Molly Garrity

11/27/2023

Isabelle was such a pleasure to work with. I strongly recommend her to anyone looking for comfort, support, rest, peace of mind. She is such a warm and tender person. Not only did I trust her 1000 percent with my baby (and I had pretty bad post partum anxiety) but I trusted her guidance. She's gentle and loving as well as knowledgeable and helpful. Isabelle helped me understand my sons wake windows and sleep schedule. She was also a listening ear to all my new mom emotional struggles and that was truly a blessing. We miss her already! Her unwavering support was priceless.

Regan Marsh

11/26/2023

We were so delighted to work with Isabelle and highly recommend her to anyone searching for a night nanny. She was kind, thoughtful, calm and wonderful with our baby. She worked with us from the time our baby was ~4 weeks until she was sleeping through the night. Whenever Isabelle was here, we all slept soundly, knowing that our baby was safe and being cared for like her own. With her gentle and thoughtful coaching of us, our baby was sleeping through the night by 14 weeks. Her advice was based on her deep experience, integrated with her knowledge of our baby and our needs. I absolutely recommend Isabelle to anyone.

Susan

9/20/2023

We are so fortunate to have had Isabelle as our postpartum doula! Isabelle was professional and and responded to our emails in a timely manner. We enjoyed getting to know Isabelle and most importantly, she had an immediate bond with our baby which gave us great peace of mind. She was kind and patient with our little one and provided much needed support during the hectic first few weeks after adjusting as a family of four. We are grateful for Isabelle's doula services and highly recommend her!

Liz

8/9/2023

I would highly recommend Isabelle's services to anyone who needs help transitioning with a new baby. I struggled with breastfeeding and PPD and found Isabelle and she made all the difference. She helped guide me through the early weeks of motherhood, gave me tips on feeding and gave me the welcomed break I needed to feel like me again. 

Melissa

2/23/2023

Isabelle was so supportive, caring, and knowledgeable. We connected spiritually and emotionally and I knew I wanted someone like her on my team at my hospital birth. Isabelle was not just there for me, but for my husband too. As first time parents, we felt much more at ease with Isabelle’s care and experience. Isabelle was there for any questions I needed throughout pregnancy and we built a strong foundation come birth time. Her intuition was spot on with what I needed in labor. Her hands on touch/ massage helped immensely. I felt safe and supported even as things didn’t go as “planned”, which enabled me in having such a positive birth experience. If you’re on the fence, invest in yourself. You deserve to have support during this magical time and Isabelle is the fairy godmother of doulas. I’m so grateful for Isabelle and for her continued love and support postpartum. 

Hayley Kessel

9/26/2018

Isabelle was a pleasure to work with! It was my first baby and my husband and I had no idea what to expect. Isabelle put us at ease by coming over twice before the birth to get to know us and work out a plan that was best suited for my needs. Eventhough she has two young kids at home Isabelle made herself available at any hour even the middle of the night for any questions.  She helped me labor at home as long as possible updating her with my contractions and pain levels. Isabelle was very supportive and helped me by suggesting different positions to ease my pain. Isabelle worked seemlessly between my husband and the midwives without stepping on anyone’s toes. She knew what I wanted and would ask the nurses and midwives for anything she thought would be helpful on my behalf while my husband could focus on me. Isabelle has a very calming demeanor  and a sweet voice that helped me get through my long 36 hours of back labor. She even took the most beautiful photos of us right when our baby was born. It’s so special to have those moments captured! I recommend her to anyone looking for a doula! We love Isabelle and plan on using her again for our next baby!

Emily Webbe

7/17/2018

Isabelle (Izzy) was such a wonderful asset to me and my husband during my pregnancy and delivery, what a life saver! This was my first pregnancy and I really went into it with an open mind and heart wanting to soak in any knowledge, experience and information that I could but also, and most importantly, with the confidence that it was accurate, honest, trustworthy and up to date info. She helped put me at ease right from the start months before I went into labor. During labor and delivery she came immediately to my side and remained there the entire time until after I gave birth to my baby girl (17 plus hours!). Among other things, she cheered for me in the hospital, was an advocate for me, and lent an incredible helping hand(s) to my husband. I’m not sure what we would have done without her! She was always on time for our appointments, and after I gave birth helped immensely with post-delivery issues including breast feeding counseling. Post delivery posed some minor complications for me involving breast feeding and Izzy provided not only counseling but also a kind and supportive ear to help me vent my frustrations. I really appreciate her professionalism as well as kindness and support. I highly recommend her doula services.

Anjali Cremer

2/9/2018

Isabelle visited us at home during my first week postpartum. I just had my first baby and our families live abroad, so I was really thankful and happy to have someone as experienced and empathetic as Isabelle helping me with the first steps into being at home with my newborn, which can be a scary time. She took away a lot of pressure that I had as a new mum. She encouraged me with breastfeeding, showed me a great swaddling technique that really works with my baby to keep her calm during the night. I could ask her all of my questions and Isabelle even helped us with the first bath of our daughter. I am very happy to have had Isabelle visiting me at home during my first week postpartum and I would highly recommend her for postpartum visits.

Tegan Walsh

1/11/2018

Sara Roizen

8/18/2015

Isabelle is a warm and empathic 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 groundedness 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. It felt like Reiki and helped transform the pain of each contraction into something more meaninful 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!

Alicia Safier

1/14/2015

Isabelle was a truly wonderful doula, from beginning to end.  We felt comfortable with her kind, sensitive personality the moment we met her at our initial interview.  Isabelle made herself available throughout my pregnancy and was a great source of support and comfort when I ended up having prolonged labor for five days at the end of my pregnancy.  She was a helpful sounding board as we struggled to make decisions during this time, and she never ceased to support my views and help me feel better about my situation whenever possible.

During my labor, Isabelle was an amazing coach. Between her and my midwife, I was able to push when I needed to and to feel like I was actually making progress- which I was! She worked well with the nurses and midwives at the hospital, and was supportive of my husband and my mother as well as myself.  I had my son after just half an hour of pushing, and I think the speed at which I was able to do so was in large part because of Isabelle's tremendous coaching in the moments that it really mattered.  In addition, when I was struggling with breast feeding my son in the days following his birth, Isabelle came and helped me as soon as I communicated to her how stressed I felt.  Her coaching, communication, knowledge, and support were instrumental in my ability to keep nursing, which I am now happily (and finally painlessly) doing four months later!  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.

Elisa Holt

9/22/2014

My husband and I planned a natural child birth and we heard having a doula would be very beneficial. So we began our search for a doula in the North Shore area. We found isabelle from doulamatch.net. We met with her and knew we wanted her part of our sons birth.

I can't say enough wonderful things about her! She is warm, understanding, knowledgable 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 intouch 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 isablle 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 encourgement 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 threw delivery.

I HIGHLY reccomend her! She is amazing and wont dissapoint! 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 wouldnt have had any. She got the perfect shots! She is not only my doula but now a new friend and fellow mom!

Alli Scott

7/20/2014

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.

Shannon Keating

3/7/2014

I was 8 months pregnant when I met Isabelle. I feel so lucky to have met her when I did. I had recently relocated to Boston, and I was looking for a doula. Right away, through talking with her, I immediately knew that she would be able to provide the support that I would need during my labor and birth.

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.

Susan Yeon

3/7/2014

I had a wonderful experience with Isabelle. She is an 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.

Andrea Joseph

1/6/2014

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.

KATIE GUNSCH

10/1/2013

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!

Rachael Galbraith

7/12/2013

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!

Sarah Kermelewicz

5/4/2013

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 through out 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 with out her. She supported me through each contraction, gave great advice ,and  became my advocate and voice during labor. I also need to point out that she is extremely reliable and trustworthy because my darling daughter decided to be two weeks late and come during a state of emergency snow storm and Isabelle showed up before me! I was extremely grateful for her and would hire her as my doula again. I highly recommend having her as a doula. 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!

Kelley Challen

5/2/2013

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!

Abigail Sykes

4/29/2013

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!

Heather Magill

4/27/2013

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 I
needed to get through labor and give birth to a beautiful baby girl. Isabelle made a huge difference in the quality of my experience.