rainfall hope everything's ok
I got some cheap button-front nighties on eBay to use in hospital so I can chuck them once/if I give birth in them. Also then they can live in my hospital bag until then as I don't need them in the meantime.
Thisis I hear you on the piles/constipation. I am taking Fybogel twice daily, plus eating prunes, dried fruit, drinking more water, which is helping with the constipation, and I presume will help with postpartum too. I had an episiotomy and a 10lb 6 baby last time and honestly the postpartum poo (TM) wasn't too bad - although, to be honest, I hadn't had such bad constipation and piles that time. For the piles I'm using non-steroid Anusol which is doing nothing much but although the MW said I could have a script for something stronger through the GP, the whole process is such a faff on top of everything else that I haven't done it yet. If they get much worse I will.
I think you can use the lansinoh on nipples in advance but I'm not sure if it helps. You could always nipple-tweak with it once you're full term, kill two birds...
I don't think expressing is necessarily as quick as a feed but other ladies will know more. I only tried it with a manual and could never get much out - and doing myself was pretty much as good - but DS continued on the 98th centile til he was weaned so he was obviously getting plenty. I think electric is supposed to be better than manual generally but it's a very individual thing.
Perineal massage is supposed to help with tearing, MW said I could do it or not as I wished but to start around 35w if I did. She said olive oil was fine. Some people I think find it might cause bleeding though. She was less than enthusiastic about raspberry leaf tea and told me to read up on it on the internet and make my mind up, as long as I didn't take it before 37w.