Why I Focus My Work as a Miami Doula on Latina Mothers

When I created The Birthing Magic, I knew I wanted a large part of my work as a birth doula in Miami and Broward to focus on Latina mothers.

That choice is intentional.

It does not mean that I only work with Latina or Spanish-speaking families. I have supported families from different cultures and backgrounds, and I proudly continue to do so.

But I am Puerto Rican. I am raising my family here in South Florida. And when I look at the realities Latina mothers experience during pregnancy and birth in the United States, I know that serving my community needs to be an important part of my work.

Because pregnancy doesn't happen in a bubble.

Our culture, language, access to healthcare, financial circumstances, family dynamics, fears and experiences with the healthcare system can all follow us into the birth room.

Latina Maternal Health Disparities Are Real

It is important to start by acknowledging that Latinas are not one single group.

Puerto Rican, Cuban, Mexican, Dominican, Colombian, Venezuelan, Central American and other Latina women can have very different experiences and health outcomes.

But disparities exist.

In 2024, 10.07% of babies born to Hispanic mothers in the United States were born prematurely, compared with 9.49% among White mothers.

Among Puerto Rican mothers like me, that number was 11.58%.

Here in Florida, the overall preterm birth rate was 10.7% in 2024, compared with a national rate of 10.4%.

Behind every statistic is a mother, a baby and a birth story.

And while a doula cannot fix the systemic factors contributing to maternal health disparities, we can help families enter pregnancy and birth feeling more prepared, informed and supported.

Access to Prenatal Healthcare Isn't Equal

One of the biggest challenges facing many Hispanic and Latina families in the United States begins long before labor.

In 2024, 18.4% of Hispanic people under age 65 were uninsured, compared with 6.8% of White Americans.

There is also a significant difference in when prenatal care begins.

Only 67.8% of Hispanic mothers began prenatal care during their first trimester, compared with 82.1% of White mothers.

There are many reasons why someone may experience difficulty accessing care.

Insurance coverage. Cost. Language. Immigration status. Transportation. Availability of providers.

All of these circumstances can shape someone's pregnancy before she ever walks into a labor and delivery unit.

Maternal Health Is About More Than What Happens in the Hospital

When we talk about maternal health, it is easy to focus exclusively on medical outcomes.

But mothers carry much more than their physical health into pregnancy.

They carry stress.

They carry financial concerns.

They carry responsibilities for other children and family members.

They carry fears.

And they carry their sense of safety — or lack of it.

For some immigrant and mixed-status families in the United States today, immigration enforcement has created another layer of uncertainty that can extend into pregnancy, birth and postpartum.

A national 2025 survey found that 41% of immigrants were worried that they or a family member could be detained or deported.

Approximately one in three reported negative health effects related to concerns about their own or a family member's immigration status.

Pregnancy already brings enough uncertainty.

No expecting parent should also have to wonder:

Will my partner come home tonight?

Could our family be separated?

Is it safe to seek the resources or care we need?

Immigration enforcement is not only a political conversation when discussing maternal health. Fear and uncertainty can affect a family's mental health, sense of safety and willingness to seek healthcare and other resources.

Why Having a Bilingual Doula in Miami Can Matter

Miami is an incredibly diverse city, and Spanish is part of everyday life for many of our families.

But being conversationally comfortable in English is not necessarily the same as wanting to process complicated information in English while in labor.

Birth can already feel overwhelming.

Now imagine simultaneously trying to understand unfamiliar medical terminology, risks, benefits and decisions in a language that isn't the one in which you feel most comfortable.

For many families, having bilingual birth support in English and Spanish can help them feel more informed, understood and supported.

As a bilingual doula serving Miami and Broward, I can also help my clients prepare before labor.

We can discuss birth terminology, common interventions, preferences and questions ahead of time so that they can enter the hospital feeling more prepared to participate in conversations about their care.

Culture Comes Into the Birth Room With Us

Language is only one piece of culturally responsive birth support.

Culture matters, too.

Many Latina women grow up with tremendous respect for doctors and other authority figures.

We may hear:

El doctor sabe lo que hace.

Don't be difficult.

Don't ask too many questions.

Just trust your doctor.

Having trust in your healthcare provider is important.

But trust and informed decision-making can exist in the same room.

You are still allowed to ask:

Why is this being recommended?

What are my options?

What are the benefits and risks?

What happens if we wait?

Is this medically necessary right now?

As a doula, my role is not to answer medical questions that belong to your provider, make medical decisions for you or speak over your healthcare team.

My role is to help you become informed, prepare questions and feel confident participating in your own care.

Sometimes We Don't Know What We Don't Know

There are certain phrases I never want a mother to discover only after her birth:

"I didn't know I could ask that."

"I didn't know I had another option."

"I thought I had to say yes."

This is one of the reasons prenatal education is such an important part of my doula work.

Knowing your options doesn't mean arriving at the hospital ready to fight your medical team.

It means understanding that you are an active participant in your care.

It means knowing that asking a question isn't disrespectful.

And it means having conversations about your preferences before you are exhausted, overwhelmed or experiencing contractions.

Family Is Part of Our Culture, Too

If you're Latina, you probably don't need me to explain this one.

Mom has an opinion.

Abuela has an opinion.

The tias definitely have opinions.

And your partner probably has one, too.

Our strong family connections can be one of the most beautiful parts of our culture.

They can also bring expectations about pregnancy, birth, feeding and motherhood.

Maybe your mother gave birth a certain way.

Maybe your grandmother thinks something is unnecessary.

Maybe everyone has an opinion about whether you should get an epidural.

Part of preparing for birth can be learning to separate what everyone else expects from what you actually want.

Representation Matters

There can be something comforting about having someone beside you who understands your language, your family dynamics, your culture and even the little things you don't necessarily want to stop and explain.

Someone who understands when your mom, your abuela and three tias all have opinions.

Someone who understands why certain conversations may feel difficult.

Someone who understands you.

That matters to me.

Why Serving Latina Moms in Miami Is Personal to Me

I am Puerto Rican.

I am a mother.

And I am building The Birthing Magic here in South Florida.

I want Latina mothers in Miami and Broward to have access to evidence-based birth education, bilingual doula support and culturally responsive care where their fears and questions are taken seriously.

That does not mean The Birthing Magic is exclusively for Latina families.

It isn't.

I proudly support families of different cultures and backgrounds, whether they speak English, Spanish or both.

But serving my community is intentional.

Because Latina mothers deserve to feel safe.

We deserve to understand our options.

We deserve to ask questions.

We deserve to be treated with dignity.

And we deserve support that understands that what happens outside the birth room matters inside it, too.

Looking for a Latina or Spanish-Speaking Doula in Miami or Broward?

If you're pregnant in Miami-Dade or Broward County and looking for a birth doula who offers support in English and Spanish, I'd love for you to learn more about The Birthing Magic.

Whether you're looking for a Latina doula specifically or simply want evidence-based, compassionate birth support from someone who will help you feel informed and prepared, you're welcome here.

Explore my birth doula services or contact The Birthing Magic to schedule a consultation.

Sources

KFF — Health Coverage by Race and Ethnicity
CDC/NCHS — Births: Final Data for 2024
March of Dimes — 2025 Report Card: Florida
KFF/New York Times — 2025 Survey of Immigrants