My name is Mandi Wagnild. Since I was a little girl, I’ve always been fascinated with pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and the newborn period. After spending seven years in the Air Force as an Emergency Manager, I realized that my calling has always been with families in this pivotal moment in their lives. 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. I’m a bit of a nerd a lifelong learner so I'm always on the lookout for the latest research. In fact, I have a bachelor's degree in Maternal Child Health. Even after studying pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and newborn parenting for over 10 years, I continue to be amazed at the complex physical and emotional process that the human body goes through during this time, what we know about it, and how much we still have to learn.
"Mandi is a ceaseless advocate for evidence-based care and patient rights in her daily life, even outside of her professional life. Mandi is well-respected in the community, known beyond her classes and doula support for her regular, informative presence in pregnancy- and birth-based groups, as well as her willingness to reach out to anyone seeking more birth-related information for a cup of coffee and conversation. She lives her passion and purpose with integrity, and it is my firm belief that every expecting mother needs a ‘Mandi' in her life.”Erika, second time mom in Italy
Certifications
- Certified Birth Doula
- Lamaze® Certified Childbirth Educator
- Certified Postpartum Doula
- Certified Lactation Counselor®
- Certified Breastfeeding Specialist™
- International Board Certified Lactation Consultant
- Evidence Based Birth® Instructor
- Spinning Babies® Parent Educator
Advanced Training & Experience
- Helping partners stay actively engaged and supportive during labor and birth
- Helping families access the positive, respectful, and safe evidence based care they deserve
- The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative
- Supporting families with breech babies
- Supporting families who have experienced trauma in the past
- 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
On a more personal note...
I live here on Misawa Air Base with my spouse, our daughter, and our cat. I spend my free time blasting old-school country music (everything from Hank Jr to Blackhawk), painting, traveling (we lived in Germany, Hawaii, Ohio, Korea, Italy, North Dakota, and Colorado before arriving to Misawa), playing sous chef for my aspiring-chef spouse, and trying to save the poor cat from being dressed up as Wonder Woman again.