About Me
My name is Susan Gunn. My husband, Scott and I live in northwest Washington, DC with our three daughters, Lillian, Colleen and Mary Helen.
I came to Washington, DC from Rhode Island in 1989 to attend American University. After earning my BA in International Affairs, with a minor in Economics and focus on Asian Affairs, I moved immediately to China to work with an indigenous NGO training middle school teachers in rural areas. There I met my husband, Scott, who was a fellow teacher from Mississippi. After three years in China and extensive travel throughout Asia, we returned to the United States and settled in Washington, DC. I returned to American University and earned my MS in International Development Management in 2000, while working with the American Red Cross and Save the Children. Two months after earning my master's degree, I gave birth to my first child. Since then, I have stayed home to care for my children.
My journey to becoming a Bradley Method® instructor began in 1997 when I miscarried my first pregnancy. Having access to people with the highest quality of medical skills and tools did nothing for me. I was poked and prodded daily for a week as the miscarriage slowly followed its natural course, only to be told finally "There's nothing we can do. Go home and let your body heal itself." Scott and I went home where we were frightened, confused and alone. I had already started to read pregnancy books and had paused over the passages that detailed how wise, skilled and kind midwives are in childbirth, especially natural childbirth. While I recovered from the physical and emotional pain of the miscarriage, I vowed that I would seek the care of a midwife if I ever had the courage to get pregnant again.
In 2000, I was pregnant again and this time looking for a Bradley Method® course. I had gained a healthy respect for the natural process of childbirth and never wanted to feel so frightened by my own body again. I wanted to learn how to tune-in to my body and work with it, not against it. I was disappointed to learn that there were no Bradley Method® instructors teaching in Washington, DC. For 12 weeks, we drove to Maryland to join a Bradley Method® class. The commute was difficult but the class was well worth it. I gave birth to Lillian in February 2000 without any drugs or interventions, only the loving support and guidance of my birth team: my husband and my midwife. The relaxation techniques, deep abdominal breathing and coaching worked! I birthed my daughter into my midwife’s hands, who then placed her on me to breastfeed. After cutting the cord, Scott took off his shirt to hold his first daughter in his arms, skin to skin. It was a beautiful experience. I was a client of the wonderful midwives at Georgetown University Hospital. Right after giving birth, my midwife said I would be a good candidate for a planned homebirth. I was shocked and frightened by the concept. I took it as a compliment, though, and went back to breastfeeding my new baby.
In 2002, pregnant again, I was reminded that there were no Bradley Method® instructors in Washington, DC. I had a positive experience as a student of the Bradley Method® my teacher and classmates were kindred spirits and the training was vital to my positive birth experience. I wanted to help other women in my community have the opportunity to learn and use the Bradley Method®. So I trained to be a certified Bradley Method® instructor. All Bradley Method® instructors have gone through intensive training with the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth® and are required to re-affiliate each year in order to continue teaching. At the same time, I started to consider having a planned homebirth. It took me six months to ponder all the pros and cons of homebirth as well as the different locations where one can plan to birth (hospital, birth center, home). In the end, I chose to have a homebirth with the support and care of the midwives of Birthcare & Women's Health in Alexandria, VA. Two factors that almost stopped me from making this wise decision were the fact that Birthcare is so far away from my home across the river in Virginia and it is not in my insurance plan. I was inspired by the birth story of Margie Hathaway (she and her husband were the first teachers of the Bradley Method®). They flew all the way from California to Colorado to have Dr. Bradley attend their birth. The lesson I learned is, more often than not, a woman has to go to great lengths to have a good, safe birth experience in the United States. In March 2003, I gave birth to my second daughter, Colleen, without drugs or interventions, in the peace and intimacy of my own home, surrounded by supportive, skilled midwives and my husband. As Dr. Bradley would say, it’s more than the birth of a baby, it's the birth of a family. And we gave birth at home again in September 2005 to Mary Helen, our third daughter. It was another gentle, peaceful, natural birth experience.
I am passionate about natural childbirth and am grateful to have the privilege to accompany my students as they practice relaxation techniques, become informed consumers in the market for childbirth services, grow their babies and finally, give birth in peaceful, satisfying and safe ways. Thank you for welcoming me to guide you as you transform from a pregnant woman or couple into a family.
Disclaimer: This website contains information about Bradley Method® classes available in Washington, DC and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this website do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth® . For more information on The Bradley Method®, for an international listing of instructors, or to contact the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth® directly, please click here: