Name

Mandi Wagnild

Business Name

Starry Night Birth & Baby

Contact Information

Phone: (607) 220-6656
Email: Mandi@StarryNightBirthAndBaby.com

Website

StarryNightBirthAndBaby.com

Regions served

Up to two hours drive from Ithaca, including Syracuse, Binghamton, and Rochester

General structure of birth doula support

I offer a free consultation to discuss your needs and how I can support you.  Once you’ve decided to work with me, I offer various packages of prenatal, birth, and postpartum support to meet your needs.

Please see my website for additional package details & pricing.

Additional services

  • Lamaze workshops

  • Postpartum doula support

  • Lactation consultation

Certifications

  • Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator

  • Certified Birth Doula

  • International Board Certified Lactation Consultant

  • Certified Breastfeeding Specialist

  • Certified Lactation Counselor

  • Certified Postpartum Doula

  • Spinning Babies Certified Parent Educator

  • Evidence Based Birth Instructor Emeritus

  • Basic Life Saver (CPR/AED training for Healthcare Workers)

  • BS in Maternal Child Health with a focus in Lactation Consulting

  • Birth Doula Trainer

Advanced training & experience

  • Helping families access the personalized, respectful, and safe evidence-based care they deserve

  • Helping partners stay actively engaged and supportive during labor and birth

  • Supporting families who have experienced trauma in the past

  • The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative

  • Supporting families with breech babies

  • Spinning Babies® body balancing techniques for a comfortable, confident birth

  • Planning and preparing for a successful Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC)

  • Working collaboratively with clients, birth partners, nurses, providers, and other professionals

  • The politics and challenges of family-centered cesarean birth

  • The Mother Friendly Childbirth Initiative

  • Birthing From Within childbirth education techniques

  • Supporting families through loss

Why are you a birth doula?

I’m a birth doula because I saw a deep need for more personalized, compassionate, and evidence-based care of families in labor, birth, and early parenting.  My passion is supporting families during the most pivotal phase of their lives: becoming parents.  There’s something about the journey we go on to bring another soul into the world that leaves me just a bit starstruck every time. This is the reason I’ve devoted my life to helping lead families down the pathways to healthier births and happier babies. I do this through interactive, evidence-based workshops and personalized, compassionate support.

I’m a bit of a nerd (a lifelong learner) so I'm always on the lookout for the latest research. I read every book, watch every video, and attend every training I can. In fact, my bachelor's degree is in Maternal Child Health. Even after studying pregnancy, birth, and newborn feeding and parenting for over 12 years, I continue to be amazed at the complex physical and emotional process that the human body and mind go through during this time, what we know about it, and how much we still have to learn.

Testimonials

"Mandi was invaluable during my labor and birth. She had a way of making my husband and I feel both in control of the birth, while also feeling like we could defer to her expertise at any moment. She emanated a strength, certainty, and security that made me feel that she would ‘take care' of me while also constantly affirming and building up my own sense of strength and certainty in my decisions. Mandi adapts to unexpected situations with grace. During the various ups and downs during my baby’s birth, she adapted without resistance. It often seems as though Mandi has anticipated all possible disruptions and has already created a plan. She was physically and mentally strong as she applied counter pressure during my contractions for seven hours. It was wonderful to know I had her as an advocate and to guide me in comfort measures.”

Kati, first time mom

"After an amazing workshop series, Mandi continued to bolster me as my doula, conducting organized and detail-oriented prenatal visits, providing an empathetic shoulder to lean on, and referring me to evidence-based resources as I made final decisions regarding my birth plan... She was a dependable and steadfast presence throughout my labor and delivery, and when things did not go entirely as planned, she was composed and communicative, making it easier for me to take the ensuing events in stride... Her generosity with her time, prioritization of my needs and commitment to me as a client touched me deeply.”

Erika, second time mom

"I was faced with a sort of complicated pregnancy. I had high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. I needed a doula who would support me and my choices, no matter what. That is what Mandi did. Even though it was not what I had originally wanted, I was induced and had an epidural and she supported me throughout it all. She helped me push through the labor pain. She held my hair while I threw up. She held my legs while I pushed. I couldn't have asked for better support from her. What stands out most about our experience with her is how much she cares about her clients and their wishes. She would have literally done anything in her power to help us with whatever we needed. That was amazing. As a result of hiring Mandi as my birth doula, I was able to vaginally birth my healthy son. I truly believe that if it wasn't for Mandi, I might have ended up with an emergency cesarean.”

Lila, first time mom