Did you know that people make jewelry out of breastmilk? Because, up until about a year and a half ago, I didn’t. Maybe you think that sounds pretty strange, or maybe you already know it’s really beautiful, either way, I just had to share it with any other nursing moms out there.
I have been nursing my girl for more than 2.5 years now! Back when I was pregnant with her, I was honestly pretty chill about giving birth, but I was very worried that breastfeeding would prove to have too many hurdles. No one in my life growing up breastfed long, or openly, so I had no memory or concept of breastfeeding at all, aside from what I’d read in Ina May’s Guide to Breastfeeding (which I do, of course, recommend).
I definitely wanted to go a year, 6 months minimum—but, secretly, I wanted to make it to 2 years; no pressure. We had some hard times with latch, and waiting for my supply to come in (and boy did it ever); we even used a nipple shield for 6 months! But, in the end, it’s been one of the best parts about motherhood, for me.
Gwendolyn will only nurse to sleep, and, though that can be frustrating at times, I don’t know where we’d be without breastfeeding—truly. Got hurt? Time to nurse. A little scared? Snacky. Rough day? Here’s a boob. We’re not getting along? Let’s breastfeed. Picky eater? No problem!
I sometimes worry when I think about what we’ll lose when we are finally ready to stop. Thankfully, I suspect we’ve got at least another six months to a year (I’m definitely good for 2 more!). I could never have predicted the bond that we would have through breastfeeding.
When I first heard of breastmilk/DNA jewelry, I was like, “What kind of hippie nonsense…”, but the easier nursing became for us, the more I knew I wanted a way to memorialize this special time forever. At the start of 2018, I decided I wanted to do a breastmilk ring, because we would also be hitting two years of breastfeeding. You guys, breastfeeding is so, so special, and important to us. The thought of it (inevitably) ending, and just being done with nothing left makes me weepy and sentimental.
Enter Beyond the Willow Tree. This amazing company award-winning, and has been preserving memories for 6 years. They’ve got so many gorgeous designs, I was going between several different options.
There are actual a couple of bigger shops that will do breastmilk jewelry for you, and you can buy kits to do-it-yourself, but I don’t trust myself. Especially since I never pumped, I didn’t have a supply saved up that would allow for trial and error.
Besides all the obvious reasons to trust my teeny tiny precious stash to Beyond the Willow Tree, I knew sort of what I wanted, and they were the ones that had it. They have real gold––not just plated––and diamonds, and I liked the less rustic look the designs, as they would go better with my wedding and engagement rings.
When I saw what would be my ring, you guys, I knew it was the one. Like with my engagement ring, and wedding dress, it called to me.
The Delicate Queen set is stunning. Small, and simple, yet overwhelmingly elegant. I love the feminine design, and the diamonds hearken to my wedding set, which has a many small diamonds. I chose to leave the focal ring as just plain breastmilk, because I think it still creates a beautiful gem, and I like that it’s not distorted with other things. For the Lotus band, I chose to add a little shimmer, just to make it look a touch different from the big gem.
Beyond the Willow Tree has a very streamlined process. Once you place your order, they send you very clear instructions (thank goodness, because I’d never shipped internationally before, and was giving them all my milk, so I was nervous, to say the least!). Just follow those, and send it off as soon as you can! Since they have so many orders, I really appreciated being able to check and see where mine was in the queue.
It arrived in a soft bag, in a box, and, honestly. I love it. I also feel like I can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that I now how a token for this lovely time in life, and can just allow our breastfeeding journey to take it’s natural course.
If you’re looking for a sentimental way to remember your breastfeeding journey, or a loved one (they work with hair—oh, hey cats….—and ashes, too), then I would highly recommend checking out the beautiful jewelry at Beyond the Willow Tree.
