Samantha Gagnon Birth Worker

Sammie was such a wonderful support before, during and after my birth. You can't go wrong working with Maya's Nest. If you're on the fence about hiring a doula, just do it and hire them!

My spouse and I took prenatal classes with Samantha and I can't thank her enough sharing all her knowledge and perspectives with us. We know so much more than we ever did before because of Samantha, Michelle and their amazing class. We personally do not feel there is a better option for getting educated and also having a fun time while doing so! Thank you so much.

I attended her doula business prep class and I was absolutely enthralled with the material and what we discussed. I brought my 4 month old daughter with me and she was amazing with her. Good vibes all around, she seemed very confident in her content and work. Definitely going to keep this information in my head as I carry on in my own Doula business.

Samantha Gagnon is an incredibly compassionate and knowledgable birth worker who will 100% be an invaluable resource in your journey through pregnancy and birth!My partner and I had the pleasure of taking her prenatal class 'My Powerful Birth' that she ran with Michelle Tyliakos for the first time in June. The class was amazing and we learned so much from both of them - they were the perfect compliment to one another and both brought a unique view and background that offered an engaging dialogue around the birth journey as well as lots of great resources to share with us.Sam is very passionate about advocating for the importance of informed choice/consent and inspired all of us in the class to feel confident in our abilities to make decisions and take control over our bodies and babies throughout the birth journey.We were educated on all the stages of labour, the various interventions and options we could be offered, the risks and benefits of these options, and most importantly, our bodies natural wisdom and responses to birth that give us all the tools we need to bring our babies into the world. While she is an advocate for the benefits of having a home birth she is supportive of hospital births and the use of medication/interventions when they are necessary and this class was a well rounded education on all of these scenarios.On top of all her wisdom and knowledge Sam is hilarious and has a magnetic energy that was felt instantly even through a zoom call. She made some of the heavier topics of conversation feel easier to digest and the class was an enjoyable, engaging experience my partner and I looked forward to attending each week.I could go on and on but I highly recommend you work with Sam whether it's taking her prenatal class or hiring her as a Doula. You will feel inspired, supported, and confident in your bodies natural ability to birth your baby.Thank you Sam!

I had the pleasure of having a newborn photo shoot done by Sammi. It was a wonderful experience she worked around us and got some beautiful pictures.I struggled to breastfeed my 2nd Sammi was helpful in suggesting different feeding positions and a wealth of knowledge.These women are a wonderful group of ladies who are passionate about the right choices for you and your baby/family!

We were hesitant to retain a Doula for our birth after friends had an uninspiring Doula experience. However, after an initial video consultation with Sam, we decided to retain her services.We had two exceptionally informative sessions with Sam prior to our birth where she was well prepared, provided a variety of resources (for pre and post delivery) & confidently answered almost all our questions. For the select few questions that strayed outside her expertise, Sam was able to swiftly direct us excellent professionals. During these visits she also demonstrated various pair relief techniques that we could apply during labour, one in particular that became invaluable to us.During early labour we communicated with Sam regularly & made a joint decision when would be the best time for her to join us at our home. She arrived promptly & went straight to work, providing calm guidance, support & deftly applying the aforementioned pain techniques.When we moved to the hospital, Sam travelled ahead in her own vehicle & was waiting for us at the emergency room, allowing us to separately park our car & bring in supplies without having to delay check in. She continued to apply her pain relief techniques for ages & was a stable support person to both us of when we needed it most. When medical staff took full control at the very end, Sam remained close by & prepared, but never in the way.Sam took her leave shortly after the fireworks concluded & we were settled, some 18 hours after first joining us, a period in which she was always on, never slept & took just a few short, well timed personal breaks.We had a final debrief" with Sam in our home (where she provided more resources) & were pleased to receive several wonderful photos she'd taken in hospital when we were...preoccupied.Sam is incredible at what she does & is undoubtedly worth every penny. We highly recommend her services!"

We couldn't be happier with the support we received from The Maya's Nest!!At our first meeting, Samantha and I just clicked and I knew she would be the right doula to support us throughout pregnancy and birth. I knew she could help me work towards (and hopefully achieve) a more informed birth experience for my second child - whatever the outcome.Samantha knew education and informed choice was so important to us and really focused on that during our prenatal appointments. While quietly fostering a close, comfortable relationship with myself and my husband, she also endeavored to answer every question we might have about labour, delivery and beyond.I firmly believe that Samantha's calm, unwavering support on the day I was labouring, as well as her diligent preparation and education for us is what helped me achieve an unmedicated vbac, and finally a birth I was proud of and at peace with. She empowered us through love and knowledge and we couldn't have done it without her. Thank you for everything, Samantha, we love you!The photos Samantha gave us of our first few moments after our son was born are so beautiful and precious to us.Lastly - Yvette encapsulated my placenta and was also a joy to work with. She was warm and caring, and focused on my needs. Thank you!!We would not hesitate to hire The Maya's Nest again, and highly recommend them to friends!