Finding the Best Midwife for Your Birth Journey

Choosing where to give birth is a big decision, and choosing who will guide you through pregnancy and birth may feel even bigger.

You want someone who listens when you have questions, respects your preferences, and helps you feel ready for birth, rather than rushed. You also want a skilled professional who knows how to recognize when pregnancy or labor isn’t following the expected course and when additional medical care is needed.

At The Birth Center of New Jersey, our midwives, Kasey DiVine, MSN, CNM, Dahlyt Case-Berezinbahr, CPM, Jennifer Torres, CPM, Lesley Franco, LM, CPM, provide personalized prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum care for women seeking a more intimate, family-centered birth experience. 

If you’re considering midwifery care for your next pregnancy, here are five things to look for when choosing the right midwife for your birth journey.

1. Find a credentialed midwife 

In the United States, the three primary midwifery credentials are:

• Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)
• Certified Midwife (CM)
• Certified Professional Midwife (CPM)

We have all three here on our team at The Birth Center of New Jersey.

2. Ask how they approach pain management

If you’re considering a birth center, you may already be interested in an unmedicated or low-intervention birth.

Ask your midwife how they help women cope with labor. Midwifery care may incorporate strategies such as:

• Changing positions and staying mobile
• Breathing and relaxation techniques
• Massage and counterpressure
• Hydrotherapy or laboring in water
• Birthing balls and other positioning tools
• Nitrous oxide
• Homeopathics
• Continuous encouragement and emotional support

It’s also worth discussing what happens if your preferences change. You may enter labor determined to follow one plan and discover you want something different later.

3. Talk to your prospective midwife about complications before they arise

A low-intervention approach should never mean ignoring complications. When interviewing potential midwives, ask “What happens if my pregnancy or labor becomes high-risk?”

Midwives are trained to monitor maternal and fetal well-being and recognize signs that additional medical intervention may be necessary. Certain complications or changes during pregnancy or labor can mean that giving birth in a hospital becomes the safer option.

Ask about the birth center’s protocols for consultation, transfer, and emergency care. Find out which circumstances could make you ineligible for birth-center delivery and how a transfer would be handled if one became necessary during labor.

Knowing there’s a plan doesn’t make your birth less natural. It gives you the reassurance that your midwife puts your safety and your baby's safety as the top priority.

4. Check your comfort level

This is something harder to put on paper: Do you feel comfortable with this person?

You should be able to ask your midwife questions without feeling embarrassed or dismissed. You should feel heard when you express a concern and are comfortable discussing intimate details about your body, pregnancy, and emotional health.

Consider how you feel after an appointment or consultation. Did the midwife explain things in a way you understood? Did you have enough opportunity to ask questions? Did you feel like an active participant in decisions about your care?

5. Find a midwife who supports you through your entire journey to motherhood 

Midwifery care can provide continuity throughout prenatal care, labor and birth, and the postpartum period. 

Before delivery

During your pregnancy, your visits with your midwife are opportunities to:

• Monitor your health
• Monitor your baby’s development 
• Prepare physically and emotionally for birth
• Create your birth plan

In other words, our team helps you feel prepared, confident, and ready to welcome your baby.

During labor

During labor, your midwife monitors both you and your baby while providing hands-on support and helping you navigate each stage.

After delivery

After delivery, postpartum care shifts attention to your recovery, feeding your baby, adjusting to life with a newborn, and identifying physical or emotional concerns that may need additional attention. Your midwife can help with all of this too!

Nicola Pemberton, MD, FACOG, Dahlyt Case-Berezinbahr, CPM, LM, and Kasey DiVine, MSN, CNM, also provide newborn care that meets New Jersey state requirements.  

That continuity is one reason many families value the midwifery model of care.

Find the right team for the birth you envision

There isn’t one “best” midwife for every woman. The right fit is someone whose qualifications, approach to care, communication style, and birth philosophy align with your needs.

At The Birth Center of New Jersey, our team believes birth should be a personal experience in which you feel informed, supported, and actively involved in your care.

If you’re considering a birth-center experience, schedule a consultation with The Birth Center of New Jersey to meet our team, ask your questions, and discover whether midwifery care is right for your birth journey. You can also Request Information here.