HUGS to you Libby, I'm 2 days over EDD and I am going insane so I can only imagine what you are going through. It must be common to wait until 41+3 to see you - are you going public? - I got told the same thing much to my horror! Can't answer a lot of your questions because a lot of it comes down to hospital policy BUT having said that, they CAN'T do anything to you without your permission UNLESS it is deemed as a medical emergency (ie. life and death). ALSO having said that, I was initially going to refuse to have the syntocinon injection to manage my third stage UNLESS I was bleeding, but the hospital has a policy that ALL 3rd stages are managed this way and if you aren't happy with that you need to go to a higher level care facility (so there was my big no to a natural placental delivery!). Given that you have a history of post partum haemorrhage they probably will be VERY cautious as they won't want that to happen again (and prevention of haemorrhage is better than cure, which is harder to do) but from what I've been told the cord stops pulsating rather quickly. My midwife who did the antenatal classes said that she lets the cord stop pulsating really because by the time she gets the drug organised etc it already has. They shoudl start the induction drugs slowly and let them build so that you get used to the pain. You have the right to have an epidural but this does increase your risk of requiring episiotomies and other intervention. Don't know about the nipple stimulation thing. If you want to do a birthing plan it isn't too late, I would definitely be taking a list of all your questions to jog your memory so that you can ask them. Ultimately they will be able to tell you their policy on things. Just remember though, it is your body and your baby and they can't do anything unless you give permission (bah life or death). Ask all of your questions tomorrow, you don't want to go into labour with unanswered questions. Good luck, Let us know how you go and fingers crossed that baby comes before you have to go through all of this.