Hello!
Haven't been on here in a while. Just browsing now and having a little look at peoples' ideas for birth plans - very helpful thanks. I am imagine mine will be quite short as me and DH are quite relaxed about what happens on the day, but it's good to ponder over some of the issues and decisions you've mentioned.
Those on the facebook group may know that I've had adventurous time in the last few days. Early on Thurs morning I awoke with what felt like a pulled muscle underneath my ribs. I was a little nervous about whether paracetemol was appropriate so rang NHS 24. It turns out that their policy for any pregnant woman complaining of chest pain is to assume a possible pulmonary embolism and send for an ambulance! So that's what happened.
The paramedics said I appeared fine but advised me to either go back to hospital with them or see my GP. I chose the latter, but later regretted it as he advised me to get checked out in obstetric triage anyway. To cut a long story short, I was in triage for about 8 hours, saw numerous medical professionals, and got a strong feeling that there were backroom disagreements about the potential risks. One minute I'd be told I was getting out shortly, next I was being asked to wait for further tests, etc. But throughout the whole thing my blood pressure, etc was absolutely fine. A junior doctor did spot a slight murmur from my heart and this concerned the registrar enough that after the 'medic' heart/lung specialist team had apparently refused to see me for about the fourth time (presumably because my obs had remained normal and constant the whole day) he decided to admit me as an inpatient at about 8:30pm in order to 'force' the medic team to come and see me. By this point my initial pain had almost gone away!
So I ended up staying in hospital overnight, being told it was necessary for me to have a heart scan the following day. However, when the (different) consultant came round then he decided there was no immediate rush and I could be referred as an outpatient. So I was sent home that morning. And no, I never did see the medic team after all...
The heart murmur is still a slight concern, but all doctors who heard it thought it was almost certainly a unproblematic 'flow murmur' which doesn't put me or the baby in any danger. Apparently these things are very common during pregnancy. I've just got to wait for the heart scan appointment to come through (and try not to panic every time I feel my heartrate rise whilst walking uphill or climbing stairs in the meantime! 
)
Sorry for the long post - but thought it might be of interest. I never thought that a slightly pulled muscle could lead to an overnight hospital stay! DH has banned me from ever asking for advice on paracetemol ever again 
, but I guess it's good that at least the heart murmur can be checked out now, and did give me an insight as to what being on a maternity ward is like. I certainly couldn't complain that my medical needs were not being taken seriously enough!