Best birthing advice

I was thinking about some of the best advice/nuggets of wisdom I've received over the course of my pregnancies and thought I would share some (if you can think of any that I missed please feel free to add it in the comments). Now I know I've only had c-sections, but I did have my water break on it's own with this last one and with the first I did start to have her vaginally. So I realize I can't speak for all types of labor other than the fact that some of the advice was from my first pregnancy (when everyone thought it'd be naturally) and from what I heard from other recent first timers that did it that way:
You will shake uncontrollably after giving birth - this one is true for both types of delivery. I know after my cesarians they took me to the recovery room and smothered me with warm blankets to help but both the nurses and I knew I wasn't shaking from the temperature of the room. Your body will go into shock and shake.
Breastfeeding shouldn't hurt... Ever - this advice came from multiple professional sources: LLL personnel, LCs, and nurses. It was bard for me to believe at first because all the people telling me to be sure and toughen up my nipples to be prepared. But after the first time of getting my little girl attached I was estatic with the fact that it didn't hurt. All that worry for nothing. But then I for lazy in my positioning (mainly because how long I was letting her nurse for) and it started to hurt. It was hard getting her off and repositioning so I just beared with it. But if I had corrected her I wouldn't have had all the problems I did. My muscles were so weak and I was just not willing to hold her properly for the full amount of time. I guess if this advice doesn't ring true with you take the other side of it and toughen things up.

Headaches and Head Aches

Right now I'm debating weither or not to take Tylenol or Tylenol Sinus. I've got a headache that's starting to be piercing.
Today has been busy. We had an early day at the doctors and I didn't sleep that well last night. So it's been considerably long. We walked around a lot of places, Target really pissed me off/annoyed me today. But we got that all sorted out, glad Chris was there. We walked around the super Target in Tulsa, Woodland Hills Mall, and Baby Depot. So I've done a lot of walking. And driving over the snowy spots has been bumpy driving.
Yesterday I sortof did pre-labor stuff, like ride on a bumpy road, walk around (with Mom we walked around Hobby Lobby a bunch), and ate some slightly spicy food (do biscuts and gravy count?). Oh, also I baked... so I did a bit of nesting.
But anyway, today has been a long day, and I've got a major headache. that feels like pierces in my head.
But no baby today. Chris is getting anxious/excited. But yesterday brought about lots of worrry to me. I mean... this is really happening. REALLY happening. It's such an overwhelming feeling. I mean, and not knowing when it's going to happen, how much it's going to hurt, or anything! It's so scarry! I am truely scared, and I know I have to just give it into God's hands. But it truely worries me. I mean, what is this labor thing?! How am I supposed to deal with it? What is it going to be like? I'm so scared about the whole thing... not knowing is scary.
Chris keeps saying that it's all worth it, and it is... but it's just going to be more worrying: I mean, what's going to happen when she's older/outside of my protection?
Anyway, I just worry a lot, I know. But with pregnancy and labor being so close I'm extra emotional. Chris is being so good about everything. He's good at comforting me.

Any day now...

It's hard to believe that any moment I'll be going to the hospital and giving birth to LBG! Hard to believe I'm excited about going to the hospital! How many people (other than the millions/billions of pregnant women) can actually say that they are excited to go to the hospital? Such a crazy notion... and a scary thought. What about the epidural? Am I going to get it? Will I be one of two people from the class that has to have a C-section?
There are so many thoughts going through my head. Being pregnant has definetly been surreal. I mean, there are times I even forget I'm pregnant. No, never when she's moving, of course, but there are just times it doesn't pass my mind. Other times, I can really feel it!
My hands have ballooned up this past week along with my feet. I feel like I look like a cartoon character sometimes... except I have 5 fingers and toes on each hand instead of 4. But my hands were so swollen this last week it was hard to make fists sometimes. Some of it's gone away, but sometimes it flairs back up. Like right now, I can see it in my left hand, but it's not so bad I can't make fists properly.
But it'll be soon... and I'm waiting, which is good. I'll be really excited if LBG comes in February. I know it's a matter of days, but January seems so close to Christmas... anyway...
It'll be someday soon, I'm sure of that. Until then, I just need to relax and wait. I've not been going crazy nesting, but I do get spurts where I'm like "but I'm not going to be able to do this once she comes!" or "I really need to get this done so it's ready for her!" But honestly, most everything at this point can wait, if needed. And I'm aware of that. I just keep waiting, I guess, and idle hands are the devil's playground. This is a great test of patience.

Dropped

Today, I went to Tim and Patty's and Patty commented that my stomache has dropped! I hadn't noticed because it's me and I see myself every minute of the day (heck, sometimes I don't even realize how pregnant I am!). But she hadn't seen me in a couple of days. And I am gushy on top... have I really dropped?! Any day now!
But then again, it is one of those "could be hours, days, or even weeks" things! It's just a sign that I'm in my last run for this pregnancy.
Just gotta make sure everyone's in town when it happens!

And it's now a few days later, and I totally believe she's right. I do feel different. The gushy-ness on top is definetly an open spot for her. She didn't have much room to drop to, but she has dropped. I can breathe just a little better, and the heartburn has almost dissappeared!

Mucus Plug

WARNING: LOTS OF VISUAL STUFF YOU MIGHT NOT WANT TO HEAR. I think I lost my mucus plug, but I'm not sure. I went to the restroom tonight and found it. There was a yellowish-brownish clear glob no bigger than snot (which looked a lot like snot). There was a little bit of blood around it. not like major blood, but just spots (like what you would find with hemroids). Here's what whattoexpect.com has to say:

During pregnancy, your cervical opening becomes blocked with a thick plug of mucus that prevents bacteria from entering the uterus. When your cervix begins to loosen, this mucous plug is dislodged. Some women notice the passage of the mucous plug (what exactly is that in the toilet?), others don't (especially if you're the flush-and-rush type). Unfortunately, the discharge of the mucous plug is in no way a reliable indicator of when labor might begin. It could be hours, days, or even weeks before real contractions begin.

Weeks?! Ok, I believe it. That seems to be how it is with everything labor releated. Everything is prefaced with "it could be hours, days, or even weeks"! Wait! How could it go from hours to weeks?! I guess it's because every pregnancy is different. Oh well, she needs to come on her own time, and I will welcome her whenever. I look forward to seeing you, LBG!

Now the question is: when will the baby drop?