What is Breast Milk Jewelry?
Made from a mother’s breast milk, breast milk jewelry is a baby keepsake which serves as a reminder of the closeness of your breastfeeding bond with your child, and a celebration of the tremendous accomplishment you’ve made as a mother.
These mementos come in a variety of jewel forms which include necklaces with pendants or lockets, rings, earrings, bracelets or popular European style beads. Pendants can be bezel set, locket set, composed entirely of resin, or filled. Filled styles fill holes or apertures in jewelry items, usually Sterling Silver, with a preserved breast milk and resin mix. Typically, the filled shapes are trees, leaves, or hearts, which symbolise love and life.
Where and When did the Concept of Breast Milk Jewelry Start?
In a 2013 article for NBC New York, two artists (from Rhode Island and South Carolina) from Etsy, Inc. were mentioned as having pioneered the idea of breast milk jewelry as early as 2007.
Etsy, Inc. is an e-commerce company based in the United States that sells handmade or vintage items as well as creative materials. Jewelry, bags, apparel, home décor and furniture, toys, art, and craft supplies and equipment are just a few of the areas in which these things can be found.
Another source also said that the origin of breast milk jewelry dates back to around two decades, thanks to an ingenious woman on the east coast who created the first breastmilk stones by combining cured breast milk with acrylic resin.
Why do People Make Breast Milk Jewelry?
The purpose of breast milk jewelry is a way for nursing moms to commemorate their “breastfeeding journey,” serving as reminders of the perseverance and hard work that breastfeeding entails—as well as the emotional intimacy and bonding that breastfeeding fosters.
For some, it is the most ideal way to remember and keep a memorable event in their lives. Imagine yourself being wedded, becoming a parent, or celebrating an anniversary. Isn’t it that you want to remember this moment and have a tangible memento that you can hold in your hand or wear close to your heart, for which every time you look at it or feel it, transports you back to that particular time?
Why breast milk jewelry? Others see it as a remembrance of something they are particularly proud of. For instance, you may be having a challenging experience with breastfeeding, making it a rocky ride for you and your baby. However, you’ve made it this far and have felt a strong sense of accomplishment for being able to give your baby the gift of breast milk that only you can provide. Despite the difficult path ahead of you, you persevered and still continue to do so.
Now, this is definitely something to be proud of and a unique piece of breast milk jewelry is just the perfect remembrance that you can buy for yourself as a new mom.
How is Breast Milk Jewelry Made?
To state it simply, breastmilk jewelry is created from YOUR breast milk. You give an artist one or two teaspoons of your breast milk, and the artist preserves it so that it does not spoil before turning it into a beautiful gemstone. This gemstone can be placed in a variety of settings, including gold, silver, and stainless steel.
The process of making breast milk jewelry starts with an ounce of your breast milk, which you will endorse to the creator or artist, after choosing a breast milk memento design. The breast milk is then put through a series of heating and cooling cycles while being preserved with a chemical.
Each creator or artist is likely to utilize a different trade process. While it’s possible that solvents or chemicals are used in some ways to aid preservation, other procedures include dehydrating, freeze drying, heating down, or mixing breast milk with other media. After a period of drying and/or curing with the medium mixes, formation and curing take place. The next phase is thought to involve coating, pouring, or mixing the preserved milk with resin.
The structure of the milk is altered, resulting in a hardened clump that can be carved into a stone for necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings.
What are the Different Kinds of Breast Milk Jewelry?
While the most well-known breast milk jewelry is the necklace that comes with a pendant or locket where the breast milk is safely kept, there are other kinds of breast milk jewelry you can choose from for added variety:
- Necklaces – Breast milk necklaces are worn around the neck, solar plexus, or chest. Allow it to warm you as it reminds you of your breastfeeding experience! Bask in the glow that an ounce of your breastmilk is forever guarded and protected in your chosen pendant or locket.
- Rings – Rings have always been used to symbolize love, fidelity, devotion and eternity. While it may refer to the feelings between a man and woman, we believe that such love evolves especially when a baby is born to the couple and completes the circle of being a family.
- Earrings – Whether you go for hanging or stud breast milk earrings, there are many designs that are sure to turn heads, or should we say, ears! To make it more fun and attractive, you can pair these breastmilk earrings with a breastmilk necklace or ring to create a unique combination!
- Bracelets – If rings and necklaces aren’t your thing, you can go for a bangle or bracelet out of your breastmilk as this makes a really nice addition to a set.
- Breastmilk Jewelry Set – If you can’t decide on which breastmilk jewelry to get, skip the confusion and just get them all! The breast milk jewelry set allows you to mix and match all jewelry; thereby, completing a set.
- Tree of Life -This is a beautiful symbol for breastfeeding, which is why it’s a favorite style choice among women who want to buy and personalize breastmilk jewelry. This is the perfect component when paired with the “moon” symbol, which represents where your breastmilk will be stored. The naturally opalescent nature of your actual breast milk stone condensed in its essence is nothing compared to the natural crystals in the tree’s leaves.
What is an Inclusion?
An object (or a portion of an item) with exceptional sentimental worth is considered an inclusion. This is an object that has the memories of something you’d like to immortalize and convert into a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry.
Whether it’s breast milk, bridal flowers, preserved placenta, sand from a specific location, or a strand of hair, you name it! It can be utilized as an inclusion of your breast milk jewelry piece as long as it is entirely dried.
Once you’ve decided on what item you’d want to have converted into a gemstone, you’ll need to submit a little sample of your prized inclusion to the creator or artist so they can start on doing their magic.
How to Care for Breast Milk Jewelry
Breast milk jewelry and other DNA keepsakes are one-of-a-kind and treasured, and you’ll want to keep them as long as you can. Caring for your breast milk jewelry, as valuable as it is, isn’t difficult. There are a few basic criteria to remember.
Most metals can and will tarnish over time, but they can be brought back to life with a polishing cloth. Sterling silver, copper, and stainless steel are all examples of this. Plated metals (silver, gold, and rose gold), as well as gold-filled jewelry, can and will tarnish over time.
You may increase the life of your jewelry by observing the following care instructions:
- Wear something else if you’re going to be around water or condensation. Swim, bathe, shower, sauna, or exercise while wearing your jewelry. This is critical not only for the metals, but also because DNA is an organic material that can mold if exposed to too much water.
- Keep your jewelry out of the sun and away from the heat.
- Keep in a cool, dark location, such as a jewelry box. It’s better to put it in a Ziploc bag that’s airtight.
- Lotions, creams, powders, essential oils, household cleaning products, and other topical items should not be used on it.
- When doing heavy activities, cleaning, gardening, or going to the beach, remove your jewelry since minute particles can get lodged in the crevices.
- Keep children and pets away from your jewelry so they don’t pull or tug at it.
- You can wear your jewelry on a regular basis if you follow these recommendations, but it’s ideal to save it for special occasions.
There are many artists and creators offering breast milk jewelry and while everyone has great services and a wide array of designs to choose from, Precious Mammaries comes on top of preference mainly because of three reasons:
1. No Resin
Instead of resin, GLASS is used. Resin or epoxy, a substance that is essentially plastic, is used in all other breast milk jewelry establishments. It has the potential to turn yellow over time, melt in direct sunshine, and produce fumes. Glass is composed of sand and is fully natural and non-toxic. It won’t melt in direct sunshine, and it won’t become yellow over time.
2. Unique Stone
A ONE-OF-A-KIND stone made from the DNA of mom’s breast milk. Precious Mammaries takes the proteins and carbohydrates from your milk and encases them in shatter-proof glass to form the “stone” of your jewelry. Other companies must add glitter to their breast milk stones since they are dull. Their stones are likewise similar in appearance to another mama’s stone, making it difficult to distinguish between them. Your stone will have a visible texture that is absolutely unique to you when you use Precious Mammaries. This implies that no two stones are the same.
3. Hypoallergenic
For those who are allergic to certain metals, surgical stainless steel is an alternative to sterling silver or gold. It’s not only hypoallergenic, but it’s also less expensive and never tarnishes!
This special sense of oneness with your offspring that comes from being their main food source can not persist indefinitely. The intention is that these Precious Mammaries will remain with you as breast milk keepsakes manufactured specifically from your own milk, serving as something you can pass down to them when they grow up and become parents someday.