Meet Jae Trevits of Made by Mama

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jae Trevits.

Jae, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I loved being a Mama the second I became one…what I didn’t love was how ill-equipped I felt on SO many levels when it happened. Ironic right? I wasn’t prepared for all of the physical and emotional changes that would happen to me. There is so much great information you can get to prepare yourself for pregnancy and birth but there isn’t a lot of emphasis on the days and months after and how to really take care of yourself. Our son, Cohl, was born with a crazy case of colic and reflux. He would throw up and scream for hours on end. I was breastfeeding so my diet was limited to only food items that wouldn’t upset his sensitive tummy. This, coupled with a diagnosis of postpartum depression, anxiety, and physical complications from pregnancy that landed me in physical therapy 2-3 times a week for 6 months, made my situation challenging, to say the least. The stress of all of this drastically reduced my milk supply. While I strongly believed that “fed is best,” and that Mamas should do what’s best for them and their babies, I wanted to see what I could do to continue on with my breastfeeding journey. After trying stale and tasteless store-bought cookies, teas, and bars, that were full of unhealthy sugars and other junk, I decided to dream up my own. I was so excited about the tasty treats I’d created that I started sharing them with other Mamas. After tasting them and seeing the result of a boost in their breast milk supply, they were in demand. Shortly thereafter Made by Mama: A Postpartum and Lactation Company was born.

Has it been a smooth road?
Of course it hasn’t been a smooth road! What sort of fairytale business would I be if everything went perfectly according to plan?! The thing about growing this business is that there have been LOTS of struggles along the way. Being a working Mom with no outside family support system has been challenging. The juggle of raising our son while also growing a company at the same time has been a beautiful challenge. I’ve made mistakes! Lots of them. Some mistakes I made because I was so new to owning and running my own company and was learning as I went. The biggest one was I didn’t trademark my company name. The company used to have a different name and one day someone who had been following me on Instagram upped and trademarked it. I was shocked. I hadn’t even THOUGHT about trademarking my name. So that cost me a lot of time and money and frustration. Forming a new LLC, trademarking the name, a new DBA wasn’t cheap, but in the long run I couldn’t be happier and more thankful for that person for taking that name. It pushed me to dig deep and after a creative brainstorming session with a dear friend Made by Mama was born; a name that suits me and the soul of the company even better than the short-sighted name I had before. There have been other smaller, day to day struggles of course. My website has crashed, labels for my products were sent across the country to the wrong address, ingredients haven’t been up to my standards. The list can go on. However, at the end of the day I have to say that the amount of gratitude I have for all of these obstacles is really deep. They’ve not only made me a better business woman but they’ve also enabled me to help others and steer them away from mistakes I’ve made. Which is great. I’m sure I’ll make more mistakes, go through more challenges and obstacles and hopefully I will always be able to see the benefit and growth that lies within them. Fingers crossed.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Today I’m proud to have created a company that bakes what I call the “Feel Good Lactation Cookie.” Made by Mama is a Postpartum & Lactation Company. Lactation Cookies can support breastfeeding Mamas with their breast milk production. All of the cookies are freshly baked to order. They are also diary free, refined sugar free, non-GMO, and mainly organic. They can also be made vegan or gluten free as well. There’s something for every Mama. What’s most important about these cookies though, is that they all contain the herb shatavari (asparagus plant) which in addition to supporting lactation has been known to help many women balance out their hormones. Finding out about and incorporating shatavari in my cookies was the game changer. If I could help Mamas feed their babies AND feel better at the same time I knew I was onto something. Most of the cookies out there on the market contain dairy and super unhealthy sugars. Mine are dairy free and lightly sweetened with coconut sugar. Mamas are getting a cookie baked just for them and not something that’s been sitting on a shelf for months. Who doesn’t love a freshly baked cookie? Especially one that can help you feed your babe and feel good. Double win!

Here’s how it works. All orders need to be placed by 3PM on Tuesdays. All cookies are then freshly baked on Wednesdays. On Thursdays cookies are hand delivered all over LA or shipped out nationwide. Cookies can be picked up locally in Hollywood for no additional charge. I always do my best to help out Mamas who’ve missed the cut off so you can always email me to work something out. I plan on expanding to more baking days and products soon–look out for granola and healthy, energy packed snacks coming soon.
After giving birth women really need to nourish our bodies in the best way possible. Cutting out refined sugars and consuming healthy fats are an important part to the healing process. There’s so much focus on the baby and their health that women’s health, physically and mentally, are far too often pushed aside. Thankfully the tides are starting to turn. We have a long way to go but women are starting to speak up and out about the struggles we’ve gone through after birth. It’s really exciting and I feel thankful that I have a product that in some way can support women on their new, wonderful yet often bumpy as hell, journey.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I think LA is the perfect city for my business. LA has always  been populated with some of the most health conscious people in our country and I don’t think that’s going to change. The community here sees the value in my product and the important service I offer. In general when starting a business, I think there is no better place to start then exactly where you are. You don’t need to wait until you’re in the “perfect” place or time in your life to go for it. So, if you’ve got something that you’re absolutely passionate about then do it!  Make it happen! LA can be a tough town, but where isn’t, if you’re starting a business? Contrary to the pressure we all feel from time to time in our fast paced society, it’s important to remember that it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. The important thing is to just start and keep going.

Pricing:

• Dark Chocolate Chunk aka Power to the Milk $26 a Dozen
• Oatmeal Raisin aka The Classy Lady $26 a Dozen
• Dark Chocolate Cherry aka Coco Cherrie Amour $26 a Dozen
• Local Delivery within 15 Miles of Hollywood $4
• 3-5 day Shipping $6
• 1-3 day Shipping $14
• Free Porch Pick-Up in Hollywood

Contact Info:

• Website: www.madebymama.love
• Email: jae@madebymama.love
• Instagram: @madebymama.love
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madebymamalove/?pnref=lhc

Image Credit:
Courtney Lindberg Photography

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.