Today we’d like to introduce you to Valerie Rosas and Henry Garcia.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Valerie and Henry. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Valerie: Placenta consumption was introduced to us through our doula weeks before giving birth; we learned that consuming placenta would help prevent baby blues and postpartum depression. Henry (my husband and business partner) was willing to encapsulate my placenta with instructions that our doula had provided.
Henry: For Valerie, that’s all the information that she needed to know, preventing any kind of depression was key for her. Shortly after giving birth Valerie started to feel symptoms of baby blues and shortly after I encapsulated her placenta, Valerie took a couple pills and she immediately noticed that she started feeling back to “normal” as well a s a surge of energy.
Valerie: At first, Henry was the one preparing placenta for a couple family members and friends of ours, since he’s a chef by trade it was something that he enjoyed and felt honored to be part of the healing process for these mamas. In October 2012, I prepared my first placenta and I experienced an overwhelming amount of joy knowing that what I was doing would help women in their postpartum recovery in the same way my placenta helped me.
Henry: Soon after Valerie’s first encapsulation she decided to take placenta encapsulation courses so that she may be certified as a placenta encapsulator. Thus, The Feel Good Company – Placenta Encapsulation was in full swing. Valerie spearheaded the business operation while I continued my career in the hospitality industry.
Valerie: My experience with depression and struggles with adapting to the idea of motherhood while I was pregnant is something that has allowed me to connect and understand our clients or how I prefer to call them “our mamas” on a deeper level. Being that many women that are becoming mamas for the first time are expected to be so happy and joyful, I recognize the pressure that comes with having to play into such stereotype. This understanding has allowed me to become more than just a placenta encapsulator for the mamas that we have serviced. Of course, There are many women that rejoice in the idea of becoming a mom for the first, second or third time and for them placenta encapsulation is something they choose to do in hopes to increase milk production, give themselves a boost of energy so that they can be the Super-Moms that every mama aspires to be right after birth as well as stabilizing hormones to weather any potential post-partum depression.
Henry: Within the first year of our business, The Feel Good Company was the centerpiece in an article written on LA WEEKLY about placenta encapsulation. This exposure raised the demand of our business significantly which led me to put my “PR” hat on and try to reach out to any social media or media outlet that would listen.
Through the past few years that has led us to gain further exposure on VICE magazine, Telemundo News, Daily Motion and as well as becoming an Ambassador for Kids In The House, the ultimate parenting resource website. All of this has helped build the brand that we operate. But what has really set The Feel Good Company in a position to thrive was our Yelp reviews and how they continue to pile up. That really speaks volumes about the relationship that Valerie has with each client, the amount of love and passion that goes into our service is plastered all over Yelp.
Valerie: It really is amazing that the Yelp reviews stand as a testament on the service that The Feel Good Company provides and with Henry recently stepping away from the hospitality field to be part of our business full time as an encapsulator as well, we might just be the only husband and wife “Placenta Power” duo in Los Angeles. The excitement that we both share in being part of a life-giving experience is humbling, we are very thankful!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Henry: There aren’t many smooth roads when running a business and there is definitely lots of effort that comes with turning every month into a successful year but overall, I believe that because our service is so unique and not yet a scientific breakthrough (mostly anecdotal research), the public shaming of placenta consumption on the internet can sometimes create waves and set doubt on mamas that are interested in possibly giving this alternative practice a try.
Valerie: Totally, that might be our only challenge that we have truly encountered. Due to some of these groups that have stirred the shaming, it sometimes gives fuel for doctors that frown upon our practice to veer mamas away from placenta consumption but I am knowledgeable enough to professionally clarify that it is the doctor’s opinion based on bias, which often times is the case. Not to say that all doctors are anti-placenta encapsulation because that is not the case, we actually have a few doctors that recommend us to their clients.
Please tell us about The Feel Good Company – Placenta Encapsulation.
Valerie: We are extremely proud of the human connection that we share with all the families that we work with. By choosing our service, our clients invite us to be part of what may very well be the most beautiful experience in life, the birth of a baby. The amount of love that is in the room when we pick up placenta within an hour or two from birth or even when we drop off the finished product, is unmeasurable.
Henry: That is definitely what we are most proud of, work is always invigorating! Having our business based in Los Angeles has also allowed us to service all walks of life and the genuine smiles that we get to share with these families is priceless. We are honored to be given the task to help create the best after-birth experience for mamas in the City of Angels.
Contact Info:
- Website: feelgoodplacenta.com
- Phone: 310-895-6909
- Email: feelgoodencapsulation@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feelgoodplacenta/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Feel-Good-Company-Placenta-Encapsulation-By-Valerie-Rosas-202500243222756/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/placentaencap
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-feel-good-company-los-angeles
Image Credit:
Jenny Brennan
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