The midwife's role during labor
Trained to support low-risk pregnancies and births, a midwife offers continuous, personalized care.
A midwife is a healthcare professional specialized in supporting low-risk pregnancies, births, and postpartum recovery, trained to quickly recognize situations that need a consultation or transfer to a physician or obstetrician.
During labor, a midwife typically offers a more continuous presence than a strictly medical model of care: monitoring contractions and the baby's heart rate, encouraging mobility and position changes, offering non-pharmacological pain management methods, and communicating regularly about how labor is progressing.
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She can attend the birth itself in uncomplicated cases, perform the necessary basic procedures (such as monitoring the perineum or managing the delivery of the placenta), and coordinates care with the rest of the team if a medical intervention becomes necessary along the way.
Depending on the region, midwives may practice in hospitals, birth centers, or at home, often in partnership with a hospital where a quick transfer can happen if needed. The continuity-of-care model — often the same midwife or a small team throughout pregnancy — is linked to high satisfaction among the families who choose it.
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This information is general and does not replace advice from your healthcare professional (doctor, midwife, nurse, pharmacist). Every situation is unique: always check with them before making a decision. In an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency services.
