Meet Allison

San Diego Midwife, Mentor, & Birth Advocate

From NICU Mom to Midwifery Advocate

Hi, I’m Allison Tartari a licensed midwife, maternal health advocate, and mother of four.

My path to this work didn’t begin in a clinic, it began in a NICU at 17 years old, as I became a mother for the first time.

My son spent three months in the NICU. I witnessed the healing power of personalized care and the harm when patients are treated like case files. I’ll never forget an older doctor who spoke about me, not to me. I felt invisible. But I also saw something life-changing: a family using music therapy to connect with their baby. That moment sparked my belief that parents are not just patients, they’re healers too.

I founded Healing Notes to bring music therapy into hospitals. But I kept asking: why are so many babies born sick? That question pulled me into maternal health, where I discovered a system failing women long before delivery day.

Woman with curly hair sitting on a chair, looking out a window. She is wearing a white blouse and olive green pants. The room has white walls, tiled floors, and some indoor plants.

A Personal Turning Point

My first three births were in hospitals. I felt safe, cared for and unaware of what I was missing. Then, during my third birth, an epidural went wrong. Spinal fluid leaked. I endured excruciating headaches, ER visits, strong medication that affected my baby’s ability to nurse and I felt lost.

So when I became pregnant with my fourth, I quietly promised: No one touches my spine again.

That’s what led me to finding Best Start Birth Center in San Diego. It was my first experience with midwifery care and it changed everything. They accepted Medi-Cal, offered indivualized support, and helped me feel like my body and choices mattered. That birth changed me and my career forever.

Why I Do This Work

That birth center planted a seed. In 2019, I opened my own women’s wellness center. I later founded Thrive Wellness Collective, a nonprofit bridging community midwifery and hospital systems. And I co-founded Solace, a company supporting women through miscarriage with physical and emotional care boxes alongside my daughter and a dear friend.

These days, my heart is in supporting families giving birth in hospitals because that’s where most births still happen. I’m here to make sure those experiences feel informed, supported, and truly yours.”

What I Believe

Birth is not a medical event it’s a sacred ceremony and right of passage.

Hospital birth can be empowering with the right team and support.

Every woman deserves to feel heard, respected, and safe wherever she gives birth.

If you believe that too, welcome. I’m so glad you’re here.

Three images of a woman with different babies in various settings. In the first, a toddler and the woman are smiling at the camera. The second image shows the woman with a baby in pink polka-dot clothing. The third image features the woman holding a baby dressed in a striped outfit.

Looking Ahead

Launching ‘Becoming’:

The Birth & Beyond Course – Fall 2025
A one-of-a-kind education program covering preconception to postpartum.

Publishing a Book

Early 2026 ‘The Fear Around Birth in America’ explores how fear-based systems impact outcomes and how we reclaim trust in our bodies.

Expanding Mentorship & Advocacy

 I’m growing hospital collaborations, guiding new midwives, and speaking on the national stage to normalize community care models in every setting.

Let’s Work Together to Create the Birth Experience You Deserve.

Whether you’re an expecting parent looking for guidance or a birth professional seeking mentorship, I’m here to support you. Let’s connect and start transforming maternity care together.