Rachel Heinze has an unusual side hustle, on top of her preferred work as a stay-at-home mom of 2.

After an exhausting, problem-filled first year of breastfeeding her oldest Lucas, she got a ring set with a pale-white stone made from a powdered form of her own breast milk and thought it was so cool she decided to take up the activity herself.

Working after her children are put to bed, she makes $30,000 a year since 2021 selling breastmilk jewelry.

She turns clients' breast milk into powder before making it into the item—and can combine ashes and colored stones into designs too, with the average piece running $200.

"I thought it was weird," said Heinze. "But having that journey myself, I can definitely see why people want to carry that little part of the journey with them. When I hit that one year of breastfeeding mark I wanted to celebrate."

Without overly elaborating personal details, breastfeeding Lucas was a struggle in almost all the ways fellow moms have heard of.

"I did everything to continue breastfeeding for a year. It was exhausting," said Heinze.

She wasn't trained as a jeweler, designer, metalworker, or in any kind of craft. She was a professional neuroscientist that specialized in concussions before quitting her job to stay at home with the kids. Nevertheless, she jumped at the opportunity to launch a new venture.

"I didn't know it would be such a big thing—I just thought it would be a little here and there to make a sale," said Heinze, from Florida. "I had one video on social media, it kicked off, and that's when it started becoming a big thing."

"I was getting breast milk given to me from all over the world. I thought: ‘I can actually make this into something big.'"

Rachel spends eight weeks making her designs while juggling her family life, explaining that her background in science helped with the preservation process for the breast milk.

She turns it into powder before allowing it to totally dry over several days, then grinds it into the piece. She has also expanded her business to make jewelry out of ashes.

"I think every stay-at-home mom can vouch for how difficult it is to both work and look after your kids. But it is so worth it to me," she says. "My business is just a nice thing on top. Mother first, business second. If that means staying up later with a little less sleep, I am OK with that."

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