A midwife is a care provider that specializes in supporting women through pregnancy, labor, delivery, and in the postpartum period. Responsibilities of a midwife include

  • Answering questions and concerns for the mother to be during pregnancy, labor, postpartum

  • More individualized care and support than a obstetrician- much more time spent with the woman during visits and labor
  • Referral/ transfer of care to doctor in case of complications
  • Midwife care and support of pregnant women viewed as a normal life process, not as a medical condition
  • Support for woman in the form of physical, social, psychological wellbeing throughout pregnancy, delivery, postpartum
  • Working with a midwife as opposed to obstetric practitioner allows the woman more control over decisions surrounding birth, minimizing invasive procedures and birth trauma, C sections are used as a last resort method of delivering the baby if complications have arisen-performed by a doctor.


Midwives should have an expanded knowledge of the organs of the female reproductive system, everything concerning pregnancy and delivery, and people, empathy skills. Often midwives approach pregnancy and assisting with a more holistic mindset. They use herbs, massage, and homeopathic methods when possible- steering away from pharmaceuticals and invasive techniques when possible. State laws vary greatly as to what a midwife is allowed to do.

In some states, midwives are not recognized as care providers. In other states, there are different levels of midwives that practice. Direct-entry midwives don’t necessarily have nursing or medical training, they don’t have to be affiliated with doctors, they often work with clients in their homes and outside of a hospital/birthing center setting.

A certified professional midwife (CPM) may not be trained as a nurse, though some are. CPMs receive more standardized education than a direct-entry midwife. CPMs have experience with out-of-hospital births. They usually practice care outside of hospitals in home settings.