A Guide For Belly Casting

Belly casting is a fun and artistic way to celebrate pregnancy. And when you've finished making and decorating your belly cast you have a memento of your pregnancy that you and your child can admire together for the rest of your lives.

You will need

• Plaster
• Warm Water
• Moisturiser or Body Butter or Vaseline
• Scissors
• Tape Measure
• Newspaper, or plastic sheet, or drop sheet.

Step 1. Cover floor in newspaper or a plastic sheet or a drop sheet, place a chair in the centre of the newspaper for pregnant mama to sit on. Measure how long you will need the plaster strips to be (the width of the pregnant woman’s breasts and belly). Cut the plaster into a series of strips this long – or you can have lots of smaller sized strips and pile them up close and on top of each other.

Step 2. Lather the pregnant mama’s breasts, belly, sides, and under her belly with body butter or Vaseline so that the plaster will not dry and stick to her skin.

Step 3. Take your first strip of dry plaster and dip into the warm water, quickly and carefully place onto her skin and smooth out any kinks, creases or lumps. Repeat over and over again until all the areas you wish to cast are covered.

Step 4. Place extra strips underneath the belly and breasts because these areas are the weakest of the structure and are therefore more likely to crack when the cast is removed from the mama’s body when finished.

Step 5. When the cast is complete gently rub water all over to give the plaster a glossy finish.

Step 6. When the cast has dried it will separate from the pregnant mama’s skin. Carefully lift from her body from the sides.

Step 7. Fill the hollow side of the cast with scrunched up newspaper balls and lie belly side up in a safe place for forty-eight hours to set.

Step 8. Decorate as you see fit!

Tips

• Wear clothes you don’t mind getting covered in plaster!

• Try not to make the pregnant mama laugh.

• Use warm water.

• Work swiftly (but don’t rush) because the plaster begins setting very quickly.

• Once you start the pregnant mama cannot move.

• For the best (most pronounced) shape the pregnant mama should sit on the edge of a seat with her back straight so her breasts and belly fall forward, full and round.