting you familiar with natural child birth and, through dialogue, trying to inform you on the malpractice in clinics and hospitals and prompt women to ask for alternative child birth methods and post-birth care.
Up to now, we have been working with volunteers and our members are parents or full time employees with a strict program, each of whom spend as much time possible to help us in organizing events and in research.
At the event, was decided that we will remain in the form we have today, until next event which will be announced very soon. We will invite all registered members, as anyone else who is interested in via email and also via our site. The actions of Birth Choices are continuing normally, more organized and dynamically!
The event was held to Mikropolis (Venizelou & 18 Vas. Irakliou Str.) at 18:00
On Saturday, 25th September 2010, “Birth Choices in Greece” association held a talk titled: “The dangers of induced labor and c-sections: Myth or reality?”
Can really pregnant women in Greece give birth to their children in the way they wish? During the last years, labor inductions and cesarean sections have become a routine in our country. According to many scientific researches in the last 5 years, the constant medicalization as well as the increasing development of money making birth services cause extended health problems both to the mother and the infant.
What should the parents know about the programmed routine cesarean sections, the labor inductions before the 41 weeks of pregnancy, the premature cesarean sections before completing the 39 weeks of pregnancy and the effects of cesarean sections to breastfeeding?
Time: 18:00 p.m.
Speakers: Dr Stelios Papaventsis, Paidiatrician – IBCLC and Dr. Aggeliki Mpouzaki, Obstetrician – Gynecologist
Place: EDOTH building, 51 Proxenou Koromila str, Thessaloniki (4th floor)
Dr. Aggeliki Mpouzaki ’s presentation (Greek)
On Saturday, 24th of March 2010, “Birth Choices” held an open discussion titled:
“The role of the fathers in labour and birth”
Five fathers shared with us their experience to child birth, at hospital or at home. A common point at the five stories was the magic moment that the fathers first saw the sight of their child. Mothers emphasized that the participation of the partner during labour is very important and helps the relationship between the couple to be stronger. Many questions were answered during this friendly discussion, while the children of “Birth Choices” were playing at the playground of Micropolis.
Place: Micropolis, Venizelou and 18 Vas. Herakliou str, 2nd floor, Thessaloniki
Free entrance
On Saturday, 6th of March 2010, “Birth Choices in Greece” held the screening of Abby Epstein’s film “The business of being born”
“Birth is a miracle. But today, more than anything, birth is a business. Compelled to find answers after a disappointing birth experience with her first child, actress Ricki Lake recruits filmmaker Abby Epstein to explore the maternity care system in America, focusing on New York City.”
The event took place at the Stein building of City College, 2 Kalapothaki str, Thessaloniki.
Free entrance
On Saturday, 12th of December 2009,
We decided to sensitize people with a symbolic silent protest at Aristotelous square. We put balloons or pillows under the blouses, a bar code stuck on our bellies, like merchandises and a tape closing our mouths. We distributed information leaflets to the people and protest about the commercialization of childbirth.
On Thursday, 11th of June 2009, we distributed leaflets and publicised “Birth Choices in Greece” in the big central shopping street in the centre of Thessaloniki!
At Aristotelous square people got informed about the association and his actions. More than 2000 leaflets* were given.
*you can find the information leaflet at the “resources”
The happening poster (in Greek)
On Saturday, 9th of May 2009, “Birth choices in Greece” association held a talk title:
“Giving birth in Greek clinics: the reality”
Kalliopi Mourtzikou, draw on her enormous experience helping women who have experienced the clinic system in Greece, and outlined how the ceserean rate has reached 55%.
Sara Hannam and Dafne Arabatzoglou outlined how the Campaign “Birth Choices” can change the situation in Greece for pregnant women, their families and the new born baby.
Speaker: Ms. Kalliopi Mourtzikou, Doula – Physiotherapist
Place: EDOTH building, 51 Proxenou Koromila str, Thessaloniki
Free entrance
Giving birth in Greek clinics poster (in Greek)
If you have any questions about the available choices for your maternity care, please send us an e-mail with your telephone number included to info@birthchoices.gr.
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