I have been thinking about similar issues.
I have been thinking of "birth plans" and wondering if due to the "cascade of intervention" that having a birth plan may actually be a recipe for dissapointment.
The process of birth is soooo dynamic that perhaps to pretend we have chioce is immediately setting us up for failure.
My daughter died at 41 weeks inutero. There was nothing in my birthplan about how I would birth a dead baby. Ellen was born even so.
None of this was my choice. I birthed at a hospital that was not my choice with dr's that were not my choice giving birth to a precious child who was dead against my choice.
Birthplans are soooo often broken and unachieved that perhaps they should be done away with.
Are they really a reflection of our choice or a reflection of our unrealistic dreams?
At birth classes there was a "glossing over" of poor outcomes and encouragement of good outcomes.
If we do have birthplans should they beter reflect the reality ofwhat happens.
I am seeing a psychologist since the loss of my daughter and she mentioned the other day that she sees women who are struggling to cope with the fact their birth didn't go to plan.......I must say I felt like saying to them "get over it you have a live baby!" but at the same time perhaps they were set up for poor outcomes.......