Today we have a guest blogger – Alice Harold who is a new mum, a new breast feeder and a new business owner! She is a beautiful local Darwin Mumprenuer, a small business owner and is passionate about her business and her products. Alice is the proud owner of the Milk Mumma which creates scrubs and lotions which are handmade with love and your breast milk!
I am particularly passionate about the wonderful breast milk and have breast fed all four of my babies including my twin babies. It can be the most challenging and rewarding time to know your body can heal and nurture your little baby so when Alice decided to join our directory, I was super excited to have her on board and to try out her scrubs and lotions first hand! (My thoughts on those wonderful products will be shared on another blog!). Today she shares with us her story of her birth of her beautiful baby girl and how her new baby then created her new business. Read on for Alice’s story:
“I am living in a very new world at the moment, with all sorts of twists, turns, challenges and hurdles. It is a life I didn’t see myself living for another couple of years. But here I am, 25 years old and feeling nervous, scared but also excited and eager. More than anything I am feeling hugely blessed.
Delilah Ivy’s Birth
I had my little girl, Delilah Ivy, on the 14 February at 9:20 am. Yes a Valentines baby. It truly was a day so full of love (and huge exhaustion!) If someone had told me that on the 12th February, when I went into labour, my baby would be born on Valentines day, I would never have believed them. My midwife even joked with me saying; ‘at least you won’t have your baby on Valentines day!’ This is where the first signs of Delilah’s personality traits starting to shine through. A baby so full of determination and stubbornness that this was almost a challenge set for her. And so she took it upon herself to prove that midwife wrong. She could and did take me through a 36 hour labour. 20 of those hours being active labour and the other 16 hours a slow slow process.
Birthing was so different to what I had expected. I am going to sound crazy but I could almost say I enjoyed it. Seeing my body do such wondrous things. Seeing myself find inner strength that I just did not know existed. Putting all of my faith and confidence into my bodies abilities was amazing. Becoming a mother is an incredible experience. You feel all of this overwhelming love for the little human you have just baked for the last 9 months. Now they are earth side, looking up at you. Almost looking a little scared, as I’m sure we all are as new mothers too. Both a little unsure about what has just happened. Both a little shocked at what we have just been through, but an immediate bond is there.
The Milk Mumma
This may seem a little off topic, me talking about my birth. But it is a subject I have to refer to as this is where my idea behind ’The Milk Mumma’ began. My birth opened my eyes up to my bodies powers and unbelievable natural wonders. Breast feeding was the first wonder I witnessed after birth. Breast feeding had me in awe. My body is able to continue nurturing my baby on the outside. Producing the milk to sustain my little girls life. My breast milk being her exclusive and only source of food was mesmerising.
Breast milk is Liquid Gold
Our breast milk is specifically designed for our babies. To nurture and nourish them. To create comfort and connection between mother and daughter or son. This milky magic is individually created from within us to continue growing our babies. I then began to find that not only was my milk helping Delilah grow but it could also be used to condition her skin. I could moisturise her nappy rash, relieve her of cradle cap, assist in clearing her eyes, helping to unblock her stuffy nose, soothe her baby acne and ease an ear infection. Truly understanding the meaning of liquid gold!
When I replaced all of our nappy creams, baby moisturisers and cradle cap creams with my breast milk I started to wonder.
‘Why on earth would I use something artificial, un natural and full of chemicals to heal my baby when my milk is so readily available?’
My body was producing a liquid that’s sole purpose was to provide my baby with everything she needed and it really did become my resolution to everything.
Experimenting
Once I had seen the healing capabilities my milk had on Delilah, I wanted to see if my milk could also repair and soothe my own body. I started applying my milk mixed with some organic coconut oil to my stretch marks. Within a couple of weeks I saw improvements, I started pairing my milk with my Vitamin E cream on my face to help lighten my dark circles around my eyes and the same thing. My milk remedy was working! I tried my milk with almond oil to help moisturise my skin and rose hip oil to help build my skin elasticity and I couldn’t have been happier with my results. All of these ingredients I had mixed with my milk in all different containers for all different uses. Then I decided to blend all of these beautifull natural and organic ingredients together to create my ‘Milk Mumma Lotion.’
My friends and family were amazed at what I was doing with my breast milk. They thought it was a little unique and slightly alternative. But they could see how healing the lotion was for both me and Delilah. I started creating my lotions for friends. Then friends of friends and things went from here. Everyone that tried the lotion loved it!! They found they could use it for so many different reasons. Not only for their baby but for themselves! I then took my idea further. This is how my Milk Mumma business was born. My main aim is to help as many mums as possible. Showing mums that breast milk is the key. It has amazing and natural healing abilities. By combining breast milk with my organic ingredients in a lotion so unique and special to each Mumma. A reminder to them of how amazing they are.
You can find the Milk Mumma on Alice on Facebook and Instagram.