Breastmilk Preservation Powder Method

I did a demonstration of the famous breastmilk preservation powder recently. You can get the powder from etsy and other dna crafters via diy kits. I would imagine powders are made and work similarly, but you can try this for yourself with whatever kit or method you are using.

I’m not using the full step-by-step method as that requires a double boiler and for the sake of time and showing tints I don't think that part is necessary, but I do that in full in a later video.

I was given the powder from a lady in one of the breastmilk preservation groups I was a part of after we had talked briefly about the method not being all that tried and true as it's claimed. My stance is that not all methods are created equal. There are several others who agree, but few will say publicly (and I won't throw them under the bus ) because you will get removed from groups and or bullied and name called.

Some methods are definitely purer than others, but from my research, this seems to be one of the lower quality options as it is packed with tint and filler, on top of evaporating off much of what you'd use.

In my years preserving breastmilk and pumping my own milk, I’ve not seen Bright, powder-white breastmilk, so it doesn't make sense to start with a base that impacts the natural color so much.

I like science so doing this method with water as I did with my own was a part of the experimental and learning process for me. You can see both demonstrations now and you can see which is the purest choice, which is up to the mother's and that's really the whole point. Being a mother myself I would have been devastated to find out my piece was made with tints when I was expecting my milk was the only thing added to color my piece.

I got to see the powder with my own two eyes, it's not speculation how it works. In my opinion, this method is flawed on several points.

This method isn't bad, per se, if you are being honest with your clients about what is going into their keepsakes. I realize some people aren't going to be happy with this, but I’ve been deleted from groups, called names, and bullied along the way, it is what it is. I'm not doing this to be mean, but I like science and information. My Main point is mothers are expecting no tints, and for their crafter to be honest with them. If you're doing that, then there is no issue here.

It's not about swaying your opinion on the method or which crafter to use, rather making people understand what’s happening to their piece. Most mothers aren’t going to realize THAT much filler and that much of a tint goes into their piece. And if their crafter is telling them no tints, they believe them.

This is 5 ml of water to represent the breastmilk that would be used to one packet of powder. I didn't use the whole packet, I used a tiny bit, just to show how much it impacts. Even being diluted more, it still is VERY pigmented and again, you'd be adding a lot more powder and evaporating off any excess liquid, which is primarily what breastmilk is.

This method only works if you’re being honest.

If you still want to argue that I make no sense, there likely isn't any reasoning with you.

You can see the video and all the other videos about preservation on my TikTok or Youtube.. https://www.tiktok.com/@mindovermattermom

Not all preservation methods are created equal Pt 1.

Let's real talk for a minute.

When you buy, let's say, honey from a beekeeper, are you expecting all raw honey in the bottle you purchased? Or are you okay with it being "honey syrup" made mostly with high fructose corn syrup/dyes and only a fraction of real honey? - THAT is the difference between some breastmilk jewelry methods.

While your artist doesn't owe you their method in detail, they can, and should give you an idea of what does or doesn't go into their processes. Can they add their solvents to water and still have a clear or at least transparent "pure" result? You can ask them to do this and if they won’t that should be a RED FLAG. Do they use more of their solvents than your milk? Do they evaporate off most of the milk you sent? - Have you ever boiled breastmilk? It evaporates quickly and almost entirely. Try it. Some artists seemed to have found a loophole to use tints. The package doesn’t state it has pigments, no powder maker is going to admit that to you, so the crafter who purchased it can “white lie” by telling you no tints because they have NO idea. Common sense tells us that just because something doesn’t say it is a tint, it can still impact the color of something, meaning it ACTS like a tint. Don’t let your artist fool you with loopholes and white lies. A strawberry doesn’t call itself a tint either, but it can be used as a dye, just as those powders are doing to what VERY little is left of your milk.

Then we get into chemicals used. If your crafter doesn’t have their own method they have NO idea what they are using in your piece.

My method is a proprietary "wet method" which means your milk is not evaporated off or dried out before it is put into resin. The milk is still in a "wet" form when it is preserved, stabilized, and then cast into your milk gem. NOTHING that contains pigments or tints are added to your milk. My method is your milk with two clear solvents working with the fats in YOUR milk and that's it. (Please note again, "wet" does not mean it hasn't been preserved and prepared to go into the resin.)

My biggest goal when setting out to create my own method was to make sure to keep the method authentic and genuine to MY milk, not a filler. Once your pieces cure-out they are a more natural milk color. Goal achieved for what I wanted in my method. My method is absolutely not for everyone, but I find honesty and integrity in my work very important. As a mother who breastfed all 4 of her children, I only make what I would personally want. I didn't want to cherish a piece made with filler powder and perhaps only traces of my milk. I'd have been devastated to spend hundreds of dollars on a piece only to find out it was packed with a filler or evaporated off.

I worked a really long time, completely on my own, like a mad Scientist for a method. This is where my heart is at. I wasn’t given a method to run with, like most other artists out there. I built my business and waited before selling to be sure my method held up. It’s frustrating to see so many artists already opened up and STILL looking for a new method.- You get your method working THEN start your business and so many have done it the opposite way. DO your research on your artist and their method.

Ask your artist to mix the powder or solvents with water and you can see the impact of their preservation will have on your milk. Ask your artist questions. . you’re allowed.

Top reasons I stand behind my method.

1. Pieces do not rot

2. It contains more of your milk than anything else added(other than resin, of course)

3. I don't evaporate off your milk in the process, at all.

4. There is no powder base or solvents that act as tints or filler.

5. More of a natural color upon cure-out, which happens with the fats in YOUR milk. That means, it is unique to you.

6. No hazardous chemicals used to preserve. Everything in my process is food grade- Like, I could literally feed it to my child and not need to run to the ER. - Some crafters don't even know what the powder they are using contains, which is also a really scary fact. Others use chemicals known to cause cancer, respiratory problems, hormonal imbalances, etc. I KNOW what I am working with because I made it. The most dangerous chemical in my process is the resin itself and I can’t do much to change that. I do work with a food grade resin and not a poly resin

7. I can also make pieces that stay bright white too, the difference is you have to ask me to have a tint added. It isn't added as the base preservation, like the powder method, which for all the ones who outsource the powder know, all it is, is tint. We don't know and they can’t tell you either because they have no idea.

8. Having sourced all of my own preservation materials I can keep my prices affordable.

That being said, if you see a crafter making theirs with powder and you love that piece, buy it. You are still going to love it. It doesn't make it any less of a piece, but you as a consumer should be allowed to be enough aware to make the choice. And your crafter shouldn't conceal that. My main point here is lack of honesty and the amount of milk that actually goes into that method. So many artists want to sweep it under the rug for their own gain.

I will be doing an in-depth video and blog post about this soon. AND I recently got my hands on some of the preservation dust, so I am going to show you HOW much it changes water. I knew it would, but I was even shocked at HOW much. Not sure how anyone can use this method and not question the integrity behind it. I’m also seeing a few of the artists complain of skin reactions. This could be from a number of things, like resin, curing lamps, or mmmmmm maybe the powder they are using?? Food for thought?

While there are several ways to make breastmilk jewelry, they are NOT all created equal. Someone, somewhere has to raise a little awareness instead of following the herd. Being a leader means taking a stand when no one else will, even when it means not everyone likes what you have to say. Hopefully, this will widen some eyes instead of starting a war. If you don’t like me merely for the things I have to say about this process, maybe you should rethink WHY you don’t like me or what I have to say.

Preserved breastmilk ready to go into the resin for a piece of jewelry. (Small amount as I was only making a small gem.)

Cured out breastmilk pearl (roughly 5 years old) with the breastmilk it was cast from. They are soooooo alike it makes me giddy.