For new mothers, breastfeeding offers an incredible opportunity to bond with their little ones. Whether you choose to exclusively breastfeed or supplement with formula, it’s an awe-inspiring process that you’ll always remember.
Yet, the reality is that this blissful stage doesn’t last forever. There’s no defined deadline that mandates when a mother should stop breastfeeding, but eventually, your baby will transition fully to solid foods.
When this happens, the transition can be emotional. Thankfully, you can turn your excess supply into a breastmilk keepsake to cherish forever!
Today, we’re sharing eight unique items you can make with your breastmilk, so you’re never too far from the memory of those first special months.
1. Breastmilk Soap
When you’re saving breastmilk, consider turning it into luxury soap! The natural fats in the milk create a rich and decadent soap that makes a plentiful lather. You can find companies that will mix the milk with a special kind of soap base, such as one made from organic coconut oil.
Then, they’ll add a few drops of your favorite essential oils to give it a sweet aroma! These would make wonderful everyday soaps, or you can save them for special occasions. You can even find some that are gentle enough to use on your sweet bundle of joy.
In fact, breastmilk soap can be used to help soothe a variety of skin-related concerns. It contains natural moisturizers that help protect and soften skin. This can help treat a variety of ailments, including:
- Diaper rash
- Diaper dermatitis
- Eczema
If you have concerns about using it on your child, talk to your pediatrician. They’ll need to know the list of ingredients and can inform you on how to proceed.
2. Breastmilk Jewelry
One of the most common types of breastmilk memorabilia is breast milk jewelry!
You can encapsulate a small amount of your breastmilk into almost any piece you can imagine. If you love wearing rings, then look for a company that can capture the milk into a small stone. When complete, the stone takes on a creamy, white appearance similar to an opal or moonstone.
If you have a large supply of excess breastmilk, you can even turn it into multiple beads. Then, you can string the beads into a bracelet or a multi-layered necklace. You can even make them into earrings!
When browsing breastmilk jewelry, you might want to commemorate your child’s father, too. After all, feeding is often a two-parent job, especially if you pump into bottles! What better way to say “thank you” to your partner for taking the night shift than a pair of breastmilk cuff links?
As you might expect, all of these pieces are fragile and can break on impact. As such, we recommend reserving them for formal occasions and not using them for everyday wear.
3. Keychain
What better way to remember your breastfeeding journey than to take a memory of it everywhere you go? When you encapsulate your milk into a keychain, it’s always within reach.
You can find companies that will incorporate the milk into a sweet design. For instance, it can be on the paws of a teddy bear, or in the middle of a heart. You can also choose from a variety of different colors and backgrounds.
Just remember to keep your keychain protected when it’s not in use! You may want to buy a small bag just for your keys, so the emblem doesn’t knock around too much in your purse.
4. Luxury Lotion
The same properties that make breastmilk an excellent ingredient in soap also make it the perfect lotion base! Once again, you can add coconut oil or olive oil to the milk to emulsify it. Then, add a few drops of essential oil, and you’ve got the perfect everyday spa experience.
Choose a soothing scent that will evoke memories of gently rocking your baby to sleep. Some of the most calming and stress-relieving essential oils include:
- Rose
- Lavender
- Chamomile
- Orange
- Sandalwood
The oils in this lotion can help relieve dry and itchy skin. Put it on right after your shower or bath to achieve the maximum effect and lock in the moisture. If you’ve been looking for an alternative to chemical-laden bath products, this is a great way to keep your whole family’s skin safe and healthy!
While you can make your own lotion at home, there are also plenty of local makers who can incorporate your breastmilk into a custom recipe. Often, you can connect with them at events like pop-up shops and farmer’s markets, so seek them out to connect!
5. Locket
It’s technically a type of breastmilk jewelry, but a locket deserves its own spot on our list. This is one of the most special ways to capture this moment in time!
On one side of the locket, you can add a picture of your precious baby. Then, you can harden and encapsulate the breastmilk to fill in the other side. You can find companies that will fully harden it, so there’s no risk of it melting or mixing into the other side.
When you close the locket to wear it, it will almost be like your little one is reunited with their very first food source. When properly maintained, this is a piece of jewelry that can last a lifetime.
A similar alternative to a heart-shaped locket is to turn your breastmilk into a simple palm stone. This is a medium-sized rock that you can hold in your hands to conjure a sense of calm during moments of stress. You can blend glitter or foil accents with the milk to give the stone a unique appearance.
6. Keepsake Teddy Bear
No, this won’t be a soft and cuddly type of toy. However, a breastmilk teddy bear does make a sweet addition to a bookshelf, bedside table, or dresser.
Most of these bears are made out of a rugged type of plastic and then filled to the brim with your breastmilk. This gives them a soft, white appearance. They are usually no more than a few inches in height and look like small statues.
Often, companies will dip the feet of the bear in glitter or a different color to add a splash of pizzaz to the keepsake. They may also tie a ribbon around the bear’s neck, using pink for a girl and blue for a boy. You could also ask about having your child’s name written on the bear’s back or paw!
7. Tumbler
Love having an iced coffee with you at all times? What about water or another favorite beverage? If you’re someone who never goes anywhere without their beloved cup, then this next gift will delight you.
You can find makers who will encapsulate your breastmilk inside the exterior of a tumbler! Here’s how it works.
You’ll mail them a few ounces of your breastmilk in the mail. Then, they will dehydrate it and add it to an epoxy. This will create a milky white appearance on top of the tumbler design.
You’ll retain full creative control over the piece, and can even add special text, colorful glitter, or memorable images. Some makers may even be able to incorporate your child’s footprints into the design! Not only does this make you the coolest mom while you’re out running errands, but it’s also a smart way to reduce your reliance on single-use plastics and do something positive for the environment!
8. Nursey Mobile
How beautiful is this idea? Imagine lulling your baby to sleep with a glittering, twisting mobile that displays all the different phases of the moon, one by one. Now, imagine that those moons aren’t made out of plastic or wood. Rather, they’re filled with your own breastmilk.
Some manufacturers can turn your milk into designs just like this. They do so by pouring the milk into specially-sized molds and then hardening them. In this case, the molds are shaped like the individual moon phases.
Once they have all the pieces complete, they will string each piece onto a piece of clear wire. This way, the emphasis stays on the design. Keep it inside and handle it gently, and your child will be able to stare up at it for years.
Which Breastmilk Keepsake Will You Choose?
If you’ve been thinking about saving breastmilk to memorialize this season, these gifts are the perfect way to do so. When you wear your jewelry, sip from your tumbler, or gaze upon your new mobile, you’ll be reminded of the precious moments you shared with your growing baby.
The good news? There are plenty of new memories to be made! Cherish your breastmilk keepsake and look fondly upon the past while looking forward in anticipation to all of the beautiful times ahead.
Looking for other ideas to help you live better? Check out our Health guides today!
