You Don't Have to Breastfeed for Years to Deserve a Keepsake
One thing I've noticed since starting Olivia Laura Jewellery is just how hard mums can be on themselves.
I've spoken to mums who breastfed for three years and feel proud of what they achieved. I've also spoken to mums who breastfed for three days and feel guilty that they didn't make it longer.
The truth is, both deserve celebrating.
There Is No Magic Number
Some babies are breastfed for years.
Some are breastfed for months.
Some receive expressed milk.
Some are combination fed.
Some are formula fed.
Some mums desperately wanted to breastfeed but faced challenges they never expected.
There is no magic number that suddenly makes your journey "worthy" of remembering.
It Was Never Just About the Milk
When people think about breastfeeding, they often focus on the milk.
But breastfeeding is about so much more than that.
It's the comfort after a bad dream.
The contact nap you didn't dare move from.
The feeding session that somehow fixed everything.
The middle of the night cuddles when the rest of the world was asleep.
Those moments matter whether they happened for three days or three years.
Be Kinder to Yourself
I wish more mums could see themselves the way their children see them.
Your baby doesn't care how many ounces you pumped.
They don't care whether you made it to six weeks, six months or six years.
They care that they were loved.
Fed.
Comforted.
Held.
Safe.
The Most Important Job in the World
I always say that mums should be incredibly proud of themselves.
You're doing one of the most important jobs in the world, raising and nurturing a little human, and somehow doing it with no pay.
No annual reviews.
No promotions.
No certificates.
Just endless love, patience and showing up every single day.
It Doesn't Have To Be Breastmilk
Whilst breastmilk jewellery is often what brings people to my website, it's worth remembering that a keepsake doesn't have to contain breastmilk at all.
Some customers choose to include formula powder, hair, ashes, umbilical cord, placenta capsules, dried flowers or other meaningful inclusions instead. Others choose a combination of several inclusions to tell their story.
At the end of the day, it's not really about what's inside the jewellery. It's about preserving a memory that matters to you.
Your Journey Is Worth Remembering
Breastmilk jewellery isn't a reward for reaching a particular milestone.
It's a celebration of your story.
Whatever that story looks like.
Because every feeding journey matters.
And every mum deserves to be proud of what she's achieved.