I moved to Redondo Beach at 30 weeks pregnant, searching for a midwife for a VBAC after two…read moreC-sections. Despite warnings, I hired Laura because she had experienced a VBA2C herself, which made me feel confident in her abilities. I paid $7,000 before 37 weeks, but from the start, red flags appeared.
Laura frequently overshared personal issues- venting about her husband mistreating her and why recent clients were transferred to the hospital. She described one transfer as a mother "refusing to get on her hands and knees despite being in pain." It felt like more of her clients were being transferred than successfully giving birth at her center. Additionally, she and her children were constantly sick, making me worry about exposure as a pregnant mom with toddlers.
As my due date approached, she had me sign paperwork with business names from other midwives, clearly copied and pasted, which felt sloppy and unprofessional. When my water broke, she gave me swabs that were supposed to turn bright blue if it was amniotic fluid. Even though I knew my water had broken, the test initially didn't change color, so Laura dismissed it, insisting I had urinated on myself. It took days for a proper swab to confirm it, delaying care and increasing my risk of infection. When I expressed concern, she casually asked if I "wanted to go to the hospital," then told me that legally she'd have to transfer me after three days- completely disregarding the fact that I had been telling her about my water breaking all along.
At one of my appointments, she introduced another midwife, Amy, which made me uncomfortable because Laura had previously vented to me about how Amy "wouldn't stop touching her" during her own labor despite being asked not to. She even called Amy the B-word and said Amy walked out on her during labor. Knowing this, it felt extremely unprofessional that she brought her in to assist with my care.
Later, Laura accused me of avoiding check-ups, which was untrue and upsetting. I lived three minutes from the birthing center and was always willing to come in. Despite her personal struggles, I had even offered to support her.
During labor, Laura's birth assistant, Haika, was the only good part of my experience. She was kind, gentle, and truly passionate about birth work. If you're looking for a midwife, I highly recommend skipping Laura and going straight to Haika. When Haika was present, I was progressing well, reaching 7 cm. But when Laura took over so Haika could rest, everything changed. Her cervical exams were painful, rough, and intrusive. Her energy was intimidating, and I stopped progressing. Eventually, I had to transfer to the hospital, and honestly, I was relieved to leave. At the hospital, I received an epidural, which allowed me to relax enough to fully dilate, but during my stay, I was also sexually harassed by a doctor who is now under investigation at Cedars.
After birth, I discovered that Laura had taken several photos of my private areas without my consent. I asked her to delete them, and while she agreed, she never did so in front of me. She also failed to complete my postpartum visits, using her constant illnesses as an excuse, but never reached out to reschedule or check on me or my newborn. Seven months later, she sent me a Mother's Day text, but by then, I had nothing more to say--she never followed through on the care I paid for.
It took me a year to write this, but it needs to be shared. My experience was the opposite of the glowing reviews I read before hiring her. Every time she gets a negative review, a friend posts a five-star one, but those of us who've actually worked with her know the truth. I've since connected with other former clients who had similar experiences.
If you're searching for a midwife, please reconsider working with Laura. This is a warning from one mother to another- there are far better options.
** and just like i said, immediately after Laura gets a negative review, she asks a friend (or it could be her behind a fake profile) to give a 5 star review. She's extremely toxic and if you work with her- you will 100% see how accurate the negative reviews are. Hire at your own risk!