Are there tools available to facilitate stripping of oak baseboards for refinishing?
I have had good luck using CitriStrip.  It's environmentally friendly and probably safe for your expecting wife.   Get the majority of the work done with CitriStrip and then light sanding. It takes some time to do it's work, but it's surprisingly effective.  Smells like oranges!   If you are interested in this approach I can post additional tips and hints using this.