Parent Portraits: Jenna Sá Freire

Parent Portraits: Jenna Sá Freire

04/27/2026 I Written By: Sade A.

Babyletto Kids Sustainability

Jenna Sá Freire has always paid attention to what's missing. As the founder of Mina Baie, she built a diaper bag brand for moms who didn't want to leave their sense of style at the door — because she noticed, long before she was a mom her herself, that no one was designing for that woman.

Today, she's raising two daughters, running a brand, and speaking openly about what it means to parent a child with autism. We visited Jenna at her Mina Baie studio and office in Los Angeles to talk about building something from nothing, the patience motherhood demands, and why Autism Acceptance Month is personal.​ 

What has motherhood taught you about yourself that nothing else could have?​

The one thing motherhood has taught me that nothing else could is a deep patience. I've always been a somewhat impatient person, but my children have taught me to slow down, to listen, and to understand in a way I never was able to before. 

How would you describe your parenting philosophy?​

I think when most people become parents, they have a grand idea of what their parenting philosophy will look like - and typically, once the child is home, everything changes. That was definitely true for my husband and me. When Amelia was born and we learned she had severe autism, all of our preconceived rules went out the window. We had to let go of what we thought parenting would look like and adjust to her needs. When our second daughter Sienna came along - who is neurotypical - we had to build yet another approach that worked for her. Downtime for Amelia might mean listening to music on her iPad; dinnertime might mean her running circles around the table. Sienna follows a different set of rules. I had to release the idea I grew up with thinking that everything had to be "fair." We work really hard to help our daughters understand that we parent them differently because of how much we love them — we want to support each of them based on their individual needs. 

Tell us about Mina Baie — what made you want to build it, and what were you trying to create in the world that didn't exist yet? 

I think I came out of the womb obsessed with handbags. After I graduated from college, I got a job at Nordstrom in the handbag department, and my obsession grew exponentially. While I was there, I noticed pregnant women coming in looking for a stylish diaper bag, but all that we carried at the time were heavily printed puffy bags that really were designed more for the baby, less for the mom.

Even though I wasn’t a mom yet, I saw an opportunity to create something that moms really wanted - my future self included.  So I got started on Mina Baie. It’s been a very long  journey, but I'm so happy I can be on it with moms who don’t want to lose that piece of themselves. To provide the one thing that makes them look good, feel good, stay organized and always fits. Nine years later and we offer a large collection of stylish diaper bags and accessories for every type of mom.

You speak openly and beautifully about your daughter, Amelia and her autism. What do you most want people to understand about autism based on your experience? 

Before having Amelia, I knew almost nothing about autism beyond the typical stereotypes. She has taught me every single day that no two people with autism are the same. I hope more people come to understand how differently autism can show up — that someone can be extremely high-functioning, or it can look like Amelia, who is nonverbal and has her own unique set of needs.

I also want people to understand how much love these kids have to give, and how their view of the world can teach us so much. 

What does Autism Acceptance Month mean to you — and what conversation are you still waiting to hear more people have? 

Autism Acceptance Month means so much to me because the last thing any parent wants is for their child to go out into the world and not be accepted. I want everyone to know how amazing, beautiful, and special Amelia is. She might not be able to have a conversation with you, but she connects with people in ways I never would have dreamt possible before having her. That's what autism acceptance means to me, creating space for these incredible little humans in our world. 

How did you find babyletto, and what made it feel right for your home/family?
I found Babyletto the way so many moms discover baby products, through friends. When my second daughter was born, we got the Kiwi Recliner, and I can't tell you how many nights my husband and I have each fallen asleep in that chair. It's so comfortable and such great quality. I truly don't know what I'd do without it.