Make Your Own Pregnancy Baby Cast of Your Pregnant Belly

Make a pregnancy baby cast to remember your pregnancy belly. Pregnancy is a very special time for mothers. Your baby is growing inside you as a part of you. A pregnancy baby cast will preserve these moments. It becomes a wonderful reminder of those special times. In later years, you can show your child what mommy's pregnant belly looked like when he or she was growing inside you. To make your pregnancy baby cast you will need just a few items:

4 rolls of 4 inch wide plaster casting strips (you will find these at a craft supply store)

scissors to cut the plaster strips

2 plastic drop cloths

plastic or rubber gloves

a 2 foot section of plastic wrap (like saran wrap)

a jar of petroleum jelly (like Vaseline)

a comfortable chair for mom to sit in (this takes at least a half hour)

a helper (you will have to bare yourself for this so choose accordingly)

To finish your pregnancy baby cast once it has dried you will need :

a sanding screen

a damp sponge

a paintbrush

paint (if color is desired)

gesso or mod podge for glaze

instructions : (for the helper)

Place one tarp under the chair and drape one over the chair. Casting your pregnant belly is a messy job.

You will need to cut the plaster strips into workable pieces (12-18 inches long).You will also need to cut 3 small squares (2-3 inches) for detail work. (these are for the nipple area and belly button)

Place your basin of water in a stable spot near the area where you are working on your pregnancy baby cast. These water is to dip the plaster strips in that will cover moms' pregnant belly.

Mom will need to remove any clothing that covers her pregnant belly. She may also wish to include her breasts in the casting, in which case that area should also be bare.

Any areas being cast will need to be coated with a layer of petroleum jelly. This is to keep the pregnancy baby cast from sticking to skin and body hair.

Place the plastic wrap across the underwear area to cover pubic hair so it does not stick to plaster.

Before beginning, make sure mom is not hungry or thirsty. Be sure she has made a trip to the restroom. Mom must hold as still as possible until the cast is dry. This takes about a half hour.

Have mom sit in the chair in a comfortable position. The shape of the pregnancy baby cast will be more pleasing if she sits up straight. A small pillow should be placed behind moms' back for comfort.

Begin by wetting the three small squares, one at a time. These are placed over the nipples and the belly button. A bit of sculpting is required here to get the details in.

Now you will start wetting the larger strips, one at a time and placing them to cover the entire area of your pregnancy baby cast.

Rather than laying all the strips in one direction, you will want to place them in random directions across moms' pregnant belly. This provides a smoother finish. The breast area may require you to use smaller strips to detail the curved parts.

In order to be sure the pregnancy baby cast is the right thickness and stability, you will want to be sure every area of moms' pregnant belly and breasts are covered with at least two layers of strips. The edges should be a little thicker than the rest for handling.

When you are done placing the strips, wait for the plaster to dry. You will know the pregnancy baby cast is dry when it gets warm, heavy and pulls away from the pregnant belly.

Remove and handle the pregnancy baby cast carefully. Stuff it with newspapers and lay on a table to dry completely.

At this point mom will probably want a shower to clean the petroleum jelly and plaster off her pregnant belly.

Finishing :

Once your pregnancy baby cast is dry, you will have a replica of your pregnant belly to finish any way you like.

Smooth out any rough areas gently using the sanding screen and the damp sponge. Repair any bare patches or holes with plaster or plaster wrap. Let sponged and repaired areas dry.

Be creative and paint your pregnancy baby cast whatever color you like,with designs or embellishments added or you can just leave it the natural plaster color.

Let your paint dry and then coat your pregnancy baby cast with mod podge or gesso. Let it dry and you are done.

Sources :

http://pregnancyandbaby.com/pregnancy/baby/Make-your-own-belly-cast-467.htm

personal experience