Objective: To describe midwives’ experiences of intact cord resuscitation close to the mother for nonvigorous neonates after vaginal birth.

Design: Descriptive qualitative. Setting Four labor wards in Sweden.

Participants: Midwives (N = 13) currently or previously employed in labor wards where the Sustained Cord Circulation and Ventilation (SAVE) study was conducted.

Methods: We analyzed semistructured interviews using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results: Participants’ experiences are presented in an overarching theme: Midwives balance knowledge with doing the right thing in a challenging work environment during intact cord resuscitation. Three primary themes emerged: A New Workflow, Zero Separation: The Big Advantage, and The Midwife: Guardian of Childbirth.

Conclusion: The participants were keen to keep the umbilical cord intact even for nonvigorous neonates. They wanted to work with the neonate close to the mother to facilitate zero separation and family participation. Ventilation with an intact umbilical cord was considered a routine to be implemented in the future, but the participants identified certain difficulties with the design of the SAVE study.