I love watching my kids grow up. I learn something new about them every day. But it also gives me pangs of sadness when I realize that each passing moment is history. I will never get this time back with them. I look at photos of my 4-year-old as a baby and I feel like I barely remember those days! My 16-month-old is toddling around and I will never hold his newborn body in my arms again, I will never feel that new-mom vulnerability, never feel the intensity of having a new baby completely dependent on me every moment.
There is nothing we can do to hold onto this time as mothers of babies and small children, but Baby Bee Hummingbirds offers something just short of freezing time. This Australian-based company creates beautiful and treasured BreastMilk & Keepsake Jewellery. What I find unique about this company is that she also creates keepsakes from First Curls, Cord Stump, Baby’s Placenta, First Tooth, and a Loved One’s Ashes. She told me that someone asked if they could have a keepsake made from formula and she said, “of course!” This company is not exclusive, her mission is to create keepsakes that capture the unique relationship of each mother and child, whatever that may be.
Pearls
These keepsakes have grown in popularity and as with anything new there has been much speculation as to the trustworthiness of some of the business owners. With something so deeply personal it is vital that a company be reputable.
Over the past few months I have developed a friendship with Amy McGlade, the owner and creator of Baby Bee Hummingbirds. Amy is a passionate breastfeeding Australian Mumma of 3 and Practicing Midwife of 10 years. Every single piece of BreastMilk & Keepsake Jewellery is lovingly handcrafted & soulfully infused by Amy.
Baby Bee Hummingbirds was founded in January 2014 after Amy began crafting BreastMilk & Keepsake Jewellery for her own family and friends. Baby Bee Hummingbirds quickly grew to a much loved and trusted worldwide business, gaining groundbreaking Australian Customs approval to import & export BreastMilk and Human DNA (this allows a safe & secure passage for all precious inclusions).
First Curl and Breastmilk Bead
Tribe Baby Bee (as they lovingly refer to the growing number of parents who cherish their keepsakes) has organically grown & has welcomed Lee-Marie (Amy & Lee-Marie have been childhood friends and live on the same street). Lee-Marie is a Mumma of 2 small boys, who expertly oversees the running of the day to day business activities.
I put Baby Bee Hummingbirds to the test with my own breastmilk. I asked to have keepsakes made from my milk and from my children’s handprints. I chose not to be too specific and asked that Amy create from her heart. You can be as specific as you like. Amy mailed me a hand print kit and I took the hand prints of my 2 boys, Jack and Exley, which was fun in and of itself! I mailed the kit and 30mls of my breastmilk back to her in Australia from my home in Chicago. Baby Bee Hummingbirds is a worldwide company and offers free postage.
About 4 weeks later (their standard turnaround time is 4-8 weeks), I received these gems in the mail. A bead made from my breastmilk that says, “Badass Mama,” and a hand print of each of my sons along with their first initial on the back.
Badass Mama bead and breastmilk hand prints of my sons
I am beyond satisfied. Just today Jack was digging around in the closet and found his first curls in a plastic bag. I immediately said, “I’m going to send those over to Amy to have a keepsake made.”
If you live in the US you might feel that Australia is too far, but just let the post office and the mailman do the work for you. It is absolutely worth it to have Amy create your keepsake. Be sure to follow Baby Hummingbirds on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to get all of their offers.
