My Family, photo by @furnerphotography
Meet Samantha Gunn | Sydney Birth & Postpartum Doula
I'm Samantha Gunn, an experienced birth and postpartum doula, hypnobirthing educator, bodyworker and President of Doula Network Australia, based on Sydney's North Shore.
With 10 years of experience supporting families and approximately 250 births attended, I bring a wealth of practical knowledge, a calm presence and a deeply personal approach to pregnancy, birth and early parenthood.
I believe that feeling genuinely supported can make an enormous difference to how we experience birth and the transition to parenthood. My role is to help you feel informed, listened to and confident in making decisions that are right for you and your family.
Whether you're preparing for your first baby, navigating a previous difficult birth experience, feeling anxious about childbirth or looking for additional support after your baby arrives, I offer personalised care that begins with understanding you.
“As a first time mum, I was overwhelmed and had so much fear about birth and beyond. Sam installed confidence and control back into the narrative and helped me get the birth that I wanted.”
My last birth - supported by midwives and our doula
He’s the tallest of my children in the above family photo!
My Story
I'm a mother of four adult children and was fortunate to have a doula at each of my births. I've experienced birth in hospital, within the public homebirth system and with private midwifery care.
These experiences helped shape my understanding of the importance of continuity of care, trusted relationships and having the time and space to explore your hopes, questions and concerns.
Originally from the UK, I've lived in three countries and understand what it can feel like to navigate pregnancy and early parenthood without family close by.
This has influenced not only my work as a doula but also my commitment to building community and helping families feel connected and supported.
During my career, I've had the privilege of supporting many families through their births and postpartum journeys. Every experience has reinforced something I believe strongly: there is no single right way to give birth or to parent, and every family deserves care that respects their individual needs, values and circumstances.
My Approach to Doula Support
I would describe myself as a pragmatic doula. I am calm, intuitive, practical and nurturing.
I take time to get to know the families I work with, to understand what matters to them, and to provide support that respects their individual circumstances, preferences and values.
I believe good birth preparation involves much more than learning about the physical process of labour. It's also about building confidence, understanding your options, preparing your support team and creating space to explore any fears or uncertainties.
For parents who feel anxious about birth, I offer a supportive environment where questions are welcomed, concerns can be explored without judgement, and information is shared in a way that helps you feel more prepared and confident.
My approach is non-judgemental and evidence-informed. I support families planning hospital births, homebirths, vaginal births and caesarean births, recognising that each experience is unique.
I bring a bag of tricks to every birth, but my favourite tools will always be my heart and my hands.
Why Families Choose to Work With Me
Experience that brings reassurance
With 10 years of experience and approximately 250 births attended, I've supported families through a wide range of birth experiences. I bring that knowledge and perspective to every family I work with, helping you feel supported whatever direction your birth takes.
Time to really get to know you
I believe that meaningful support begins with building a relationship. I take time to understand your hopes, concerns, preferences and individual circumstances so that the care I provide is genuinely tailored to you.
Calm, practical and non-judgemental support
Whether you're feeling excited, anxious or somewhere in between, I offer a steady, reassuring presence. My role isn't to tell you how to give birth, but to help you feel prepared, informed, confident and supported in your own decisions.
Continuity of care
From our antenatal appointments through birth and into the early postpartum period, you'll have someone familiar alongside you who understands your preferences, knows your story and is invested in your experience.
A Commitment to Professional Growth
Throughout my years as a doula, I’ve been consistently committed to my professional development. I regularly undertake additional training, attend conferences and workshops, and seek opportunities to learn from other birth professionals.
I believe there's always more to learn, and I'm continually curious about new research, evolving practices and different perspectives. This ongoing learning allows me to bring a broad range of knowledge, skills and practical tools to the families I support.
My Qualifications & Commitment to Professional Development
With 10 years of experience and approximately 250 births attended, I've supported families through a wide variety of birth experiences and circumstances.
Continuing professional development is an important part of my practice. I regularly undertake training and attend professional education events to deepen my knowledge and enhance the support I offer families.
Alongside my work as a birth and postpartum doula, my professional training includes:
Birth preparation and education
Hypnobirthing Australia™ Practitioner
Internal Pelvic Release Work (IPRW)
Hypnotherapy
Body Ready Method Pro
Optimal Maternal Positioning
Spinning Babies techniques
Acupressure
Emergencies in Childbirth
Postpartum, breastfeeding and infant care
Thompson Method Breastfeeding Educator (classes coming soon!)
Infant Massage Educator
Bengkung Belly Binding
Possums Breastfeeding Support & Sleep Program
Additional complementary training
Aromatherapy
My commitment to ongoing learning means my practice continues to evolve as I incorporate new knowledge, skills and perspectives.
Supporting the Doula Profession
I'm proud to serve as President of Doula Network Australia, a professional organisation supporting doulas and the development of the doula profession in Australia.
Through this role, I'm involved in professional education, community building, advocacy and supporting doulas in their work with families.
I've also presented at doula conferences, spoken on podcasts and facilitated childbirth education workshops across Sydney.
Being involved in the wider birth community allows me to continue learning, collaborating and advocating for respectful, individualised maternity care.
I believe families benefit when birth professionals work collaboratively, share knowledge and remain committed to supporting informed decision-making.
Supporting Families Across Sydney
Based on Sydney's North Shore, I work with families across the North Shore, Northern Beaches, Inner West, Eastern Suburbs and other areas of Sydney.
I support births in hospitals, birth centres and at home, working alongside midwives, obstetricians and other maternity care professionals while maintaining my independent, non-medical role as a doula.
My services include:
Individualised antenatal preparation, continuous emotional and physical support during labour and birth, and postnatal follow-up.
Practical, emotional and educational support as you recover from birth, get to know your baby and adjust to life as a new family.
Evidence-informed birth preparation classes designed to help you understand the birth process, explore your options and develop practical tools for labour and birth.
Let's Get to Know Each Other
Choosing a doula is a deeply personal decision. It's important that you feel comfortable, understood and confident in the person you invite into this significant time in your life.
Whether you're looking for an experienced Sydney birth doula, preparing for birth with hypnobirthing, or seeking nurturing postpartum support, I'd love to hear about your pregnancy, your hopes and the support you're looking for.
Get in touch to arrange an initial conversation and explore how we might work together.
Servicing all areas of Sydney including the CBD, North Shore, Northern Beaches, Inner West, Eastern Suburbs and more.
Based on the North Shore, I support all types of births in all types of environments, including home, birth centre and hospital. Some of the hospitals I attend include the Royal North Shore Hospital Public St Leonards (RNS), Royal North Shore Private North Sydney, The Mater Hospital Wollstonecraft, Northern Beaches Hospital Frenchs Forest, Hospital for Women Randwick (RHW), Prince of Wales Private (POWP), Royal Prince Alfred Camperdown (RPA), Westmead Public Hospital, Westmead Private Hospital, Hornsby Hospital, The Sydney Adventist Hospital Wahroonga (SAN) … and more.
Want to know if your area is serviced? Please get in touch using the Contact Form, I’d love to hear from you.