Are birth plans a waste of time?

[lila]

In the labour room, there are two things a doula cannot do:

1. Cause conflict
2. Tell a midwife or doctor how to do their job (see point 1)

The majority of doulas manage to do this and have great outcomes. The drug free, vaginal births including breech, VBAC and twins, massively outnumber the c/s's, assisted and induced births.

I have to agree here.

But, what we Doulas can do is, listen and "hear" what our client wants BEFORE the birth.
Be empowering, but also THERE. Sometimes a woman in labour and the partner with her, are so blown by what they are facing, as a Doula you know what the Midwife or Doc just said and you usually know how urgent things are.
You then explain things in a calm and private enviroment to your clients, rather then them have to say YES or NO that minute the MW/DOC speaking to them.
They might understand your explainations better- AND as a Doula you are usually choosen once the woman and her partner feel comfortable with you, so in other words they do trust you.
So you (the birthing mother) then can decide if you want to go ahead as per birthplan or if you do want to agree to an "maybe necessary" intervention, your Doula will give you the strenght whatever way YOU choose!