Q&A about Birth Plan

People apparently read my blog.  :)  A few questions came up today after I posted my birth plan, so here are some answers!

I am just curious about the cord being cut and for it to be done pulsating first - is this so that you can save cord blood, or is it more beneficial for you and baby?
We are not saving cord blood (costs a lot, isn't done in our little town), but it is a recent trend.  The reason we want to wait to have the cord clamped is actually to allow more blood and nutrients to transfer from the placenta to the baby.  Here's a brief news article about recent research supporting waiting a couple minutes to clamp the cord.

Does nursing the baby so quickly after delivery help the baby nurse easier and help your milk come in sooner, or is that a bonding ritual you prefer?
Nursing the baby immediately after birth helps with several things - bonding, milk production, and uterine contractions. 
Obviously, it's a great moment for mother and baby to share.  It helps regulate the baby's body temperature by being next to the mother's skin and allows the mother to snuggle her brand new babe. 
While milk will come in after the birth no matter what, having the baby nurse immediately helps stimulate that production (and we could really use that after Everett's troubles with nursing in the beginning). 
The baby's nursing also stimulates the production of oxytocin, which creates uterine contractions.  This helps expel the placenta and prevent hemorrhaging after the birth.

Does distraction work for labor relief?
That one, I'll let you know next week hopefully!  :)  It works well for a lot of women, but I'm not sure how it will work for me.  I read a book on hypnobirthing and decided that technique really wouldn't work for me.  It's all about distraction and meditation to not focus on pain from contractions.  Since I have a lot of trouble meditating in general, I'm guessing this wouldn't work for me.  I'm a much bigger fan of the Bradley and Dr. Sears opinions of just relaxing through contractions and being aware of what your body is doing.  That is much more my speed - I like to know what's going on (hence how I can update you on my cervix all the time), so imagining how the contractions are working actually helps me relax.

Keep 'em coming, girls!