Revisiting our own professional identity in order to move midwifery forward in coherence

A reflective and collective process has allowed to reconnect with the meaning of being a midwife and practicing in coherence with its specificity. Some questions remained in relation to feminism, the spiritual dimension of birth and the community engagement. Moreover, the abundant use of the term 'physiology' for childbirth does not correspond to the richness of practice narratives and obscure the ineffable sacred character of birth. Midwives face the challenge of integration and inter-professionalism without losing parts of their autonomy and their professional voice. It would be appropriate to revisit the basic training program and examine the elements put in place to build and reinforce midwifery professional specific identity.