Meet Paloma
Full Spectrum Birth Support
Paloma Irizarry is a bilingual, Boricua, mother, childbirth educator and birthworker whose practice relies on massage, movement, and herbalism. She supports families through the prenatal, labor, and postpartum stages by validating and prioritizing each birthing person’s intuition every step of the way. Her journey began with the birth of her niece. Determined to prepare herself as best as possible for her first time on a hospital’s labor and delivery floor, Paloma signed up for her first doula training with the Philadelphia Alliance for Labor Support (PALS). This quickly turned into a passion, guided by the impulse to help new families navigate information and resources that can often be overwhelming.
Paloma sees birth as a transformative and spiritual occasion and believes it is imperative for birthing people to be informed and supported, feel powerful and confident, and to trust themselves and their birthing team. She has received training through PALS, Ancient Song, Love over Fear, Uzazi Village, and Breastfeeding Awareness and Empowerment (BAE) and is a member of both Inner Circle Birth and Philly Doula Coop. Paloma’s work as a Theater of the Oppressed facilitator and collaborative performer has provided her with the tools for mediating complicated family dynamics, effectively balancing charged spaces, deep active listening, and creatively tackling obstacles.
Why Birth Support?
It can help with
Research
For the millions of questions that come up, let me be your research assistant and connect you to reliable, evidence-based, and culturally relevant sources
Goal setting
Let's talk through your options for labor and delivery and figure out a birth plan that works for you.
Experience
You'll never forget the day you gave birth and I want to help you create a beautiful birth story.
Support
Support looks different for every person! By getting to know each other prenatally, I specialize in what support looks like for you and we really learn how to work together as a team.
Culturally Relevant Care
We can work together to balance the medical and scientific evidence with the cultural and lived experience of your community. Yo me crié hablando español y me siento cómoda ofreciendo apoyo en Español tanto como en Inglés.
Advocacy
Your voice is the most important in the room. I want you to feel confident using it and to know what questions to ask. In tense moments, I can help make sure you are heard.
Resources
Throughout my time serving the families of the Greater Philadelphia area, I have built a list of reliable resources for every step of the childbearing year.
Testimonials
"Her advice and listening got me through days of prodromal labor and her hands on support got me through many, many contractions."
— Osea R
Offerings
I support births at home, the birth center, and the hospital and have a range of packages to suit your needs. We can also work together to create an even more tailored package if you're interested in additional postpartum support, childbirth education, or meals.
Doula
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3 Prenatal Meetings (covering topics ranging from emotional/physical experiences during pregnancy, labor prep, and postpartum prep, each followed by a detailed email with any requested information and additional resources
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On-call availability 24/7 from 37-42 weeks
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1-2 Postpartum visits (to discuss and aid in the transition, share any requested resources)
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Herbal Support, if desired, (2 herbal blends and 1 infused oils or herbal body butter for labor and/or postpartum)
Monitrice
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4 Prenatal Meetings (same as doula services plus reviewing clinical information your provider has shared, making sure you're aware of all alternative options)
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On-call period 37-42 weeks
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Clinical labor support (labor assessment to help decide when is the most appropriate time to move to your place of birth. Labor assessment may include vital signs, fetal heart tones, and cervical checks.)
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2 Postpartum visits (1 meal for immediate postpartum, 2 visits to discuss and aid in the transition, share any requested resources)
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Herbal Support, if desired, (2 herbal blends and 1 infused oils or herbal body butter for labor and/or postpartum)
Sliding Scale Options
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​I never want my fee to be a barrier to someone receiving the care they desire. I'm always happy to accommodate payment plans and if we need to figure out a different package to fit your budget, let's have that conversation!
Here's an example:
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1-2 Prenatal Meetings (focusing on topics you're most curious about ranging from emotional/physical experiences during pregnancy, labor prep, and postpartum prep, each followed by a detailed email with any requested information and additional resources)
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On-call period 37-42 weeks
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1-2 Postpartum visits (to discuss and aid in the transition, help around the house, connect you to any resources you might find helpful)
Let's connect!
I would love to learn more about your goals for this birth, share about my services and to see if we're a good fit. Fill out this form and I will reach out to schedule a consultation.