About
Andi (they/them/theirs) is a queer, nonbinary birthworker, currently living and serving their community on unceded Kumeyaay land in the area presently known as San Diego. They have a background in healthcare as a nursing assistant, caregiver, and pediatric neurodiagnostic technician. In their work in hospitals and nursing homes during the first two years of the COVID pandemic, they saw how intensely loneliness and disconnection impacted people. Andi started Cuddle Care in 2022 as a way to bring community and connection to more people. At the same time, they began volunteering at a local hospital where they cuddled infants and assisted nurses in the NICU, and had the opportunity to assist an IBCLC with a baby feeding support group, which inspired them to pursue training as a doula so they could better support families in their community. Cuddle Care became Cuddle Care Birthwork in 2024, and we are so excited to offer birth and postpartum support, perinatal education, and workshops focused on boundaries, consent, and embodiment.
Education
- Professional Birth Assistant Program (Midwifery Assistant), Pacific Birth Institute - 2026
- Baby's Breath Holistic Neonatal Transition and Resuscitation Program 2025
- Lactation Education Counselor Program, University of California - San Diego Extension 2025
- Labor/Birth & Postpartum Doula Training, Cornerstone Birthwork 2024
- Hearts & Hands Volunteer Doula Training, University of California - San Diego 2024
- Bachelor of Science in Family and Human Development, Arizona State University, 2023
- Professional Cuddler Training, Cuddle Sanctuary 2022
Certifications
- Certified Labor, Birth, & Postpartum Doula
- Cornerstone Birthwork: 2025
- Certified Lactation Education Counselor
- UCSD: 2025
- BLS - Basic Life Support for Healthcare Workers (Infant, Child, and Adult CPR/AED/First Aid)
- American Heart Association Certified: 2024-2026
- NRP - Neonatal Resuscitation Program
- American Academy of Pediatrics Certified: 2025-2027
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- Certified Cuddle Party Facilitator
- Cuddle Party: 2025
- Certified Professional Cuddler
- Cuddle Sanctuary: 2022
Insurance Plans Accepted
- DCHS - Medi-Cal
- Kaiser Permanente
- Anthem Blue Cross/Shield (Medi-Cal Only)
- Sharp Health Plan
- Blue Shield of California (Medi-Cal/Promise)
- Molina
- Community Health Group
- Partnership Health Plan of California
- Inland Empire Health Plan (Medi-Cal Only)
- Alameda Alliance for Health
- San Francisco Health Plan (Medi-Cal Only)
- Health Net
- Community Health Plan of Imperial Valley (Medi-Cal Only)
- Health Plan of San Juaquin/Mountain Valley Health Plan (Medi-Cal Only)
- Gold Coast Health Plan
- Health Plan of San Mateo (Medi-Cal Only)
- Contra Costa Health
- CalViva Health Cares (Medi-Cal Only)
- L.A. Care Health Plan (Medi-Cal, L.A. Care Covered/LACC Direct)
- Santa Clara Valley Health Plan
**Coming Soon: Cigna, Aetna, TriWest**
Sliding Scale Pricing
For those who don't have insurance that will cover doula care, I utilise a sliding scale. The Green Bottle Method is a sliding scale model developed by Alexis J. Cunningfolk that helps keep services accessible to everyone (click on the photo to see an enlarged image). It is an honor system allowing folks to choose where they best fit along the spectrum. Bottle 1 represents the local average value of what is offered, Bottle 2 is for those who may struggle a bit or experience some financial strain, and Bottle 3 is for those who struggle significantly with meeting their basic needs. If you have any questions about this or need additional assistance with financing, please reach out.