What Does a Midwife Do During Labor?
From admission to the immediate postpartum Golden Hour, a hospital-based Certified Nurse-Midwife provides continuous clinical monitoring, hands-on labor support, and expert guidance through every phase of childbirth.
Admission and Early Labor
When you arrive at the hospital, your Certified Nurse-Midwife will conduct an initial clinical assessment to confirm active labor and evaluate fetal well-being. They will review your prenatal records, discuss your documented birth preferences, and collaborate with the labor and delivery nursing staff to create a supportive environment tailored to your goals.
Active Labor and Continuous Support
During active labor, the midwife provides intermittent or continuous fetal monitoring while actively supporting your progression. Unlike traditional obstetric models where the physician may only arrive for the final moments of pushing, a midwife spends significant time in the room. They suggest position changes, facilitate hydrotherapy if desired, order medical pain relief like an epidural when requested, and provide ongoing emotional encouragement.
The Pushing Phase and Delivery
As labor transitions into the pushing phase, the midwife guides your efforts, utilizing techniques to protect the perineum and facilitate a controlled delivery. The midwife catches the baby, manages the immediate newborn transition, and facilitates delayed cord clamping in accordance with your birth preferences and clinical safety guidelines.
Immediate Postpartum and The Golden Hour
Immediately following delivery, the midwife prioritizes uninterrupted skin-to-skin bonding between parent and baby, often referred to as the Golden Hour. While you bond, the midwife safely delivers the placenta, manages any postpartum bleeding, and performs any necessary perineal suturing using local anesthetic.
Take the next useful step
Keep learning on your terms. Build a one-page hospital preference PDF, browse Arizona Certified Nurse-Midwife locations, or request an appointment with MomDoc Midwives for hospital CNM care.
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Educational content only. Not individual medical advice. Confirm hospital policies and Arizona Board of Nursing guidance with your care team. Sources