Mother Stories
Pregnancy Style: Midland Co-Founder Paige Appel
Written by Erin Feher
Photography by
Photographed by Nicki Sebastian
Aug 20, 2019
While we love hearing from first-time mothers-to-be, it can be especially invaluable to talk to an expecting mama who’s already been there, done that. Paige Appel is one of those women who has learned and grown from each and every one of her life experiences (and she’s had a lot!), and today she shares with us what it’s like to be expecting baby number two 13 years after her first. The founder of Midland talks divorce, entrepreneurship, fertility struggles, ethical fashion, and so much more. Click through to read the full interview (and find out who makes all those gorgeous dresses!).
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- "My saying for this is 'miserable but grateful.' I’m so happy to be having a baby girl, but this pregnancy has not been easy—from major nausea to acid reflux to extreme fatigue to high blood pressure. It's drastically different from last time. With Rem, it was a breeze. I was literally camping in the woods weeks before his due date and with this baby I don’t want to leave my bed."
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"Being in my forties seemed to present some challenges. I had two miscarriages, one failed IUI, two failed IVF treatments, and three years of heartbreak. I really had to dig deep spiritually and physically to change my diet, my attitude, and my heart to make peace with this journey. And then voila, it happened."
Paige wears a Miranda Bennett dress.
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- "It’s very different than my original plan. I had a smooth and easy home birth with Rem and this time I’m being induced in the hospital due to the size of the baby and high blood pressure. It has caused some anxiety, but I’ve been surrendering to the path of least resistance and keeping the baby and my health in mind."
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- "I didn’t care what gender the baby would be, but of course it’s nice to have one of each. And I love blush and lavender and flowers so I’m excited to have a girl to bathe in femininity."
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- "Not at all. I asked him and his response was 'I’m good at home till she comes, then I’ll come meet her when she’s clean and there’s no blood for me to see.'"
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- "I like all the great food, the museums, the options for nature (beach or mountains), and the diversity of things to do and people to meet. But it’s not my first choice anymore. I’ve been here for 20 years. Rem will be a true L.A. kid, where with this next baby I hope to live somewhere smaller and quieter with less traffic and smog."
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"Oh so many! My own shop, Midland, of course. I also love RTH, Heath Ceramics, The Great, Christy Dawn, General Store, anyplace with bandanas and pottery. For eating and drinking: Highly Likely in West Adams (my new neighborhood), Sushi Note in Studio City, Petit Trois in Hancock Park, The Old Place in Malibu, Felix in Venice, El Condor in Silver Lake. And a whole bunch more. I love hiking, so we go all over from Topanga Canyon to Angeles Crest to Kenneth Hahn. If we go to the beach it has to be up north of Malibu, I find the Santa Monica beaches gross. Leo Carillo and El Matador are my favorites."
Paige wears a Loup Charmant dress.
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- "I’ve always loved being a mom. Rem has been a dream son from birth and I’ve wanted to have another child for years. I love the connection, the nurturing, the challenges that make you grow, the wonder in a child’s mind and heart. It’s such a privilege to bear such close witness to another human’s journey and be a small part of their existence. What makes me most nervous is starting over again! The sleepless nights and the lack of freedom and spontaneity I have now. Being older and more tired. Juggling a high schooler and an infant."
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- "As a business owner, it’s hard to think I’ll do anything formal. I’ll take some time off, listen to my body, tune into the baby, and bring her with me to the shops when I feel like it. Who knows how it will go!"
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"My favorite parenting book is The Natural Child by Jan Hunt. She is very intuitive. She encourages moms to find their center to tune into their own child and not follow the herd. I don’t look at too many websites, but Evidence Based Birth and Seed Fertility are two that have helped me."
Paige wears a The Great dress.
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- "I’m a softie with my son. Attached. Intuitive. Lenient. Connected. Listening. He’s truly never really needed a lot of discipline or correction. I’ve let him be him. He has led the way, teaching me more than I could teach him. I think parenting is all about being conscious and asking yourself about the ideas and formation you are trying to impose on your child. If it doesn't match their nature, then you have to adjust. They deserve that respect and observation."
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- "Besides wanting to move out of the USA, not really. I think all the political issues being talked about coming to light are important, but my views have been the same for a long time. The over-saturation of media and news and the negative output from so many sources has me seeking higher-frequency work and intentions in my everyday life—but none of this is new per se. Raising thoughtful, conscious, open-minded, open-hearted children has always been the goal."
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- "Be present. Don’t do what others do. Find your intuition and parent from the heart. Culture changes, philosophy changes, products change, opinions change. Don’t follow the wave, follow your child."
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- "Find out what’s wrong. Biologically and spiritually and environmentally. Fertility is affected by so many things. But mostly what we are carrying around ourselves. There is more than one way to a baby but you have to surrender to the journey with openness and research and acceptance. Again, listen to yourself and figure out how to make it happen for you."
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"Easy and feminine but unfussy. Ideally a pretty dress with no make-up and some Birkenstocks. I don’t over accessorize. I don’t wear much jewelry or make-up or flash. I just like to feel natural. I usually wear a flowy dress, some shade of red lipstick and blush, and let my hair go wild. My staples are my dresses. I have quite a collection and don’t really give them up easy. My favorite designers are Christy Dawn, Rachel Pally, The Great, Rachel Craven, Miranda Bennett, RTH, Loup Charmant, esby, Rachael Harrah, and Sugar Candy Mountain. They all are great ladies and I appreciate their ethics and beauty in their business practices and designs."
Paige wears a Loup Charmant dress.
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- "I’m the person that has a cabinet full of clean beauty products and has no consistency at all when it comes to a routine. I love an oil-based cleanser from Tata Harper or Nyakio, Moon Juice Plumping Serum, Ona Organics Face Oil, the Gypsy Rose Mist from Poppy and Someday, Beautycounter Day Cream, True Botanicals Vitamin C Boost, May Lindstrom’s Blue Cocoon. Anything hydrating, as I’m very dry and redness prone. I love to hike, walk, swim, and be in nature. I am currently using the Expectful Meditation app during pregnancy and I love it. Regular meditation and time in nature is my best medicine. Giving myself space to just go inward and be. Surrendering to the path of least resistance. I love to feel like I’ve used my body and freed my mind at the same time. Massages, sleep, and a good amount of being naked make me feel rested and centered as well."
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- "I grew up in Texas, went to college there, and then came to L.A. at 23 years old. I worked in the film industry in my twenties, got married to a musician and had Rem, and then quit working to go on tour. I got divorced, then started an event production business in my thirties, sold that company and started Midland. I studied psychology, communications, and acting. I’ve lived in every neighborhood in L.A: Santa Monica, Silver Lake, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Mid-City, Laurel Canyon, West Hollywood, etc., etc. I’ve had nine lives already. I’ve spent a lot of time traveling and seeking and I don’t think my career journey or my path is a very straight one, and I like it that way."
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"Motherhood definitely has shaped the slowing down. From the minute Rem was born, he was taken all over the USA while living with five boys in a band. Then to New Zealand and Paris and places all over the world. He now prefers to stay home in the summers, ha! But with the event planning we were hopping from one destination to the next and so exhausted. I started missing school functions and time with him, and once my business partner Kelly started having kids, we decided we were both burnt from being on the road. So, choosing a place to go to work right down the street from where we lived was part of the vision of Midland. To be home more."
Paige wears a Christy Dawn dress.
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- "Definitely the environment and the support of small makers is at the forefront of my mind at all times in business. I’m not a fan of big business or their toxic ways. I never shop at Zara or the Gap, etc. I try to always buy lasting, meaningful things made responsibly for my home and life. Those are also our intentions when buying for the shop, and choosing what to offer to our customers. If I can come out 80/20 on the side of sustainability, quality, and being able to support people that align with my values for mother earth, then I’m truly happy and at peace with the work."
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- "The main word here is JUGGLE. That’s what it is and every mom has to surrender to wearing many hats and being present where she is. A good shared calendar with date nights, kid nights, girlfriend nights, and work priorities, is a simple way to stay organized and make sure all your bases are covered and in-line with your priorities. If I look at the week and see that I have three events I’m invited to, and no time for my kid or my man, then one (or two) of those gets cut. Figuring out your values and priorities keeps you centered on what is best for the juggle. Otherwise, you’re just in a circus of saying yes and depleted for all the important things in your life."
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"Just to relax with my baby and family! No plans at all—that’s the goal. I love seeing an empty week with nothing scheduled. I’ll have things to do for Rem’s new high school like cross country meets and art fairs, but other than that, I’m grounding into learning about having two children and being present for them."
For more on Paige, her family, and her shop, be sure to follow her on Instagram.
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So happy for Paige! Great interview. x
You’re a dream, Paige! Your words are ever inspiring. So happy for you and Tal. Hope to cross paths again