"Nina uhusiano na watoto wangu popote ninapoenda ... wako karibu na moyo wangu," mama mmoja aliye na mkufu uliotengenezwa kutoka kwa kamba ya mtoto wake. Parents of yesterday kept their baby's hair and the first tooth their kid lost. They cherished them in boxes or taped them inside baby books that were kept in closets or the garage. Today, some parents are taking that sentimentality to a whole new level. Kama kugeuza kamba ya umbilical ya watoto wao - unajua, nugget ya kutu ambayo huanguka siku chache baada ya mtoto kurudi nyumbani - kuwa kipande cha vito vya mapambo. Kind of strange? OK. But more celebrities by the day are blending the sleep sac of their newborn into placenta smoothies. So keep that in mind. Does the umbilical cord have to be new? Actually, no. Artisans say the age of the umbilical stump doesn't matter. It can be from an infant born a month ago or decades earlier. Mtengenezaji wa mapambo ya vito vya maziwa Nianna Rodriguez aliunda kipande cha vito vya mapambo kwa mama ambaye alikuwa ameweka kisiki katika kitabu cha watoto kwa miaka 17. "It was just as beautiful," Rodriguez told All the Moms. "It's amazing how you shave off the top layer and that's where you get this beautiful amber color that translates wonderfully into jewelry." Crafters like Rodriguez sell their wares online. Akina mama wanaovutiwa na kumbukumbu inayoweza kuvaliwa kutoka kwa moja ya miundo ya msanii na kufuata maagizo ya kufunga kwa kisiki na kuituma kwa barua. Jeweler Ruth Avra of Sarasota, Florida fell into making the organic jewelry by accident. A mom friend asked her to create something using her baby's umbilical cord stump. The jeweler since 2003 had no idea what to make. Then, she placed it beside her son's own stump on a table. "Ilikuwa ni kama bolt ya umeme iliyopigwa," alisema Avra, ambaye anamiliki la Avra. "Now I understand what I'm supposed to do." Avra aliunda kipande chake cha kwanza cha vito vya kamba mnamo 2012. Sasa, mahitaji yanaongezeka kwa vipande vya wakati. At any one time, she can be working on as many as 10 orders, she said. Kila mmoja huchukua wiki 4-6 kukamilisha, tangu wakati wazazi hutuma stumps wakati wanaporudi vito. Avra hutumia mchakato unaoitwa Lost Wax Carving kuunda kipande cha umoja kwa kutumia sura ya kisiki kuamua muundo wa vito vya mapambo. Yeye pia ameanza kuchukua maombi ya maumbo, kama moyo. Yeye hufanya pete, vikuku na cufflink, lakini mkufu wake wa fedha wa umbilical, ambao huuza kwa $ 195, ni muuzaji wake bora. Hakuna mteja anayempigia simu au kumtumia barua pepe ni kawaida, alisema. "Kwa kweli ni kutoka kote. Mengi ni kutoka Merika lakini mengi ni ya kimataifa, pia, kutoka mbali kama Hong Kong na Australia na Ulaya." Marialejandra Beltran kutoka Miami amekuwa mteja wa Avra ​​mara nne. Beltran alimwona Avra ​​kwenye kibanda kwenye tamasha la kuvaa watoto na aliamua kununua mkufu uliotengenezwa kutoka kwa shina lake la mtoto wa mtoto wa miezi 9. Miaka miwili baadaye, alishikilia mkufu kwenye chumba cha kujifungua naye wakati anamfanya binti yake. "Nilikuwa na sehemu ya C na nilikuwa na woga sana na ilinisaidia kuhisi uhusiano huo na mwanangu nilipokuwa huko," alisema. Avra aliunganisha kamba zote mbili za watoto wake ndani ya mkufu mmoja. Kwa mara ya tatu, alirudi kuwa na Angel Wings aingie kwenye mkufu wa mtoto alioumwa vibaya kabla ya mtoto wake na binti yake. Yeye kamwe huondoa mkufu. "Nina uhusiano na watoto wangu popote ninapoenda. Chochote wanachofanya, wako karibu na moyo wangu," Beltran alisema. "Kushikilia mkufu kunanifanya nihisi utulivu. Ni kitu kizuri sana, rahisi sana, hiyo ni sehemu ya mwili wa mwanadamu." Wakati dada ya Beltran alipotembelea kutoka Venezuela, aliunganisha na Avra ​​ambaye alifanya kipande cha mapambo ya umbo la moyo kutoka kwa kamba ya mjukuu wake. Avra anasema amepatikana kuna soko la mapambo ya vito kwa wale pia. Ingawa hatuna hakika jinsi wazazi wanavyoelezea watoto wadogo ambao walidhani Fairy ya jino iliondoka meno yao katika usiku wa usiku wakati mama amevaa moja kwenye kidole chake. "Hii ni aina tu ya njia ya kufurahisha ya kuthamini uhusiano kati ya mzazi na mtoto na kufanya kitu na vitu ambavyo ni maalum ambavyo haujui cha kufanya," Avra ​​alisema, na kuongeza, "sio kwa kila mtu."