To provide a safe space that honors physical and emotional well-being, freedom of movement, and the natural rhythm of birth.
San Diego's continuing cornerstone of birth center care
A Family Affair Birth Center is rooted in the belief that we must believe in the normalcy of childbirth. Women have been birthing children since the beginning of time. It is a physiological, natural process that a woman's body was designed to do, demonstrating a woman's inherent strength.
Historically, women worldwide have come together to support the laboring woman to soothe her discomfort, calm her nerves, share their focus, and create a safe emotional space for her to labor and deliver her baby.
By contrast, modern society has transformed the concept of labor and delivery into what we see on TV, which is not an authentic portrayal. Add the intimidation of the high-tech hospital environment, and it is no wonder people expect childbirth to be a chaotic and scary experience.
However, it doesn't have to be! In our experience, it is usually a calm, focused process, as we all work together toward our common goal.
"The midwifes are amazing. They value the birthing couple as well as the Doula. I look forward to many more births at the Birth Center."
A calm, nurturing birth space
A Family Affair Birth Center was founded on a simple belief: birth is not an illness, but a natural, physiological process — one that reveals the inherent strength of every body that moves through it.
By trusting the body's innate design and pairing it with a whole-body, integrative approach, we empower women and families to understand, reclaim, and harness the strength of their own bodies as they prepare to give birth.
This philosophy is often called physiologic birth — or unmedicated birth — where the body's own labor triggers set off a powerful hormonal cascade. That cascade includes endorphins, the body's natural pain relievers (the same ones behind a "runner's high"), and oxytocin, which drives labor forward, eases its intensity, supports faster recovery, and deepens the bond between parent and baby.
My husband and I decided to deliver our baby at A Family Affair because I wanted a home birth, but he was nervous about being so far away from a hospital, so this was the perfect compromise. The Center is right across the street from [a hospital] if you should need it. The perfect compromise!" - Janai B.
"When a woman feels cared for, informed, and listened to, along with plenty of emotional, educational, and physical support, she feels calmer, more in control, and empowered as she works with her body to bring her baby into the world. It’s an honor to provide that to the women we serve."
Mission statement
Most people associate having a baby with a hospital delivery, while a small percentage will think of home birth. But today, more families can experience the best of both worlds by welcoming their new baby in the warmth and safety of a birth center.
Known for their calm, peaceful environments, birth centers encourage freedom to move during labor, the ability to eat and drink as desired, and even have the option to relax in deep spa soaking tubs. As a result, birth centers have gained popularity across the country to provide an alternative to hospital and home births.
The reasons are as varied as the couples who use them, but a birth center can be the happy medium for women with normal healthy pregnancies. While under the guidance of licensed midwives, women can enjoy the freedom to work with their bodies and baby as they move through the intricate journey of birth.
Our Birth Center offers the expertise to support a mother's natural birth while ensuring she has options available at her choosing.
Safe. Compassionate. Personalized Care.
Our private birthing suites are thoughtfully designed for comfort, creating a supportive space where families can fully embrace their birth experience. With a whole-body approach, we empower women and families to welcome their babies into the world with confidence and joy.
The ambiance is tailored to you — calming music of your choice, aromatherapy, and personal touches from home to support deep relaxation.
Medical equipment is kept out of sight to preserve the calm, home-like feel — but always remains immediately accessible, because the safety of mother and baby is paramount.
With the continuous care of midwives and doulas, the need for interventions is reduced, and every woman's autonomy as the primary decision-maker is fully respected, shifting authority from external medical systems back to her.
A Family Affair Birth Center is designed for low-risk pregnancies, and we maintain transfer protocols to nearby hospitals should emergency care ever be needed. Most healthy, low-risk women don't require medical intervention to give birth safely — but they do deserve skilled professionals ready to step in before, during, or after delivery.
The care of the midwives and staff at A Family Affair Birth Center has been so refreshing and comforting! They spend time to get to know you and how you want to approach birth. Instead of a quick appointment that is just measuring belly and listening to heartbeat they take the time to listen to you and help you have the best pregnancy possible.
The feeling inside is very comfortable and home-like. I really appreciated having a bed large enough for my husband and I to lay on with our newborn after she was born. Tamara is very professional and accommodating. I felt safe and comfortable there.
There is no shortage of praise for A Family Affair Birth Center. Both the owner, Tamara, and the San Diego County Midwives team (Gerri, Heather and Andrea) are incredible, warm, professional and everything you would want in a supportive birth team. Due to a series of unnecessary medical interventions with my firstborn, for my second pregnancy I was determined to achieve as natural and gentle a birth possible, and the team at A Family Affair Birth Center helped me to accomplish that.
We had a complicated pregnancy and birth, but Tamara helped us with incredible grace and she cared for us through the entire experience. We had originally planned to give birth at Tamara’s birth center, A Family Affair, but with the 20-week anatomy scan we received a tragic diagnosis. Even though Tamara had to direct us to a hospital team, she did so with such grace and she placed us in excellent hands at the hospital.
Tamara and her team were amazing and I can’t thank them enough for everything. She goes above and beyond for her families she’s helping. If you want a truly devoted, kind and loving person to be on you’re birthing team, someone with an amazing team of extraordinary woman who truly care about the health and well being of mama and baby I encourage you to visit A Family Affair Birth Center. And the care doesn’t just stop at birth.
We were so so blessed to be able to deliver our little on at A Family Affair Birth Center. Tamara, Darynee, and Denise are such an amazing team of birth professionals. They truly made us feel at home and comfortable leading up to the birth and even more so during the birth because of their warm personalities and immense knowledge of birth.
I loved my experience with A Family Affair Birth Center, it went as well as I could’ve imagined. Tamara was very informative on what we could do if I wanted to help labor on but was by no means pushing anything on me.
My experience with midwives Tamara and Darynee was incredible. They always treated me, my husband, and my baby with love and care and made us feel like family! From prenatal care to labor & delivery to postpartum care, we had the most incredible experience and couldn’t ask for more. If we have another child, we will definitely be using these wonderful midwives and their birth center. 10/10 I recommend them!
