Warm Ways Doula Care
Happy, Healthy Families
WARM WAYS DOULA CARE
Birth and Postpartum Services and Support
Serving the North Shore and Greater Boston
Every birth is special. Whether it takes place at the hospital or at home, each is beautiful and deserving of celebration. No matter how you birth your baby, everyone can benefit from having a doula present during the childbirth process as well as the postpartum period. Contact me to learn more about my services, and how I can help you bring your own child into this beautiful world.
Why I’m a Doula
Warm Ways Doula Care
The experience of pregnancy and birth has evolved over the years and I believe that the need for caring, sensitive and knowledgeable support during this time is becoming more and more apparent. I see every birth as a miracle and as a Doula I feel honored to offer my support and guidance to women and their families.
My Journey
Family Focused
My name is Isabelle Peabody and I became a doula in 2010. Having a love for babies and an interest in women's health, I felt like it was my natural calling to become a doula. The word “doula” is an ancient Greek word meaning ‘woman caregiver’, and in my practice I offer compassionate and effective support to women and their partners before, during and after childbirth. My role is to help facilitate safe, positive and empowering birthing experiences by offering the information, emotional and physical support needed during this time. I also provide comprehensive postpartum support to help the transition into parenthood be less overwhelming. I am a blessed mother of two amazing kids. Thank you for learning a little about me and I look forward to hearing from you.
How I Assist
My Services
As a Doula, I pride myself in providing you and your partner with care, understanding, information and support throughout, during, and after the birthing process. Our initial meeting will help me tailor my packages to fit your needs, as every pregnancy is different. To schedule a free initial consultation, or to learn more about my practice, please contact me.
Prenatal/ Birthing Support
Package
-24 hour unlimited support via phone, text or email throughout pregnancy, labor and beyond
-2 90 min. prental visits
-birth plan preparation
-continuous support for the duration of labor
-the use of reiki and massage during labor combined with essential oils
-10-20 photos of first moments following birth
-a 2 hour follow up postpartum visit
-breastfeeding support
Fee: $2,000
Postpartum Support
-an extra set of hands for the new mother!
-overnight care
-breastfeeding guidance
-emotional comfort
-C-section recovery support
-newborn care
-sibling training
-light housekeeping
-meal preparation
-errands
-organization
-dog walking
Packages Available!
Call or Email for more info and pricing
Some kind words from past clients...
"Isabelle is a warm and empathetic person and an incredibly knowledgeable doula. My husband and I are SO happy that we were able to work with her for the birth of our second son. When we met Isabelle for the first time I felt an immediate connection.
I felt deeply heard, validated, and nurtured. Knowing that Isabelle was a phone call or text away provided me with an added sense of grounding during my last trimester. She was able to help me explore my feelings about becoming a mother of two and ease my anxiety about how my relationship with my toddler would change as we made this transition.
My labor progressed much more quickly this time around and Isabelle was there very soon after we arrived at the birthing center. She worked seamlessly with the midwives and it is wonderful that she has worked with them all before and had a great rapport already. As soon as she entered the room I felt a sense of relief and calm. She intuitively knew that I was in the zone and not able to speak much and she supported my focus and inward journey. I don't know how she does it, but she knew exactly how to touch my back, head, or any place that provided grounding and comfort during and between contractions. Her healing touch helped transform the pain of each contraction into something more meaningful and manageable. At the most intense stage she could tell that I needed some words of encouragement and she reminded me that each contraction was bringing my baby down the canal and that he would be here soon. That was all I needed to move through the last stage and before I knew it our baby was born!
After his birth, Isabelle stayed with us for a while longer and helped us start breastfeeding and made sure we were all doing well (which we were!) Isabelle continues to check in with us and supports me in the next stage of this adventure of being a mom to two. I recommend her highly!"
Sara Roizen
"I can't say enough wonderful things about her! She is warm, understanding, knowledgeable and very caring! This being my first baby she really put my mind at ease as we talked about every possible outcome and what I would like to happen. She knew exactly the type of birth I would strive for and was so supportive.
When it came to delivery day she was in touch with me through out the whole day while I was in pre-labor. She was always available and very quick to respond. She joined us at the birth center and was amazing! She helped me feel comfortable and safe. She was proactive in knowing what I wanted and advocating for me. She knew once we got their to get that tub ready to comfort my back pain. She applied pressure to my back for over 9 hours! Because of Isabelle my husband was able to be in the dad role and encourage me and me there for me emotionally while Isabelle was able to physically get me through every contraction. She helped us through the processes and was a great encouragement to myself and my husband.
After 32 hours of labor my son came into the world. Perfect and healthy! I couldn't have gotten through that without her. It was her encouragement that got me through delivery.
I HIGHLY recommend her! She is amazing and won't disappoint! For our next baby I'll be sure to have her again!!
One last thing, she also took pictures of my son right after he was born. I'm so glad she did because other wise we wouldn't have had any. She got the perfect shots! She is not only my doula but now a new friend and fellow mom!"
Elisa Holt
“I can't imagine anyone would be anything but thrilled with their experience with Isabelle as their doula. She is sweet-natured, kind, understanding, and wonderfully supportive in whatever decisions you make about your birth experience- just what we were looking for in a doula! I can't say enough good things about her- I know anyone would be happy going with Isabelle as their doula, and I believe that anyone who gets to work with her is very lucky.”
Alicia Safier
“Isabelle Peabody was my doula during the birth of my daughter. Being a single mom and having to give birth to my first baby alone I was very scared and discouraged. Isabelle was so kind and supportive throughout my pregnancy. She brought out a confidence in me that I never even knew existed. She is a warm hearted and gentle person and I know that I wouldn't have had a wonderful birth experience without her. She is amazing. Isabelle also was the one who helped me work through my breastfeeding fears and now I've been successfully nursing my daughter for 3 months!”
Sara Kermelewicz
“Isabelle is a terrific doula who is incredibly caring, thoughtful, and wise. I am so grateful to her for all her help throughout a long labor and delivery. She interacted with everyone in the labor and delivery area (including nurses, doctors, my friends) with a gentle confidence that greatly contributed to an amazing experience.”
Susan Yeon
"Isabelle was fantastic! Both my husband and I were so happy she was there for support during the birth of our son. Isabelle's use of massage and aromatherapy really hepled me relax, stay calm, and grounded during and in between contractions. I was amazed at how much these techniques helped me. My husband and I both felt well cared for. I could not imagine giving birth without her! I remember clearly during the most difficult part of the birth when I was feeling like I couldn't give any more, Isabelle looked me in the eye and told me I could do it and my son was almost here. It was exactly what I needed to hear at that moment. Her calm presence and encouraging nature/words helped guide me through the process and helped increase my confidence in delivering my baby. I can't say it enough - Isabelle was really amazing and I am so thankful she was there to help us through the birthing process!"
Abigail Sykes
"I remember feeling a sense of relief when Isabelle walked into the delivery room. Her voice and
touch were immediately calming and soothing. My husband and the medical staff were also great, but Isabelle was the most tuned into what I was feeling.
Even though I was focused on the labor to the point where I had a hard time communicating my needs, she offered just what needed to get through labor and give birth to a beautiful baby girl. Isabelle made a huge difference in the quality of my experience. I strongly recommend her."
Heather Magill
"Isabelle is so calm and patient. She has a natural ability to make me feel at ease. Throughout my labor, she was there for me, every step of the way. She coached me through my contractions, gave me lots of encouragement and helped me think of other things beyond my discomfort and pain. I remember for some reason during some of the contractions standing on the balls of my feet and feeling so out of control of what was going on in my body. Isabelle rubbed my back in a top to bottom motion, from shoulders to sacrum. This was a tremendous help. I felt so supported and it was as if all of my nervous energy was getting squeezed out of me. I felt stabilized and my feet were able to stand firmly on the floor, so that I could be grounded, ready to overcome the next contraction. I labored for 26 hours and Isabelle never left my side. Whenever I look back at my birth experience, I will always remember what an important role Isabelle played on that special day.
Isabelle also gave me a lot of postpartum support when I returned home from the hospital with my baby. Being a first time mom, everything was a new experience. She was a huge help to me with breast feeding, and helping me feel more settled and confident as a new mom. I am really grateful for her support and for her friendship."
Shannon Keating
"We had a wonderful experience working with Isabelle. She was incredibly warm, encouraging, knowledgeable, present, and responsive to our needs during the weeks leading up to our birth, and especially during the labor itself. My labor didn't go as planned, but Isabelle was there every step of the way, arming us with useful info and helping to set our expectations for what would come next. All this, after attending another birth the night before!! She's also just a great person, and I really enjoyed our conversations about labor, delivery, babies, and life.
My husband and I were somewhat ambivalent about getting a doula but we were ultimately so glad that Isabelle was there with us. I'd highly recommend her to anyone."
Andrea Joseph
"Working with Isabelle was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. From the moment we met, I felt comfortable and at ease in her presence. She has a warm and calming personality and at the same time is incredibly knowledgeable and took control at the times when I needed external support. I really wanted to try for a natural childbirth but wasn't exactly sure what strategies would work for me in the moment. Both during the creation of my birth plan as well as during labor, Isabelle was wonderful about sharing ideas and offering suggestions but also made me comfortable that she would support any decision I made. Although my husband initially didn't really understand the process of working with a doula, he felt comfortable meeting with Isabelle and was especially grateful for her support after we had gone through the birthing process! I think any mother would be lucky to work with Isabelle!"
Kelley Challen
"Working with Isabelle was such a great experience. Even weeks after our daughter was born, my husband and I were still talking about how helpful it was to have Isabelle on our team. We wanted someone who would help us through the labor and offer suggestions and Isabelle was just who we were looking for. We started off with a meeting at our house and talked about what we wanted our baby’s birth to be like and what our concerns were. Isabelle listened, asked questions and took notes and we felt like she was definitely interested in our thoughts and feelings. She later created a birth plan for us and sent it to us for our review. She likes to keep it to one page to make sure it isn’t overly complicated and so that people will actually read it!
Once we had the birth plan, we were all set until I went into labor. When I did go into labor at 1:30 in the morning on a Sunday, I texted Isabelle right away and she called me back in less than a minute. She talked me through what was happening – water breaking, contractions – and my husband and I met her at the hospital at 5:30 am. Isabelle had arrived before us and was ready when we got there. I pretty much labored all day and finally had our daughter at 6 pm that evening. During the labor, all three of us were walking the halls, talking, and later laboring in the bath tub. Isabelle massaged my back, hands and neck and together with my husband, provided the support I needed to have a natural childbirth.
A few weeks after the birth, Isabelle came over to our house to talk over the whole experience and to give us the photo album of our first family photos. Neither my husband nor I have family in town so it was so nice for us to have those early photos to share.
We had a great experience with Isabelle and would highly recommend her!"
Katie Gunsch
"Isabelle was so amazingly helpful during my labor! She continually provided comfort measures, and it was great to take some of the burden off my husband, he was very grateful for her presence. She was also very emotionally encouraging, which was just as important in helping me acheive the natural labor I wanted. I highly recommend her!"
Rachael Galbrath
"Isabelle was our doula for the birth of our son in May. She proved to be an instrumental part of our experience and was worth every penny! Our birth preparation included taking the Bradley Method birth classes which prepared us for my husband being my primary birth coach. Isabelle was receptive of this approach and during our L&D was able to provide a tremendous amount of support to not only me but my husband as well. My labor progressed quickly after my water broke at 3am. By 6am we made it to the hospital where I was already at 5cm and deep into active labor. Isabelle arrived shortly after we did and immediately jumped in. She not only helped my husband get me situated in the tub but she also moved our car, grabbed our bags and started to give the nurses the run down on our birth plan while my husband was helping me work through contractions. As labor progressed she did a wonderful job of massaging my back or letting me drape over her during contractions. Our midwife confirmed our son was OP so we tried many positions to spin him. The intensity grew very quickly and was extremely powerful. Isabelle helped my husband with massage, suggesting new positions and providing wonderful words of encouragement during the most painful experience of my life. After 9.5hrs I had progressed to 7cm but had been working through transition for over 4hrs. At the next check the midwife discovered my cervix was very swollen and it was clear we were no longer in the safe zone for a natural delivery. I got the epidural to help my body relax and even after this Isabelle was a great sounding board and stayed with us during the down time. And then during pushing she was a great cheerleader! Overall Isabelle was exactly what needed to help us have a positive birth experience and we highly recommend her. Her calm, kind, and dedicated attitude was exactly what we needed and she is a truly a gifted doula."
Alli Scott
Training
Education and Background
As a professional Doula, I’ve received training from a certified organization, and maintain my skills and knowledge through continued education and research. This training helps me stay up to date with the most relevant information, and ensures I’m providing you with the best care possible.
DONA Certified Birth Doula
CAPPA Trained Postpartum Doula
Reiki Certified
"Good things come to those who wait"
Violet Fane
Common Questions
Why is postpartum support so important?
Having a baby is a life changing event. The process of childbirth can be an emotional roller coaster. There are many highs but there can also be profound lows and that is why having compassionate care following the birth of your baby is essential to not only the new mother but also her precious new baby. Some benefits include better bonding between mother and baby, greater breastfeeding success, greater self confidence, less postpartum depression, increased baby-soothing skills, a happier family life and better coping strategies.
What is my philosophy on childbirth?
I believe that every birth is a miraculous event, which should be honored and respected. No matter how a baby comes into this world, the process of childbirth is a gift. I believe that every woman has the right to choose how to birth her baby. I also understand that the process of childbirth is unpredictable and respect medical intervention when necessary. My ultimate goal as a doula is to empower women and their partners every step of the way.
What is the difference between a midwife and a doula?
A midwife and a doula both serve important roles during the childbirth process. A midwife is considered a trained medical professional who can deliver babies. The midwife provides prenatal care and monitors the health of both the mom to be and her baby. A doula on the other hand is a non-medical person, whose primary role is to help expectant women and their partners manage the experience of pregnancy, labor and childbirth by providing both physical and emotional comfort. A doula does not deliver babies, but rather acts as a coach and uses hands on methods to ease the pain and fear associated with childbirth. Doulas work with the whole family to ensure a safe, peaceful, and happy birthing experience.
