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How do you preserve breast milk for jewelry?

Preserving Breast Milk for Jewelry: A Unique Keepsake Journey
Breast milk jewelry has emerged as a heartfelt way for mothers to commemorate their breastfeeding journeys. This unique form of keepsake transforms precious milk into beautiful pieces of jewelry, allowing mothers to carry a tangible reminder of their nurturing experience. The process of preserving breast milk for jewelry involves several careful steps to ensure that the milk remains intact and can be safely incorporated into resin.
The Preservation Process
To begin, the breast milk must be properly collected and preserved. It is recommended to store the milk in a breast milk storage bag or a freezer-quality Ziploc bag, ensuring that as much air as possible is removed to prevent spoilage. Once the milk is collected, it can be sent to a professional jeweler or preserved at home using specific techniques.
For those opting for a DIY approach, the milk can be dehydrated and preserved using breast milk preservation powder. This powder helps eliminate bacteria and moisture, turning the liquid into a dry powder that can be mixed with clear acrylic resin. This method not only preserves the milk but also prepares it for the jewelry-making process.
The Jewelry-Making Process
Once the breast milk is preserved, it can be combined with resin to create jewelry. Jewelers typically use a proprietary curing process to ensure that the milk is effectively preserved within the resin. The mixture is carefully crafted, often involving a specific ratio of milk powder to resin to achieve the desired look and durability.
After the resin cures, it solidifies into a beautiful piece of jewelry, such as a pendant or charm, encapsulating the essence of the breastfeeding experience. This transformation allows mothers to wear their memories close to their hearts, literally and figuratively.
Considerations for Long-Term Preservation
When considering the long-term preservation of breast milk jewelry, it is crucial to understand that the quality of the final product can depend on the methods used during both the preservation and the jewelry-making processes. Some creators may add solvents or chemicals to assist in preservation, which can vary from one artisan to another. Therefore, it is advisable to choose a reputable jeweler who specializes in breast milk jewelry to ensure the best results.
In summary, preserving breast milk for jewelry is a delicate process that combines emotional significance with artistic craftsmanship. Whether through professional services or DIY kits, mothers can create lasting keepsakes that celebrate their unique journeys in motherhood.

How to preserve breastmilk for jewellery?

Freeze Dry Method for Breastmilk Jewellery
If you do decide to freeze dry you won’t need a special machine (unless you have one, of course!) you spread it in a thin, even layer then the water will slowly and gradually come out of the milk.

How to preserve breast milk jewelry?

One common method for preserving breast milk is freeze-drying. This process involves freezing the breast milk and then removing the moisture through a process called sublimation. The freeze-dried breast milk is then ground into a fine powder and mixed with a special resin that is used to create jewelry.

How long does your breast milk stay yellow?

This is completely normal, and many mothers produce yellow milk during the first few days after delivery. This is called colostrum, or first milk, since it’s the first milk your breasts produce after delivery. Colostrum is rich in antibodies and thicker, and you’ll produce this milk for up to 5 days after giving birth.

How to dehydrate breast milk at home for jewelry?

Spread your breastmilk “dough” thinly onto your sheet of parchment paper. The thinner the better. Let sit at room temperature for 18-24 hours. Make sure it is in a safe place, but no place air tight just yet, as the moisture needs to evaporate.

How do you preserve breast milk in jewellery?

There are several methods used to preserve breastmilk for jewellery, including liquids similar to those used in the cosmetic industry, freeze-drying, dehydration, or adding a combination of special powdered formulations.

What is the 5 5 5 rule for breast milk?

Something I recommend to moms is the 5-5-5 rule. Try and use milk within five hours at room temperature, five days in the fridge, and by five months in the freezer.

How long does breast milk jewelry last?

Once we have finished your jewelry, your breastmilk and DNA are preserved indefinitely. As your gems are infused with your very own inclusions, they are not always replaceable, so it is important that you care for your jewelry properly. By following our care instructions, we believe your jewelry can last forever.

Can I use spoiled breast milk for jewelry?

I’ve had breast milk frozen for several years and I’m sure it’s probably gone bad in the freezer. Can you still use this for breast milk jewelry? Yes, I can still make breast milk jewelry from breast milk that has been frozen for years. This doesn’t affect my process.

Is dehydrating breast milk safe?

Freeze-Dried Breast Milk Risks
Canada’s Alberta Health Services released a statement saying it does not recommend its use because of the lack of research, adding freeze-drying does not remove bacteria and viruses present in human milk and says contamination during handling is a concern.

How do you keep breastmilk jewelry from turning yellow?

Keep it out of sunlight and away from chemicals and it should last okay. If you just constantly wear a breastmilk ring or something I feel like it might yellow in a matter of months. Ultimately it depends on the quality of resin though and its resilience to the sun, that and breastmilk that is dried and cured well.

Natasha Lunn

Tash is an IBCLC and Business Coach helping fellow IBCLCs create fun, profitable businesses that are more than just an expensive hobby. Before becoming an IBCLC and starting her private practice - The Boobala, Tash graduated as an Osteopath in 2008 and has been in Private Practice in South West Sydney. She was also a volunteer Breastfeeding Counsellor and Community Educator with the Australian Breastfeeding Association for 6 years. Through her business, Your Lactation Biz, Tash coaches and creates products to help new and seasoned IBCLCs build businesses that suit their personality and lifestyle.

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