Collective liberation begins with empowered births and supported families.
We know that life on earth started with birth. As consistently as the tides and the rising and setting of the sun & moon, people have been birthing. Through 100s of years of industrialization, colonization, obstetrical experimentation and violence, the birthing persons right to deliver their child on their terms has been degraded. This brings us to the year 2024, where the way you interact with your birth experience is quite literally, revolutionary.
The saying goes that ‘Peace on Earth starts with Birth’ and I believe that very much. I believe that it is the right of every birthing human to receive the education, tools and dignified care they need to achieve whatever birth they envision for themselves. One of the ways to seek, uphold and perpetuate social and reproductive justice is to ensure access to this kind of care for every birthing person and their families. Birth work is powerful and energetic, and the experience of it (yours and mine) stays with us forever.
Healthy and happy births happen when birth is viewed as the sacred right of passage that it is, when the person giving birth is heard and respected. Families working with me receive evidence based care, education and support that centers around the autonomy and empowerment of the person giving birth and the new little human entering the space. These are the elements that lead to an atraumatic birth. Every kind of birth (hospital birth, home birth, c-section, surrogate…) can be intuitive, trauma informed and empowering. These practices and beliefs are at the core of all the work I do. It was no surprise to me when photography began accompanying me on this journey. And as a dear friend reminded me, it’s just another way for me to hold space for the holiness of birth and for everyone present in that moment to say “you are seen and honored in this space.”
This is an investment, for sure. I fully recognize the value in the work I do and services I provide. In a world where birth and babyhood are highly commercialized, too often the mental/emotional health and wellbeing of the birthing people and their families is overlooked. I believe these tools for birth and beyond should be accessible to everyone. If necessary - I offer a sliding scale and payment plans. I service all major Boston hospitals and births within 40 miles of Ashland, MA.
Birth Doula Fee : $4500
2-4 Prenatal appointments. Here we will develop our relationship, talk about your hopes for your birth, postpartum care and lots more. These appointments vary in length but are typically about 2 hours long.
On call availability (24/7) two weeks leading up to and two weeks following your estimated due date. We also stay in close contact via text/email/phone
Attendance of your birth and some immediate postpartum hours
2-4 Postpartum appointments. Here is where we hold space to process your birth and put practices in place that are healing for mind/body/soul. I nourish the family with food, wash dishes, play with older siblings, talk, listen. These can vary in length widely from 2-4 hours.
Birth Photography : $4500
1-2 get togethers. These can vary. If you’re having a home birth, we might do two meetings. One where I meet the birthing couple and then another where I meet the home birth team. You can ask any questions, talk about photos you may want in particular, or may not want and so on.
On call availability (24/7) two weeks leading up to your estimated due date and two weeks following it.
Photo coverage of your birth from active labor til immediately postpartum.
Newborn Photos (optional) within the first 2-3 weeks postpartum.
All digital files from your labor/delivery/newborn photos.
Postpartum Doula Support : $350/day
Light cooking
Light cleaning, includes folding laundry, tidying up, washing dishes, etc.
Baby holding
Care for the birthing parent + body care
Sibling care
: Benefits of having a doula and more info :
If you are considering having a doula attend your birth and still want more information on positive birth outcomes and evidence based statistics, click this link to read an article that is full of it all. My birth and postpartum work is centered around reproductive justice and birthing as a human right. Birth support sometimes becomes advocacy work. Work that I think this world desperately needs. A positive and atraumatic birth can have powerful ripple effects, for you and those present, and becomes a lifelong source of inner strength and confidence to draw from. In a way, what I do is so much more than what a doula checklist can hold. This is a lineal calling, a deeply rooted ceremony that has existed from the dawning of humanity. Much of the work, how I do what I do, comes from a place of intuition. From a deep respect for the sacred act of birth and my role as an active witness.
© 2020 Isabel Furie | Boston, Massachusetts Childbirth Educator + Artist