MILK COUTURE CO.

Creating jewelry from breast milk has become a popular trend known as breast milk jewelry or milk jewelry. It involves preserving a small amount of the mother's breast milk and incorporating it into jewelry pieces such as pendants, rings, or bracelets. Breast milk jewelry is often seen as a sentimental way for mothers to commemorate their breastfeeding journey or to celebrate the bond between mother and child. It can also hold special meaning for those who have faced challenges or triumphs in their breastfeeding experience.

In 2018, Cait Robertson and her husband, Joel, struggled with infertility as she has PCOS, polycystic ovary syndrome. PCOS is a hormonal disorder that affects women of reproductive age and causes fertility issues. It was a tough season for them, but Robertson opted for fertility treatments and took Clomid to help them conceive. Robertson got pregnant on the first try but sadly lost the baby at eight weeks. “I've never had grief like that before and it sent me into a deep depression,” Robertson said.

The night after Robertson lost the baby, she was struggling with grief. “I could not find the peace to sleep. I really felt like it was almost a darkness attacking me,” Robertson explained. “I kept having negative thoughts it was my fault so I prayed that God would give me peace to sleep and remove all of the negative thoughts.” Afterward, Robertson recalled falling asleep and having the most beautiful dream she had ever had in her life, and when she woke up she wrote down 10 pages in her journal describing the dream. “In a nutshell, it was a vision of heaven and a little girl's room in this huge mansion. It was a dream that gave me a lot of peace and I do feel like it was from God,” Robertson said. “I don't know for sure if it was a girl or boy, but I do feel like it was a girl because of that dream.” The Robertsons asked God to name their baby and God gave Joel a dream that the baby they lost was a girl. “We felt like her name should be Grace,” Robertson concluded.

Cait and Joel’s rainbow baby, Grey, was born in January 2020, and their second child, Ryland, was born in January 2022. After Ryland was born, Robertson bought a milk ring for herself but was disappointed because she didn’t find anything that was her exact style. She wanted a custom piece with a couture vibe but to no avail. It was because of this void, she set out to make her own breast milk jewelry. “I love learning new things and am crafty. I decided in 2022 my hobby was going to be making breast milk look like gemstones because I had not seen that,” explained Robertson. “When my boys would go to bed at night I would sit in my garage with my respirator mask on and try to turn breast milk into precious stones per se. Over time, I got better and better and now they are beautiful!”

The process involves dehydrating the breast milk to remove the moisture and the powder is then mixed with a proprietary preservation powder, UV stabilizers, and resin. This mixture is used to fill the jewelry settings creating a unique and personalized keepsake. Robertson makes her one-of-a-kind designs truly stunning and can add pearl shimmer, opal flakes, gold flakes, rose gold flakes, or any combination desired during the process.

Keepsake jewelry is a special way to keep memories alive forever. “It is a precious piece of jewelry made from someone's own special keepsake such as breastmilk, formula, ash, dried flowers from wedding bouquets, funeral flowers, etc., locks of hair, placenta capsule, sand, and really anything that holds deep meaning to you,” Robertson stated. “For my custom pieces, there are no wrong choices or combinations for somebody’s personal keepsake.” Breastmilk jewelry is the most popular keepsake choice because it commemorates the beautiful but difficult journey of breastfeeding and the eternal bond formed between a mama and her baby. Robertson even made herself a pink ring from the positive pregnancy test for Grace, the baby she lost, as a keepsake.

In March 2023, Robertson officially launched Milk Couture Co., in her garage in Franklin, Tennessee, and moved full steam ahead making breastmilk jewelry. With each order she receives, she feels a connection with other moms. “My number one favorite thing is connecting with other moms,” Robertson said. “On the order form, I asked people to share their stories, if they want to, and I absolutely love reading them and even talking to them on Instagram. I feel it's my calling.”

Throughout this journey, Robertson has had such a heart for the mamas who experienced loss she is committed to donating a portion of all profits to Gathering Hope, an organization that provides resources, support, and community to mamas who have suffered infant loss and miscarriage. To connect with Gathering Hope visit gatheringhope.net

Milk Couture Co. is a company Robertson started for all mamas, whether they breastfed, formula fed, pumped, or have a baby on earth or in heaven. For additional information or to order a custom piece of breast milk jewelry visit milkcouture.co and follow her on social media at @milkcoutureco. Robertson would be honored to preserve your most sacred moments in time by crafting a gorgeous custom piece of heirloom jewelry for you!