Kelly Ripa praises midwives and shares she once wanted to become one: 'I wish I had that level of expertise'

During Wednesday's episode of "Live with Kelly and Ryan," Kelly Ripa shared glowing praise for midwives and their work.

When Jennifer Shoback, a midwife from Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, appeared on the show to discuss conditions in the hospital, Ripa told Shoback how much she appreciated her work.

"You are living my other profession. Once upon a time, I was like, 'I wish I could be a midwife or a doula,'" the co-host said. "I wish I had that level of expertise because I just find the whole childbirth experience to be so incredible and miraculous and exhilarating, and you do such a phenomenal job there."

Ripa then asked the midwife about how her work has been affected by COVID-19. Shoback said that since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, life in the hospital has "really changed."

"It's really scary right now for our moms coming in and for us, we're always worried that we're not going to have enough masks, the hospital isn't going to be able to get the right PPE for us ..."

"We are trying to keep people out of the hospital, we don't people to leave their house, but these pregnant moms -- they have to," she continued. "They have to come to the hospital now, they have to deliver their babies, and it's really a scary time for them."

"Even healthy moms -- we don't know who has it -- we're constantly worried that we're carriers of the virus and we're working with such a vulnerable population, pregnant women and brand new babies," Shoback added.

She said the health care professionals are doing everything in their power to keep both mothers and babies safe, and although every situation is case by case, they have had to separate mothers with COVID-19 from their babies.

Shoback also discussed what to know about breastfeeding, partners in the delivery room and more during her interview with Kelly and Ryan.

Check out the full interview below:

For more information about what expectant moms should know during the pandemic click here.