Purple

I’m feeling purple lately.  My purple day-lilies are blooming and grace the house with their showy petals. 

I’m wearing the purple bellychime Scott gave me.  I love the unobtrusive gentle chime it makes against my growing bump–ok, more than a bump.  Way more. 

And, one of my snazzy former clients gifted me with a violet doula shirt to get me through the summer.  My current one was looking a tad leotardish and would have surely ripped at the seams by June.  My new prana shirt is even made from post-consumer PET (that is plastic bottles–hoorah!). 

Speaking of doula gear.  I am particular about what I wear and carry to births.  My hubby–who is a complete outdoor gear freak–has taught me that gear can make or break an experience.  When I leave for a birth, I don’t know how long I’ll be gone, how long I’ll wear my clothes, what the temperature will be, if I’ll get wet, etc.  I wear prana clothes because they are durable, comfortable, flexible, and dry quickly.  Prana specializes in yoga and rock-climbing gear which seems perfect for the the contorted positions I end up in at births.  My socks are smartwools–again, they dry quickly.  My shoes are Mions.  Scott researched and selected the shoes–designed by one of the Keen founders.  I was skeptical (I thought they were ugly).  But, oh wow.  They are so comfortable and they have incredible techy features.  They repel water, the ergonomic footbed can be removed and washed, and they are mostly made from post-consumer materials in factories using wind and solar energy.  Oh, and they have wet/dry traction so I don’t bust it while I’m supporting a client.  Unfortunately, I don’t think the company is still alive; although the product is still be sold in limited supplies.  On a side note, weirdly, every female OB that I’ve worked with has asked about these shoes.  Every one.  Finally, my bag is the Osprey Elroy made almost entirely from recycled materials.  The fabric is 100% post-consumer PET (more plastic bottles).  Thanks Scott!

Enough digression about my doula-gear.  I’m feeling bluish-purple about my upcoming maternity leave from doula-ing.  I’m going to miss it.  And I hope I can find clients again after an absence.  Since I can’t exactly leave my laboring mamas to pump breastmilk, maternity leave will necessarily be long. 

I’m also completely booked for the remaining months before my birth.  I’ve had to turn a couple of families away which was tough for me to do.  But I know there are limits.       

My new big-belly accomodating doula shirt