Breastmilk Jewelry: Immortalizing a Mother's Love

Breastmilk Jewelry: Immortalizing a Mother's Love

I decided to exclusively breastfeed my son when I was 6 months pregnant with him. I read so many books and articles and even spoke with mommy friends on how to go about breastfeeding successfully. I encountered a lot of obstacles but we persevered. I even quit my job to stay home with my son so I could breastfeed him successfully for the first year of his life since that was the crucial period. And I have no regrets. So when I found out about breastfeeding jewelry, which was usually in a necklace form where the milk was incorporated into a pendant, I researched far and wide until I found the maker I believe suited my needs.

Mommy Jenn is the creator of breastmilk jewelry for Sharing Moments by Jenn. I really liked how diverse her designs are and how many types of jewelry she could make. Plus her story resonated with me; she quit her job to take care of her son. She began by crafting a keepsake for herself and her friends, and her business grew by word of mouth. She can incorporate breastmilk and DNA samples like umbilical cord, dried placenta, baby hair, baby nails, milk teeth and even fur babies hair or a dearly departed's ashes. Mommy Jenn makes pendants, earrings, bracelet bead charms, bracelet dangling charms, rings, bangles, cuff links, and frame keepsakes.

The process begins when Mommy Jenn receives the breast milk, and this is preserved with 100% natural and organic elements which work to stabilize, dry and prevent any bacteria growing once it's infused to our hardener. Preservation takes 3-4 days, and once the milk is fully dried, she grinds it to a very fine powder. Then she will start casting by mixing resin to turn it into a stone-like texture. This is the time for molding, drying, designing and polishing will take place. Everything is carefully made by hand and infused with love.

I sent Mommy Jenn some breastmilk and a lock of my son's hair. I asked her to make them into a night sky with the moon and stars. It stands for my loving him to the moon and back. (Cheesy!) When I saw the finished product I was truly amazed and got goosebumps! She even placed iridescent sparkles all around so it looked like a starry night sky. She also included a very nice necklace I could use free of charge. I would highly recommend having her make your breastmilk jewelry as she is very easy to talk to, patient and meticulous in making the keepsakes. Another big plus is her prices which are very affordable compared to her competitors based on my market research. Mommy Jenn is based in Singapore but she comes to the Philippines to share her talent. You can order through their Facebook or Instagram accounts. You won't regret having Mommy Jenn make your keepsakes and I am totally sure you'll love what she makes.

Congratulations Hakab Na 2018!

Congratulations Hakab Na 2018!

Congratulations to all the breastfeeding mothers and their babies that participated at the last Hakab Na! 2018 which was held at the SMX Convention Center Pasay. The final official count proved that more mothers joined this year compared to last year. This is fantastic news for the local breastfeeding community, Breastfeeding Pinays, aim to normalize breastfeeding and spread correct information about the benefits of breastfeeding for families.

Hakab Na! 2018 was brought to you by the non-government organization Breastfeeding Pinays (BFP) in partnership with the Department of Health, SM Cares, SMX Convention Center Manila and World Vision in celebration of  National Breastfeeding Awareness Month. It was a full day of activity after activity and dozens of amazing booths where moms could shop after the Big Latch On. Check out my favorite booths last Sunday in the photos below, and what I bought from them.

For the kids, there were play areas they could spend time in, but they could only pick one. This was a bit sad as so many kids wanted to try each play place but they were denied entry. My son was allowed to play in the Little City Ph, Gymboree and Kolisko Waldorf School play areas but was denied entry at the Little Hands and Minds one. Same with the photobooths, you could only pick one set-up to get professional photographs. There was also a raffle the moms could enter where they had to get a "passport" stamped by the big sponsors. The prizes were amazing! I really wanted that portable UV sterilizer!

I'm happy I attended and spent the day with my son. It was a worthwhile bonding experience and I got to take home some amazing loot and do a little shopping at the same time. It's still unsure if we could join again next year or if the little guy has weaned already by then, but if you're a breastfeeding mom, I highly encourage you to join next year's Hakab Na event. Stay tuned to Breastfeeding Pinay's social media accounts for more information.

Product Review: Purple Fairy Organics

Product Review: Purple Fairy Organics

Nowadays there are many options for skin care and there are a lot of organic choices cropping up. One them is Purple Fairy Organics, the brainchild of Mommy Aine. She assures buyers that her products are earth friendly and would work for all skin types. Even people with sensitive skin can use her products, they are so safe and organic that pregnant women and lactating moms can use them as well. I was intrigued by this since I still breastfeed my 3-year-old, and I have such sensitive skin that most soaps make me break out in hives. They have soaps, and lotions, and oils, and even make-up! Below is my review of the products I have tried so far:

My Fave Bar (Oatmeal + Emu)
I really love this one because of the smell, it smells like candy and just puts me in a good mood during bath time. It's really easy to lather and the oatmeal bits give a good scrub to the skin. I was happily surprised that it rinses easily and there is no sticky or oily residue after washing. Really one of the best products I've tried so far. I would nominate this for best soap if there was such a contest, that's how much I loved this! If you want to buy it, click here.

For Him & Her - Green Guava Intimate Wash
We all want an intimate wash that doesn't change the pH of our privates and cause unwanted diseases, which is normal with the commercial intimate washes. This one is very safe to use, whether you're a man or a woman. What I like about it is that hubby and I can share. I asked hubby about his using this and he said that he felt very clean and fresh and it lessened the musky smell that men are prone to having after sweating. If you want to buy this for your hubby to try, click here.

Magic Lip & Cheek Color
I tried out all five colors since I'm such a makeup addict.

• Peach Alice - kind of orangey
• Coral Aurelia - natural looking
• Red Jasmine - deep red
• Pink Rose - very pink
• Violet Heather - very dark purple

I really like how I can use them on the go since 1 tube is all I need for both my lips and cheeks. They are actually very hard to remove, which is good for makeup, but really bad for my fingers. You have to really scrub with soap to get the pigment off. I favored Coral Aurelia and Violet Heather the most out of all 5 tints, but I would love for you to try them out yourselves. If you wanna see how the tints look on me, check out my Instagram! Click here to get yours.

So that's it! Those are the products I tried out and my verdict on all of them. I gotta say you really get the bang for your buck with these products from Purple Fairy Organic. Don't believe me? You can try out the products I mentioned since they are all very wallet-friendly. No need to break the bank with all those high-end commercial organic products in the mall when we have a Filipino-made eco-friendly alternative. You can also check them out on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for mentions of promos and sales and new products. Happy shopping!