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Samantha Gunn Doula
Description
Passionate about providing doula support to families during pregnancy, birth and early parenthood, I feel incredibly privileged to positively contribute to their experience. I have 4 teenage children and had a doula at each of my births – so I know first hand how valuable doula support is! I understand that this journey is one of conflicting emotions – excitement, fear, hope, overwhelm, love…. with my support you will be listened to, cared for and guided through it all.
Originally from the UK, I’ve lived in 3 countries and understand the challenges of birth and parenting without much family support. I love learning and continue my professional development by attending various courses, seminars and professional meetups – adding skills to enhance my service and making sure that I keep my information and practice up to date.
I am intuitive, calm, practical and nurturing. My approach is to support my clients with an open mind, delivering impartial, evidence based information and support. I bring a ‘bag of tricks’ to each birth but my favourite tools are my heart and my hands…
As well as being a birth and postnatal doula I am a Hypnobirthing Australia™ Practitioner and infant massage educator.
I also hold certificates in Hypnotherapy, Aromatherapy, Emergencies in Childbirth, Acupressure, Possums Breastfeeding Support & Sleep Program, Optimal Maternal Positioning (OMP) and Spinning Babies techniques.
I am a proud Member of the Doula Network of Australia (currently their Secretary) and am familiar with the content and teachings of She Births®, Calm Birth and Hypnobirthing Australia.
I would love to hear about you and the support you may be looking for, contact me here or via my website/instagram to start a conversation.
Warmly,
Sam x
Acupressure Birth Doula Breastfeeding support eastern suburbs Hypnobirthing infant massage Inner West North Shore northern beaches NSW optimal maternal positioning Postpartum Doula settling support Spinning Babies Sydney
Services
Meet & Greet
0.00
Let's get to know each other. Finding the right doula is a very personal process so I offer a call or an in person catch up to see if we are a good fit.
Birth & Parenting Preparation
103846.15
Support during your pregnancy - preparing you both for your birth, postpartum and parenting journey. We'll cover mindset, breathing and touch techniques as well as positioning and other comfort measures for your birth. Having a postpartum plan is important so we look at that together - your pillars of support, how to recover well and normal newborn behaviour.
Pregnancy, Birth & Parenting Preparation & Support
173076.92
Everything in my Birth and Parenting package PLUS on call to support your birth from 38 weeks until you meet your baby, continuous support on the day until you are settled as a family. Plus 1 postpartum visit to debrief your birth and see how you are doing in your new family dynamic.
Essential Postnatal Support
50000
3 visits postnatally to help support and guide you during your transition into parenthood
Ultimate Postnatal Support
153846.15
10 visits postnatally to help support and guide you during your transition to parenthood.
User Reviews
Average user rating
5.0
/ 5
25 reviews
5 stars based on 25 reviews.
Sam is an absolutely great doula! She was there for us every step of the way, from prenatal preparations, day of birth and postnatal. She always kept in touch with us in between our meetups. My husband and I really felt supported and cared for. The comfort techniques and tips she provided helped us immensely. I don’t think I would’ve survived an induced labour without her. More than anything else, I can’t thank Sam enough for reminding me of my strength as I enter the doors of motherhood 💜💜💜
Sam was our doula and I cannot say enough good things about how fantastic she was. From the pre natal visits, birth/labour to post natal, it was one of the best decisions we made. The labour did not go to plan and Sam was the most amazing mix of support and knowledge. She blended in very well with the medical team and brought her own calming energy to the mix for both myself and my husband. Also, the way she braced my hips during every contraction was a magic relief!! I recommend Sam very highly.
Sam is such an incredible doula! She was a constant source of wisdom, comfort, support and inspiration. I can’t imagine having gone through such a life changing experience with any one else.
Right from the start, she knew exactly what to say and do to guide and encourage me at home during the early stages of labour. She gave my husband the confidence to be my main support person and knew when to step in to lend a hand. When we transitioned to the hospital, she had just the right style with the medical team and made sure we understood what was being suggested and what our options were.
Sam is generous, patient, warm and seriously knowledgeable about everything related to birth and babies. I cant recommend her highly enough!
Samantha is fantastic! She is incredibly kind and has a very calming presence. I was a bit later in my pregnancy to book with her, but in the time we were together she was incredibly helpful in giving me the birth I wanted. We developed a great relationship and it was easy to trust her guidance and advice to improve my chances of having a natural home birth. Samantha is a wealth of knowledge! During my labour, Samantha was at my side and provided me with lots of support, care and encouragement. If we decide to have a third child, I would definitely want Samantha as my doula again. I highly, highly recommend her!
Samantha was indispensable at my birth as a first time mother, providing my partner & I with constant support through a long labor. She helped me feel confident & empowered enough to get through it with minimal intervention. Her immense wealth of knowledge & experience make her great at giving you unbiased information upon which to base your decisions. Fantastic, friendly support before, during & after labor. Thank you, Samantha! ❤️
Firstly, if you are pregnant get a doula. Secondly, if you’re interested in Sam better get in quick - after my husband has finished raving about her she’ll be in high demand! I appreciated her evidence based approach and her service is above and beyond what I expected... including foot massages and yummy lactation cookies ;) She helped me to achieve the natural birth that I really wanted, without any intervention. Because I engaged her quite early we were able to catch up once a month during my pregnancy - so I felt more familiar and comfortable with Sam by the time I started labour. She’s supportive but not intrusive- and definitely made me feel special and valued. I highly recommend Sam.
It takes a special person to be a doula and none are more special (in my opinion) than Samantha. I was looking for someone to support me before, during and after the birth of my first child. I had clear ideas in who I was looking for and Samantha ticked every box (and many more!).
She personalised her approach to my needs and went above and beyond my expectations. Her knowledge and expertise of pregnancy and birth ensured that I was informed about the choices and decisions I had to make. Her calming presence and friendly disposition put me at ease at every stage of my journey. I feel so fortunate to have had Samantha by my side and I can’t thank her enough for her support during the incredible experience of becoming a mother.
Sam provided our family with such loving pre and post-natal support. We live far away from our immediate loved ones and we wanted some extra TLC for the birth of our first baby. We instantaneously fell in love with Sam! Sam is the perfect mix of gentle, kind, strong, and protective (really the exact person you want by your side during delivery)!
During our first meeting, Sam spent hours with my husband and I discussing our birth preferences. We were completely in over our heads, but Sam was extremely patient with us and answered all our questions. We were blown away by her support right off the bat. Sam attended appointments with our doctor, came over to do spinning baby exercises with me almost everyday the week before I was due, and spent over 25 continuous hours with us during our delivery. If that wasn’t enough, Sam visited us countless times after the birth of our son (always bringing delicious goodies along with her!) just to check-in and care for us.
Sam went above and beyond our expectations. We are so happy we had the opportunity to meet and work with Sam. My husband and I felt prepared for the birth of our son and were really happy with the entire experience. I can’t say enough good things about Sam and the love she will bring to your family for a beautiful birth.
Hiring Sam as our doula was the best decision we could have ever made. With both our families overseas, Sam provided us with caring and knowledgeable guidance throughout the pregnancy, birth and post birth period. Sam offered us her expertise and resources to make informed decisions, and prepare for a positive birth experience.
The birth of our precious son did not go as we expected. It was the complete opposite. Luckily we had Sam there to support us and worked together with midwives to safely deliver our baby. Sam was there for us when we ended up in NICU for a couple of days and went beyond and above her duties to make us feel supported in those tough times. Unexpectedly, Sam offered to visit us after we were discharged and brought some delicious home made broth and breastfeeding cookies. Above and beyond.
Thank you Sam. If we had another baby, we would most definitely ask you to be there with us again xxx
From the moment I spoke to Sam via email to meeting her for the first time over coffee, I immediately felt a sense of calm about our upcoming birth. Sam is gifted at finding the right balance between really listening and offering wise advice, and gave me space for my own thinking while leaning in to offer the right tools, techniques and exercises to help with birth preparation. She also suggested she meet with my obstetrician to ensure I had peace of mind that my birthing “team” was working together for me.
When our baby arrived, Sam was there in the room supporting my husband and I, my obstetrician and the midwife. She helped me find the grounding to trust myself, my body and my baby in what shaped up to be a truly remarkable birth experience. Thank you Sam - we’ll always be grateful for the role you’ve played in this important time for our family.
Sam came to assist me and my family soon after the birth of my third bub. I was so grateful for her amazing support as I settled into life with two pre-schoolers and a brand-new baby. I knew from experience that the post-natal period is delicate and can be challenging at times, but on the mornings Sam came to our home, bringing beautiful home-cooked food and her calm energy, it felt easy and special.
Having now experienced Sam’s care, I will be recommending her to all of my girlfriends - everyone deserves a birth and post-natal season in which they are supported, nourished and cared for in the same way their baby is and that is exactly what Sam provides.
We asked Sam to be our doula because when we met with her, it was clear she was both incredibly warm and switched on, with a wealth of knowledge and experience. We also felt that she was on the same page as us, and that we could trust her to help us get through difficult decisions if they popped up during the birth. We wanted to give birth at a hospital but also hoped to have as little intervention as possible, so we were looking for a doula who could guide us through the medical system. Sam is not only familiar with the medical system but also the norms and approaches at many different hospitals, and was able to help us understand our options.
Sam was an instant friend in the leadup to the birth and went above and beyond both during the labour and after. With her as our doula we were able to give birth to our baby in the way we’d hoped for. She was invaluable in helping me cope with each moment and also in helping my partner support me through the difficult hours. We are delighted to recommend Sam as an outstanding doula - and a wonderful human being. (And I must also say that the lactation cookies on her blog are absolutely delish!)
Sam is an amazing doula, she’s practically an angel sent to guide you through the unknowns of pregnancy and birth. As first time parents with no local family support and experiencing a high risk pregnancy we were faced with so many unknowns and felt we needed some extra guidance outside of the hospital system. Sam helped to cut through the often confusing medical jargon, providing information and resources that the hospital system doesn’t. We felt more confident in distinguishing hospital policy apart from what was actually in our best interests.
Sam has a comprehensive toolkit; providing emotional support, antenatal education, fantastic hands on techniques and practical goodies to ensure a smooth birth and comfortable postnatal period. She’s also an amazing cook, bringing round much needed wholesome home cooked food upon our return from hospital. We are so grateful for the incredible support we received from Sam. I’ve already recommended her and will continue to do so to anyone looking for an amazing doula.
Sam was an absolutely brilliant postnatal doula. With both my partner and my parent’s overseas and unable to be with us due to Covid, we were looking for someone to help us transition into our new roles as parents.
Sam is extremely knowledgeable, accommodating, open-minded, reassuring, a brilliant cook, and amazing with babies; exactly what you need in a postnatal doula! We worked out where I needed help during the first few weeks and Sam delivered in spades. Thank you Sam for being there for us and helping me recover from those hairy late nights!
Choosing Sam as my doula was by far the best decision I made in pregnancy. I am so incredibly grateful for her support both in the lead-up, during and after the birth of my baby girl. She is not only incredibly knowledgeable, providing a fountain of information and advice about pregnancy, birthing and recovery that I would never otherwise have had access to (the kind of thing you just can’t get from books or Google!!), but also a genuinely wonderful person and an incredible support.
Throughout labour, Sam made me feel safe and supported, being “on my side”, giving feedback, reassuring me and providing me with the strength I needed to push through. I honestly have no idea how I would have coped without her there! Without question, I would recommend hiring a doula - specifically Samantha Gunn - to anyone expecting a baby, regardless of your situation or what kind of birth you want to have. It makes all the difference!!
Thank you so much Sam. You are a life saver, a baby whisperer and a truly incredible human being.
Where do I begin?
Samantha has become a lifelong friend to our family. Having been away from home during a pandemic I could not have asked for better support from her. She was always a calm, reassuring voice helping me feel confident about my pregnancy and parenting decisions. She is an incredible listener and pregnancy educator. She took the time to get to know me and my concerns and really tailored her approach towards my emotions/needs. I could not have gone through my pregnancy or birth without her. She fully prepared me - even for events which could happen if my birth didn’t go to plan.
Sam also supported me in the postpartum period, and let me tell you I still miss her lactation cookies, home cooked meals and a good chat! Her doula services were worth every. single. cent. Everyone in our family has felt her love and support, even our dog who literally cries with excitement when Sam comes over. I cannot highly recommend her enough!
We were extremely lucky to have Samantha as our doula. We first met her through the Hypnobirthing (which we also highly recommend) classes that she teaches. Her knowledge is second to none, every question we had was answered with insightful, incredibly helpful information.
Sam joined us very late in the pregnancy, and was an absolute life saver. She calmly walked us through every stage of the labour and was a pillar of support for both mum and dad.
Another great thing about Sam is that, although we’re now with a 1 month old, Sam is still more than happy to answer any questions we have and to guide us at every turn. Suffice it to say that we highly recommend Samantha as a doula, and more so, as a warm, wonderful human being.
Having Sam as our doula for the birth of Margot was the best decision we made, even before I was pregnant I knew that I wanted to work with Sam and I can say that without her I would not of had the amazing birth that we did. We engaged Sam at about 12 weeks and throughout my pregnancy and birth her experience, knowledge and support enabled both my partner and I to feel empowered and confident going in to the labour/birth as first time parents. She has a warm and reassuring presence and we have built a trusting relationship with her. We also did a hypnobirthing class with Sam and can highly recommend this as well.
We are incredibly grateful for Sam’s support and in helping me achieve all my birth goals and in creating a positive birthing experience for our family. I highly recommend Sam’s services and look forward to working with her again if we go for baby number 2!
Having Sam as my doula was the best decision ever! She is a lovely person and really took the time to get to know me throughout my pregnancy, so I felt truly supported and knew she would be looking out for me at the birth. She got to know my concerns and preferences and taught me so much that I would not have known to help prepare for the birth and for looking after the baby afterwards - she has fantastic top tips.
Sam was calm and reassuring through the whole process - she was amazing at the birth, keeping me calm, and she really knows how the hospital processes work as well as the physical/emotional side so was able to explain things and help me feel able to make decisions, so even though things got more complicated than I had hoped for I still feel like I had a calm and supported delivery.
Plus she brought delicious nourishing food afterwards along with a good chat about the birth and help with the challenges of looking after a newborn. I cannot recommend her highly enough!
To say I would have been lost at the birth of our child without Sam is the understatement of the decade! Thankfully Sam helped us with plenty of prep (Hypnobirthing workshop was awesome) and on the day, during labour, when I would have been screaming to get a doctor, Sam kept me cool and calm.
Sam without a doubt is an expert in her field and had all the equipment (both physical and emotional) to make the birth of our child a very successful one and with great memories.
Samantha is an extraordinary doula. We were so lucky to find her early in my pregnancy so we had her invaluable support and advice in navigating the prenatal medical maze. She armed me with the information and confidence to advocate for myself and make sure I had the best chance of the birth experience we planned for.
During the labour Samantha was incredible. She quickly established a great rapport and trust with the midwives. She kept me calm and focused and helped me with medical decisions that needed to be made throughout the labour. Her gentle strength kept me going when I didn’t think I could.
I wish everyone having a baby could have someone like Samantha by their side. If you are looking for a doula to support you, Sam is exactly the person you need.
Sam was like a guardian angel for the birth of our first child and I can confidently say that we would not have had the positive and empowering birth experience we did, without her. We are a British couple living in Australia so we do not have close family around us and this was a cause of some anxiety going into pregnancy. Sam became our family/support team/cheerleader/coach/mum all in one, providing us with a rare wealth of impartial knowledge, guidance and emotional support during the pregnancy, labour and in the weeks after.
This meant that we went into our birth well educated, informed and confident, which was invaluable as it was a long and challenging experience. Sam’s patience, empathy and unwavering calm gave us strength when we needed it most and she even stepped in at a potential crisis point during the labour and provided my wife with a specialised massage that moved my baby into the correct position for birth, it was truly mesmerising to witness. I can’t praise her highly enough for playing such an important role in the birth of our child and I would recommend her services to anybody who is looking for the support of a doula during pregnancy. She is second to none.
Sam helped my wife and I through childbirth and made sure we were both calm even when my wife’s epidural failed. She made it a point to not just focus on my wife, but also on me, the partner. She left no stones unturned and discussed anything and everything with us. We started hypnobirthing classes as strangers, but left our birthing suite as family.
I would give Sam more stars if I could. She simply is the best and my wife’s pregnancy and birthing would have probably been chaotic if she wasn’t around. Instead, it was a most positive birthing experience for us both, and left us excited to try for our second child just so we can continue our journey with her.
Samantha made the birth of my most recent child the experience I had been hoping for throughout my entire pregnancy. She offered knowledge, support, insights and a voice that my family needed to welcome our child into the world and into an environment that we felt comfortable in.
I have recommended her time and time again and will continue to do so well into the future. If you are thinking about what to purchase for a friend who is about to have a baby or has just fallen pregnant there would be no greater gift than to have Samantha by her side either pre or postpartum.
Highly recommend Sam and her wonderful services! From the day we first connected right through to the early days of post-partum, she was always there for us with her signature calmness and maternal instinct. She guided us through a pregnancy marked by uncertainty and restrictions, providing the support, reassurance and wisdom that kept us going and staying positive.
Sam not only advocated for us and our choices, but educated us on how to advocate for ourselves which allowed us to have the positive and empowering birth experience we always dreamed of! We are so glad you were a part of it.
Thank you! — L, N & R x
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