I am currently 35+6 weeks pregnant and due to financial constraints am booked to give birth at my local public hospital. I had my first baby at a different public hospital at 35+5 when I went into labour. Even though DD was born completely healthy (despite a number of unnecessary interventions that I stupid agreed to in my then uneducated state) she was treated as a premature birth and basically I was told that I had to stay in for a full week for monitoring, was not allowed to leave and was generally treated horribly by the nurses.

Because of this, I am terrified of going into labour before 37 weeks this time, as last time I was told that because of this I would have to stay in for longer. This time, unless I can't physically walk out of the hospital, I am leaving 2-4 hours after I give birth. Can I refuse to stay the night? If I do go into early labour and go in for a check-up, can they force me to stay until I give birth?

What about after the baby is born? With DD, they got DH to cut the umbilical cord straight away, even though we had requested that they delay this (DH was too freaked out to refuse so went along with what was asked). Also I asked that DD not be given an injection straight after birth (can't even remember what it was - one of the routine ones that is supposedly not compulsory) but they gave it to her anyway (after basically telling me that I was stupid not to want her to have it).

I am completely freaking out. I am better educated this time, but am concerned that I wil once again be talked into doing things that I really don't want to do.