Support Carmina and Vladimir's Home Birth Journey

Please support us in welcoming our baby through a home birth

My name is Carmina and I’m currently pregnant with my first child with my husband Vladimir. We are overjoyed to welcome our child into our community this summer.

Even though I am receiving OB care through my insurance, my experience so far has been shockingly dismissive of my questions, concerns, needs, and even important details have slipped through the cracks as a patient and first-time mom. Unfortunately, this is not uncommon for many birthing parents. Statistically, the American healthcare system fails Black and Brown mothers at an alarmingly high rate compared to other developed countries.

Though I will continue to do my lab-work and scans at the hospital, we have decided to seek community support to acquire out-of-hospital midwifery care with a Licensed Home Birth Midwife. However, my current insurance through my employer does not cover this service. We are humbly reaching out to our community of friends and loved ones to support us in welcoming our baby in the comfort of our home. Birthing at home allows us to feel more comfortable in a familiar environment, and I would feel more agency over my body through the birthing experience, where the birthing parent and family should feel safe and empowered.

This is a joint fundraising effort between us and our midwives. All your contributions would go toward paying for our midwifery services and support through this journey.

We are deeply grateful for any support you’re inspired to give.

*****about our midwives*****

Pati Garcia

My name is Pati Garcia, I am a California Licensed Midwife through the California Medical Board and a Certified Professional Midwife through the North American Registry of Midwives. I am also a Registered Midwife in Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies, and currently registered as a preceptor for NCM, NMI, Midwives College of Utah.

I am a full-spectrum midwife working to meet the needs of families experiencing miscarriage, abortion, pregnancy, labor/birth, and womb surgeries and more. I began my journey working with birthing people in 2007 as a doula aka “Chula Doula”. Since then, I have attended over 300 births. I weave multiple modalities and bring a holistic sexological bodyworker perspective to my work. I have worked as a midwife at Mamatoto Resource and Birth Centre in Trinidad and Tobago, South Coast Midwifery in Irvine, California, and enjoy working at birth centers and home births.

For more info, visit : Gracias A La Vida Midwifery

Ray Venditti

Ray is a queer, non-binary Licensed Midwife (LM) working in Long Beach, CA and surrounding areas. Ray was introduced to the midwifery model of care while studying Human Development at Binghamton University in their home state of New York. Ray went on to study midwifery at Bastyr University near Seattle, Washington and earned their Master of Science in 2022. Ray has been working since then as a Licensed Midwife and has attended over one hundred and fifty births.

Ray’s style of midwifery combines evidence-based research with holistic care. They speak Spanish and Spanglish well enough to engage with multi-lingual families in care. They are passionate about practicing Midwifery in a way that is trauma-informed, LGBTQ2S+ inclusive, gender affirming, and anti-racist. Ray believes that consent and informed choice are the central pillars to care. Their goal is to help educate and empower families to make shared health decisions that align with their needs and values.

For more info, visit: The Long Beach Midwife