The co-founders of Majka are passionate about their products, and they’re even more passionate about providing mothers everywhere with high-quality nutrition and support.
We interviewed co-founder Majo to learn a little more about her personal mom story and her journey with Majka, including how it came to be and the goals of the company.
Meet Majo
1. How did your motherhood journey start?
In 2015, my motherhood journey began. As the new year rolled in, so did the news that I was pregnant! In January, I discovered that I was expecting a little one — I was so excited to become a mom! Unfortunately, I lost the baby just eight weeks later. The news that I miscarried was shocking. I found myself completely unprepared for this experience and I became very down as I grieved the loss of my unborn child.
Fortunately, my situation took a turn for the better in July 2015, when I got pregnant with my son-to-be. This pregnancy went so smoothly, and I delivered my healthy baby boy without complications.
Because the pregnancy was so simple, I expected the post-birth transition to go off without a hitch! But, as I stepped back into my home with my newborn, I realized that pregnancy was the easy part. When you’re pregnant, you’re constantly getting advice from other moms on how to have a healthy pregnancy, but after I gave birth, that support system wasn’t as strong. I had no clue what I was doing, I was sleep deprived, and my milk supply was low.
I wanted my son to have proper nourishment, but because I wasn’t producing a lot of breastmilk, I didn’t know if he was getting the nutrients he needed or not. I constantly worried about my milk supply, and I began to feel extremely sad (and I didn’t know why). My experience with this post-birth sadness was difficult, and I didn’t want to address these emotions. I grew up Egypt and postpartum depression wasn’t something that people talked about, which is why I denied the feelings.
2. What is something no one told you about becoming a mom that you wish you knew?
I wish I knew that healthy lactation was an option. It’s not necessary to eat ten pounds of Halvah (a sesame based dessert that’s very common for nursing moms to eat in Egypt) or have a heavily fat-concentrated diet to produce milk, which is what I did.
Also it would have been helpful to understand the importance of proper nutrition before I became depleted of nutrients. When you’re pregnant and breastfeeding, it’s extremely important to give your body the fuel that it needs during this special time. If the body isn’t well nourished, it’s possible to lose hair, feel fatigued, and have trouble producing milk.
3. Based on your experiences, what does motherhood mean to you?
Motherhood is the most rewarding gift I could ever dream of. I feel so privileged to have been able to experience pregnancy and to bring a happy and healthy son into this world.
Although motherhood can be difficult, the rewards completely outweigh the challenges. I’ve learned the meaning of unconditional love and I’ve experienced the real definitions of patience and forgiveness throughout my mom journey.
4. What are some postpartum recovery tips you learned on the way?
Earlier this year (2018), I gave birth to my second child. This time around, I was much more prepared. Between already having given birth to my baby boy and researching best practices for pregnancy and postpartum care for Majka, I felt confident in my abilities to care for myself and my baby.
My top postpartum recovery tips are to:
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It’s alright to put yourself first every once in awhile! It can be very difficult for new moms to accept the fact that they have needs too — trust me, I’ve been there. With my first pregnancy, I felt guilty spending even an hour away from my baby to go to a yoga class or get my nails done. I thought that this single hour away from home would cause my son to suffer.
But after I learned to accept my own desires — and actually spend some time on my own self-care — I realized that I was a better mom for it! When I’d return after this one hour of time dedicated only to me, I’d return even more energized and recharged to provide for my little ones.
My diet — I learned that eating a nourishing diet is what’s important, not dieting. While pregnant, and after giving birth, proper nutrition is essential. Eating a balanced diet helped me recover post-birth, increase my energy, and produce more milk.
Finally, don’t be afraid to speak up and talk about your mom story. Every mom has gone through pregnancy, delivery, postpartum depletion, and possibly postpartum depression. Sharing what you’re feeling with other moms (either friends or mommy support groups), you can help open the conversation about the transition into motherhood. This can make things much easier on yourself, especially in your fourth trimester.
5. How did your mom story inspire you to start Majka?
After I had my first baby, I developed a great desire to support other moms through their motherhood journeys. When a mom gives birth, all the attention goes to the baby. Although the baby needs attention, so does the mother; her body has just been through birth and is fueling up to provide the baby with nourishment and care.
Growing up in Egypt, mom and baby are both delicately cared for postpartum. There, it’s widely accepted for mothers to take time to bond with her baby, fuel her body to nurse, and receive proper nutrition. Typically, in the culture I grew up in, moms are not expected to cook, clean, or work for at least a month after giving birth.
I recognized the need for better support services and nutrition information for new moms — especially during the postpartum period. I had previous experience with nutrition and I had already started a baby food company. I wanted to contribute to mothers, and help provide clean and effective products for moms.
After Lorena, Majka’s co-founder, had her first baby we teamed up! She had a mom story similar to mine, and after she reached out to with the idea to create clean products for moms, I was 100% on board, and we started Majka.
6. What exactly is Majka?
Majka is a whole-food-based nutrition product company that focuses on women's health, specifically postpartum nutrition. Our company’s mission is to help moms feel good about themselves, so they can better take care of their families. Really, our nutrition products serve as tools to achieve our goal of creating a community of supportive and healthy moms.
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We created two products for moms to support postpartum nutrition and lactation: |
Majka Nourishing Lactation Powder
- Vegan protein
- Digestive enzymes
- Prebiotics and probiotics
- A full serving of fruits and vegetables
- Chelated amino acids, for higher absorption
- Methylfolate, the active form of folic acid
- Vitamin C from acerola cherry
Our Majka Lactation Blend took two years of hard work to perfect. Now, when you drink a shake with our nourishing powder, you’ll consume a mixture of herbs that have been used across the globe, for hundreds of years, to help increase milk production, reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and restore the body.
- Preservative free
- Vegan
- Non-GMO
- Soy free
- Dairy free
Our bites were created to not only taste delicious, but also to provide essential nutrients to moms! These bites are the perfect guilt-free treat that deliver effective nourishment through vegan ingredients and middle eastern herbs that are known to increase milk supply.
More Products To Come!
We are excited to announce that we will be revealing two more bite flavors and another lactation aid to our products. We’re also rolling out a postpartum product line! Our goal is always to create products that fuel your motherhood by keeping you feeling good from the inside out.
7. Who is Majka for?
Majka is for every mom that is pregnant, nursing, or just finished nursing. Majka products are a convenient way for moms to get their pre- or postnatal vitamins. But, Majka products do more than just that! Our products are meant to help you feel nourished throughout your motherhood journey — not depleted. Overall, the products can help you feel more energized, balance your hormones, reduce inflammation, and support your immune system, digestive process, and milk supply.
8. What is your goal for Majka? What do you hope to accomplish?
My personal goal for Majka is to create awareness and support for every mom. My hope is that we can build a community through our products so no mom has to go through the challenges of motherhood and nutritional depletion alone.
To keep it simple, my goal is to help moms feel their best — to fuel motherhood. I hope to be educate and connect with every mom before she starts her very own motherhood story.
We believe that when moms come together and share their stories, we can all grow. We’re so grateful to hear Majo’s mom story and to share it with with you.
What was your mom story like? We want to hear! Let us know about the ups and downs of your motherhood journey in the comments below, and be sure to tag us on instagram at @lovemajka #lovemajka!
