RIGBY, Idaho — An Idaho woman has created a business that is uniquely helping mothers by making soap, lotion and diaper cream — all from their own breast milk.
Britni Eddy lives in Rigby, Idaho, and started her own business called
Mama's Magic Milk in August. The Facebook page says, "I'm here to help mamas get the most of every ounce!"
The idea for the business came after a recent personal experience.
"When I was six or seven months postpartum, my husband was reorganizing the garage, and he moved our freezer. He got distracted and didn't plug the freezer back in, so my entire freezer stash (of breast milk) got ruined,"
Eddy told EastIdahoNews.com.
Eddy didn't have the heart to throw it away. She had hundreds of ounces of breast milk that was being stored. She was in tears but then came up with an idea.
"I saw that somebody had posted about something similar happening, and they made breast milk soap, and I thought, 'Oh, I should try that out,'" she said.
She tried several different recipes and through trial and error finally found one she liked.
"The awesome thing about breast milk soap is that you can use breast milk that is expired in your freezer, that you can no longer feed the baby, because it doesn't lose its benefits for skin if it's expired," Eddy explained.
Soaps created using breast milk are seen in this undated photo. Britni Eddy, of Rigby, Idaho, has created a business that is uniquely helping mothers by making soap, lotion and diaper cream — all from their own breast milk. (Photo: Andrea Olson, EastIdahoNews.com)
She saw a Rexburg, Idaho, mom ask on social media if anyone made breast milk soap. So, Eddy stepped in and decided to help. Then, other moms began to comment and ask if Eddy could make some for them, too.
It took off from there.
"I filed with the state for my name, 'Mama's Magic Milk,' and then I started selling across the U.S.," she said. "I have sold in Florida, New York, Arizona and Alabama."
Here's how it works. If you have breast milk, you can ask Eddy to make soaps, lotions or diaper cream. You can
contact her here on Facebook, and she will send you a form.
The form allows you to customize your order. Eddy asks what essential oils you like, such as lavender or chamomile. There's a soap base to choose from, like shea butter or goat's milk. You can even select the type of mold you want the soap to be in, whether it's an animal, rose or heart. She makes sure to ask about allergies, too.
Eddy said soap typically requires five to six ounces of breast milk, which costs $30 for six bars. Diaper cream and lotion are $15 each.
"I have teamed up with a local mom, too, for anybody who is not lactating. They can get some breast milk soap, too. Just go on my Facebook page, and you can order with me," Eddy said.
She says she makes sure to keep everything sanitary while she works to make the different soaps, lotions and diaper creams.
Breast milk used to make soap is seen in this undated photo. Britni Eddy, of Rigby, Idaho, has created a business that is uniquely helping mothers by making soap, lotion and diaper cream — all from their own breast milk. (Photo: Britni Eddy)
"I wear gloves. In my kitchen, I just have one pan that's dedicated to this. I don't use it for anything else. Same with measuring stuff, and then as far as the ingredients, nobody else uses it. It's strictly for this. I just keep everything separate. It has its own cupboard," Eddy explained.
She told EastIdahoNews.com breast milk has a strong healing power and helps in many ways.
"It helps with aging, wrinkles, stretch marks, and dry skin. It's not just for a baby. In a baby, it's going to help with diaper rash, it's going to help with eczema, it's going to help if they have any cuts, and it helps heal those sunburns," she said.
According to the National Library of Medicine, "human breast milk is perhaps the most important functional food known. Human milk has powerful immunological properties, protecting infants from respiratory diseases, middle ear infections, and gastrointestinal diseases. However, human milk is also a popular therapeutic remedy applied in traditional, natural pharmacopeia and ethnomedicine for many years."
Eddy also understands that some people think the idea behind breast milk soap is different and maybe even a little strange.
"I think people are just uneducated about it. They don't understand the benefits that come with breast milk as far as skincare and nutrition," she said.
Eddy said she's grateful she was able to come out with something positive after her experience with the freezer being unplugged. She said her husband uses the soap she makes and at first, he was unsure of it. Now, he loves it.
"He swears by this soap. At first, he said, 'This is kind of weird, I don't know,' and then now he literally goes to work and brags to the guys at work about it," Eddy said, laughing.
She said breast milk soap is something you just have to try for yourself.
"It's very beneficial for your skin. Do your research about what breast milk can do so that we can kind of undo that stigma of, 'Oh, this is weird, like it's someone's breast milk, I don't really want to touch that, let alone use it.' Because it really is beneficial," she said.
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