"We live in Venice and have lived in our home for 4 years. We bought an original craftsman from the 1920's before the boom of what Venice is today. My husband built and renovated our home."

Paula wears an Isabel Marant dress. Madeleine wears Zara.

"Warm minimalism."

"We committed to a few materials and created a rhythm with them to make the space uniform and consistent. The real challenge, but key, is restraint and commitment."

"Our kitchen, dining, and living room is all one open space. We have dedicated a section of this open space for a playroom, where our family can connect and be together while Madeleine has her space to play."

"I love the whole process of motherhood. All that motherhood entails—the love, joys, and challenges. Motherhood has given me the opportunity to grow and evolve through the lessons that Madeleine mirrors to me and teaches me daily."

"The teenage years to come!"

"Her name is Madeleine May Mallis. Her name means 'Tower, elevated, great, magnificent.' She is so tall for her age at only 5. Her name suits her perfectly and we have lots of nicknames for her, as well, one being Madeliney Pokotiny."

"My daughter's room is a continuation of the 'warm minimalism' theme to our home. We try to keep the toys to a minimum, allowing her space to be open to play and explore."

"I love the dream catchers in her room. She has a few. As she has gotten older we talk about how the dreamcatchers filter out bad dreams and thoughts. Her favorite part of her room is her princess and 'dress-up' dresses. She changes outfits multiple times a day!"

"I love having the opportunity to raise a fierce, strong, conscious, empathetic, loving-towards-others-and-herself girl who will become a woman one day in this world."

"I do not consider myself someone who gets too caught up in politics, but attuned to what is happening on the planet has inspired me to show up with love in how I respond to situations that seem tragic or traumatic. My intention is to be mindful and model behavior that inspires Madeleine to choose love and peace."

"I am from a small town in the south, so my upbringing in the '80s was very different to the environment my husband, myself, and our community have created for Madeleine."

"My parents, who were neither perfect parents, because no one is, instilled in me a lot of love and the way of southern hospitality and kindness."

"I am surrounded my a lot of mothers in my life! I am inspired by them all! But my first inspiration would be my grandmothers."

"I love the books Seven Times the Sun: Guiding Your Child Through the Rhythms of the Day by Shea Darian, You Are Your Child's First Teacher by Rahima Baldwin Dancy, and The Conscious Parent by Shefali Tsabary."

"Be gentle with yourself, receive help that is only given from the heart, and make time for self-care."

"My overall pregnancy was transformational. Being pregnant brought up a lot of emotions and unresolved issues. Once I began to enter the journey of pregnancy as an opportunity for growth, I began to experience both the challenges and bliss that pregnancy can bring forward. This awareness served me and prepped me for all the ups and downs to embark on the journey ahead, motherhood."

"I am currently pregnant with our second child, whom we have been calling in for 3 years! We had no problem conceiving Madeleine, but this babe has been a different journey. We are beyond thrilled and Madeleine cannot wait to be a big sis. She has been asking for her 'own' baby for just as long as we have been trying."

“Conscious Conception is a workshop I teach on a group level at WMN Space and privately for women and couples who are wanting to conceive and for women who are wanting to ‘birth’ something into their lives. I guide women through a process that focusing on the emotional, spiritual, and soul level of trying to conceive a baby. I work with women who are also going through fertility treatments as they prepare for a transfer or implantation. Every woman is on her own journey and my intention is to meet my clients where they are to see how I can best be of service to them.” 

"I am a doula who supports women on their journey from conception, pregnancy, birth, and motherhood. I am also the founder of WMN Space, a conscious space for women to gather in service to their own healing."

"I grew up in North Carolina in a small country town with horses on a ranch. I am the only one in my family who doesn't 'cowboy up' on a daily basis. I moved to LA at 19-years-old, following an acting and modeling dream. I lived between LA and NYC and traveled the world 'til I met my husband and moved back to LA in 2009."

"After years of being in the industry, I was not fully fulfilled with the work I had only every known. I began to explore my deepest heart's desires and began to become curious about doula work. I found out during that same time that I was pregnant with Madeleine. Even though I didn't start to attend births at that time, through my own journey and experience I felt my whole life transition into something exciting and new but truly had no idea what was in store for me."

"In the dictionary the word doula means 'servant to a woman.' Anytime I am of service I feel I am 'doula-ing.' My work as a doula is to guide women wherever they are on their journey to come back to the truth of who they are. Specific to birth, I guide and support women and their partners (when present) through the journey of pregnancy, birth, and motherhood. Sometimes my clients come to me when they are trying to conceive and I will support them through that process, as well."

“I am a part of a doula community, where we all support one another, especially if we have attended a difficult birth. I process the births I attend with my therapist and other healers, as the doula journey is a process for me of growth and learning. Self-care is a must, so I can better serve my clients.” 

"We're located in Culver City. I was inspired to launch WMN Space after hosting hundreds of women in my home for one-on-one support and hosting women's circle gatherings. I looked around the room of 50 women who had felt called to gather in my home one night and got the hint that it was time to expand and create a space for all women to gather in a space that was public and accessible."

"We host classes, workshops, gatherings, events, and one-on-one healing sessions in our treatment rooms. All of our offerings are available daily. We host workshops every day and/or evening."

Paula wears a Doen dress. Madeleine wears a dress by Tutu Du Monde.

"The design of WMN Space was inspired by our own home. Since I had been hosting gatherings there, I wanted to create a space in public that felt warm, safe, and inviting. My husband did the build-out and co-created the space, along with our local artisan friends behind Merchant Modern and Stahl + Band, who inspired the decor of the space."

"My work came to me through my pregnancy, birth, and mothering my daughter. I don't know if I would be doing what I am doing without my experience of her. She is my inspiration."

“For Madeleine, I had my mother's support and my husband's support. I was not working at the time, so I had the luxury of not having to rush back to work. It will be interesting to see what the experience is now. My mom is coming to stay with us for a good amount of time and I am hiring a postpartum doula and my intention is to honor the 4th trimester/40 days for healing and bonding with our new babe. One of my favorite books that speaks to this is The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother by Heng Ou."

"I love what I do. I don't feel like I am working, I feel like I am playing. Even though there are stresses of owning your own business and navigating a lot, I find it to be all worth it because my heart is in all I do."

"The transition from maiden to mother has made me a better entrepreneur. Giving birth has been a reference point for me to draw on in times when I need to be reminded of how I/we are as women."

"We have exciting things coming up in the near future, as WMN Space has the opportunity for expansion. Stay tuned for details."

"Simple, easy, comfortable, but stylish California chic."

Paula wears a Black Crane dress. Madeleine wears Zara.

"My easy Raquel Allegra dresses and Beatrice Valenzuela sandals."

"Raquel Allegra, Isabel Marant, Reformation, and Black Crane. I love how effortless pieces from these designers can be, but I feel I have properly gotten dressed for the day."

"I shop online, but I am also old-school, and I love to go into a store for the shopping experience."

"True Botanicals!!! I am obsessed by their entire line and it has dramatically changed my skin! And I love their mission of the brand focusing on non-tonic and environmental awareness for your skin."

"Mind Body Awareness pilates, meditation, Kundalini yoga, acupuncture, and body work. I am all about self-care and do not believe that it is a luxury. For me, it is vital to maintain balance mentally, physically, and spiritually."

"I book my self-care on the calendar, making it just as important as the next meeting or client that I have on the books. If it's not on the calendar, then it's more likely not to happen."

"It's full on! But, I have to be honest, I love it. It makes life interesting, but it is work no matter what. Motherhood, relationship, work—it's all a process of balance and letting go of perfection and the idea that motherhood/parenthood should look a certain way."

"Los Angeles has the balance of living and having access to a city, while able to connect and explore with nature. Plus, all the conscious resources and organic lifestyle that LA provides."

"We ask ourselves all the time 'where we would go if we didn't live here?' and we've yet been unable to answer the question."

"We enjoy the local farmer's markets and cooking together as a family. Beach play and weekend road-trips."

"I have an amazing support system. Our community at Madeleine's school is so supportive and has a village vibe, where we are all there for each other and our children. We will soon have family close by, starting this fall, which we are all looking forward to."

“Moon Juice, and of course WMN Space, which offers classes, private birth prep sessions, massage, and other support for pregnant mammas.” 

You can keep following along with Paula's motherhood journey through her Instagram feed.