From saving your baby's footprint to bronzing their baby shoes, there are numerous ways to commemorate a child's infancy — and now, breast milk jewelry can be added to the list.
"Mom's Own Milk" allows new moms to purchase pendants, baubles and trinkets created with beads made from their own breast milk for anywhere between £12 and £150 ($19-$234).
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The breast milk jewelry site is the brainchild of Vickie Krevatin, a mother who grew tired of searching for unique ways to remember the nursing period of her child's life. On the site, Vickie describes the decision process for starting the unique jewelry company:
I am still breastfeeding my son and he's four years old. I've always wanted to have a memento of our very special bond and thought there would be lots of time to have something made. As he got older I was worried my milk would start drying up or he would self wean. So after having contacted both UK and US breast milk jewellery suppliers I was shocked that the waiting list was so long, or that they didn't even bother to get back to me about my order. So rather than wait around, I decided to give it a go myself. And what an enjoyable and rewarding process it's been!
Mom's Own Milk has become especially prominent in the breast milk jewelry market since the items are no longer allowed to be sold on Etsy, as they are made from "human remains." That doesn't mean that demand has diminished, though. As it turns out, customers, though initially reticent, have become quite taken with the concept.
"My first thought was that it was gross and would look gaudy," customer Suzanne Williams tells the Daily Mail. "But curiosity got the better of me. I realised it wasn't like wearing a vial of milk that would go off. It was unique, and a way of celebrating the end of my nursing years."
To create the jewelry, a breast milk sample is petrified and then encased in a resin coating. The jewelry itself is fairly unassuming in appearance. The beads simply look like pastel-colored glass or pearls.
Beautiful breast milk jewelry made custom by #momsownmilk . I couldn't be happier with how it turned out! A photo posted by @feeze_i on Jun 29, 2015 at 4:34pm PDT
Tiny breastmilk flakes resin pendant and charms in a lovely new star shape. #momsownmilk A photo posted by Mom's Own Milk (@momsownmilk) on Jun 19, 2015 at 11:21am PDT
Knowing that breastfeeding my baby meant the world to me my partner stuart sent my milk to be made into a charm. I love it so much thankyou #momsownmilk #charm #precious #Breastfeeding #BreastMilk #milkcharm #3dswirl A photo posted by Charlie (@mrs_schofield) on Apr 22, 2015 at 12:48am PDT
While some might be put off by the concept, the Mom's Own Milk reminds prospective customers that breastfeeding is an intimate and emotionally-charged experience, and that some moms might want to wear a symbolic badge of courage following their struggles.