OUR STORY
Compassionate Care Rooted in Tradition and Trust
YOU’RE A THOUGHTFUL, INTUITIVE PERSON SEEKING CARE THAT HONORS YOUR STORY, YOUR SOVEREIGNTY, AND YOUR ROOTS.
Maybe you’re preparing to welcome your first baby, healing from a past birth, or searching for a provider who truly listens.
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You’re not just looking for clinical expertise. You want relationship-based care that feels safe, personal, and deeply aligned with your values.
Birth is sacred, and so are you.
YOU DESERVE TO FEEL SEEN, HEARD, AND HELD EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
I’m Tema Mercado
A LICENSED MIDWIFE (LM) AND CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL MIDWIFE (CPM) SERVING FAMILIES ACROSS SAN DIEGO COUNTY.
I specialize in trauma-informed care that weaves together evidence-based practice with traditional midwifery wisdom—wisdom I’ve worked to reclaim and rematriate through years of ancestral remembering and lived experience.
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My expertise includes:
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Certified Lactation Education Counselor (CLEC)
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Partera Profesional Certificada (PPC – La Red de Parteras Mexicanas)
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Spinning Babies® Trainer (one of only 18 worldwide)
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Provider of trauma-informed bodywork and Pre- & Perinatal Somatic Trauma Resolution
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Scar Tissue Remediation and Education Management
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Since founding La Matriz Birth Services in 2013, I’ve been honored to support hundreds of families through birth and beyond and to teach birth professionals around the world.
A Practice Born from Purpose
La Matriz Birth Services was founded in 2013 after I transitioned from doula work into midwifery, driven by a deep desire to serve the Latinx and Indigenous communities I resonate with. At the time, I was one of the few Spanish-speaking doulas in San Diego County. As my path evolved, I expanded my practice into home birth midwifery and proudly established San Diego’s first fully bilingual midwifery practice—one that embraces cultural midwifery traditions as a Partera.
I’M HONORED TO SERVE ON KUMEYAAY UNCEDED TERRITORY (SAN DIEGO) AS A LICENSED MIDWIFE IN CALIFORNIA AND A PARTERA PROFESIONAL CERTIFICADA IN MEXICO.
My maternal Indigenous lineage is Purépecha, and my paternal lineage is Yoreme. I was born and raised in San Jose, California, and spent my formative years in Mexicali, Baja California. These cultural roots shape my worldview and guide my work in birth and reproductive justice. As a mother of six and grandmother of two, I know firsthand the impact of compassionate, trauma-informed, culturally sensitive care.
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My practice is grounded in the belief that birth work is the foundation of humanity. That belief led me to found Monarch Midwives, a 501(c)(3) organization launched in 2016 to support all student midwives, especially aspiring midwives of color, and ensure every birthing person has access to midwifery care.
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Today, I also teach with several midwifery schools and reproductive justice organizations, sharing my experience to empower the next generation of birth workers.
At home, I’m supported by my husband, Omar, a restorative justice teacher and devoted father, whose steady presence allows me to continue this work with heart and purpose.
My Journey into Birth Work
My journey into birth work began unexpectedly in my late 20s. A visit to a friend who had just given birth to her first daughter changed everything. Hearing her describe her magical natural birth, with doula support and placenta encapsulation, flooded me with emotion.
Why hadn’t my own birth experience been like that?
I HADN’T EVEN KNOWN THOSE KINDS OF BIRTHS WERE POSSIBLE.
Soon after, I enrolled in birth doula training. After supporting around 30 births, I began to feel disheartened, witnessing obstetric violence, deception, and spiritual harm. Not every birth was traumatic, but enough were to leave a lasting impact. My role as a doula began to mirror my earlier work as a Sexual Assault Advocate, constantly stepping in to protect my clients’ dignity.
I realized that if I wanted to create real change, I needed to become a care provider. While I value hospitals and the skilled professionals who work in them, I also saw how routine interventions often led to dissatisfaction or trauma for birthing families. I knew it was time to follow a different path.
With limited resources but a determined heart, I began manifesting a way into midwifery. I secured a grant for school tuition and apprenticeships with experienced midwives along the U.S.-Mexico border. It felt like the universe had been waiting for me. Everything aligned.
This Work Is Personal
I became a mother at 15. My first pregnancy was shadowed by shame and judgment, and I left that birth feeling like a failure. My second birth, a traumatic hospital induction, ended with me yelling to prevent an unnecessary episiotomy. I birthed my 9-pound son without tearing.​
I’ve experienced both trauma and transformation in birth, and that duality fuels my passion.
EVERY BIRTHING PERSON DESERVES A SAFE, EMPOWERED EXPERIENCE.
This journey has been breathtaking. Birth work has changed me in ways I never imagined. It’s rarely easy—mostly hard—but endlessly worth it. There is nothing like home birth to keep you on your toes… and bring you humbly to your knees.
The Fun Stuff
Explore podcast interviews where I share insights on midwifery, birth justice, cultural healing, and trauma-informed care.
