To be contemplating ordering a piece of 'breast milk' jewellery?

[SweetElizaRose]

I mean it's ick right? And a few months a go id have pulled this face at the thought of it
However I have been exclusively expressing for dd for nearly 19 weeks having been unable to feed properly for numerous reasons (c-section, prem baby in NICU, long hospital stay, very unwell after c section) and I think I might actually be able to get her to six months. This thought seemed completely unachievable at the start but I'm beginning to think I might be able to do it. It's been bloody hard work, every three or four hours day and night expressing and I have an older child too. I kind of want something to mark it especially after I do eventually stop.
Something like this maybe. I've lost the plot haven't I?

Teeth, (shudder), three of mine are nearly grown up. I recently opened a long forgotten little box to discover about 50 baby teeth... I could make a necklace couldn't I?

My friend did it, hers is a vial which i found a bit weird but the ones you've shared are quite pretty. I like suggestions for another piece or this piece to keep as a memento.

Yes, teeth. I just don't know what to do with them. I can't quite bring myself to throw them away but eurgh. I read about an artist who was doing a project with baby teeth (can't remember who now), asking people to send their children's teeth which were then used to build a castle (something to do with representing the fairy and children's wishes or something). Utterly gruesome. Smacked of the Demon Dentist to me, just WHY?

Nah, diamonds are better.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a seasoned breastfeeder (feeding dc2 as I type), and you're doing amazingly well, but just...no.

I think they're naff and will eventually become known in your household as mummy's weird necklace.

Fasterthanasnakemongoose you took the words right out of my mouth!

Yes, mark the achievements, but dear god, these necklaces are hideous!

I think this is a bit weird!

Buy a gorgeous piece of jewellery to symbolise your beautify baby. A lovely thing to do.

But having a baby is hard work! It's not because you expressed milk that made it so. I know you've said you had other things to contend with but so do many, many other people with new babies

Would you not feel a bit, I don't know, smug wearing this and telling people about it?

Possibly not and it you are happy, it's your choice!

Its grim and weird.

Get yourself a memento if you want, but get something nice

JFDI

Says the woman who has kept frozen EBM for I don't know how many years. [THE DAILY MAIL ARE CUNTS] It was 'just in case' then it was 'just there' and now it's their childhood frozen in time.

I'm a bit on the whole "breastfeeding as achievement" to be honest.

Breastfeed or don't, but I'm not sure why there has to be anything heroic around it.

Do it - it'll be unique and a great way to celebrate your achievement.

now it's their childhood frozen in time

No it's not, it's just breastmilk!

Urgh it's so fetishized. I find it just odd.

Not come across JFDI before (perhaps I've been living under a rock) but this is going to become my new motto, thank you ParadiseCity.

Get whatever you want OP, but do think about what you might say when people ask you about it and whether you'd feel a bit odd explaining it ... !

I think it is a huge achievement to BF in a culture that is in the main still very hostile to BF.

No, it's a bit pointless. Why can't you just have nice memories of breastfeeding rather than a token. Take a photo if you really want something to look back on.

I. Just. What? Really?

Not that you're not doing a fantastic job op, but this seems a little.... Unusual. Perhaps a nice piece of more standard jewellery would be nice. You'll know what it means, and surely that's what matters.

Well I suppose I never found it hostile. You don't get a prize for using reusable nappies, or being an attachment parent or your child learning to walk at 10 months, or breastfeeding..... so why is it an achievement?

It's just a choice, same as any other choice

Sorry, I don't understand! Do you put a bit of breast milk inside the charm or something? ....ehm .... a bit weird. Surely it will go sour?

Vaara our culture is hostile. Listen to radio reports, read newspaper articles, read Mumsnet which is coincidently the most anti and pro breastfeeding place at the exact same time. These negative comments can and do get in on new Mums. Just because a lot of people are supportive of breastfeeding does not mean western culture is.

...buy a nice diamond or something to mark the achievement but really a bit of cheesey juice squeezed from a person ...just no!

I don't find it hostile. I found generally people were more hostile to formula. If you choose formula from day one I think you encounter much more hostility

Either way, I don't think it's an achievement

Okay Vaara I had very different experiences and having FF 2 kids I never experienced any hostility with that because it was absolutely the norm. When I BF I really noticed the hostility not necesarily face to face although there was a fair bit of that but certainly totally unchecked from media sources.

I agree Vaara.
I wonder if they will do one with aptamil pepti- im so proud I gave him this and stopped him having bloody nappies and screaming in pain continually

I think breast milk is amazing and breastfeeding in this culture is something to be celebrated! But I'm also germ phobic so keeping milk for any period of time seems like a bad idea to me.

I'm considering getting a tattoo to symbolise my breastfeeding years (6 and counting... More than one child!) but I think anything to symbolise this amazing time would be good, there's a lady who paints amazing breastfeeding canvases which would be another option to keep forever.

I'm pretty sure breastfeeding is more criticised, I have had someone scream in my face until I cried at 2 weeks postpartum because me breastfeeding was 'disgusting and stupid', I wasn't even breastfeeding my baby at the time. She'd just heard that I was.