Reet-Oh god yeh every day since i found out the placenta has moved except if its to hot there is no way.
And i am glad you are trying not to worry so much i think i told someone once that there is really no point because once your a mum thats it the worry begins from abnormal babies to stillbirth then SIDS and on to childhood illness to stranger danger then alcohol and drugs and now for me car accidents as my nearly 18 yr old is learning to drive so just give up and cross your fingers and hang on for the ride of your life.
OH! i will say i wouldnt change a thing i have loved every minute of it.
And your questions are legit the cord is normally long enough to reach for bub to be put on your chest.
The midwives sometime gently pull on the cord to help the placenta out but only if the placenta starts to come away after the injection they give you they did with my boys.
My contractions are painfull until the transition then stop then the pressure of baby coming down is all i feel the uterus is still contracting to push bub out but i dont have the pain with them at that stage so it can be different for some women.
I know my sister was the same painful contractions until transition then nothing but pressure and pushing and burning v jay jay.
With pushing i have only had to push for about 5-10 minutes with all mine even my 1st i seem to wait until the head is right down and i get that heavy pressure feeling before i push but again different for some women.

Alish-sometimes the 12 weeks scan if in 3D you can see the sex my girlfriend did it was a boy so pretty obvious but dont get your hopes up.

AFM-Yeh! i had a reasonable sleep last night.
I just want to know am i having a c section in 22 days or am i going natural in 36 days arrggghh!!!! i hate the unknown.

T-Hopes-woo hooo on getting RAK'ed did i say that already a few posts back so many girls are getting RAK'ed i forget who i congradulated.

Dory-theres no shame in not being sure as a 1st time mum i had way to much milk with all my boys and was engorged all the time so bubs had a lot of trouble attatching hence the split cracked bleeding nipples and mastitis so i have S26 gold packed in my hospital bag for backup just in case.
And 2nd 3rd ect babies are so much easier cause you just know what your doing and there is no fear you are relaxed and just get on with it.