Mom-mode post #7 – On how I feel about belly casts

I promised a post on how I feel about belly casts, but before I ramble on and lose a few friends who have their belly casts hidden away somewhere, I need to address a pressing question my friend Allison posed: What exactly is a belly cast?

I could try to answer it with my own words, but I figured I'd consult a more reliable source of information, Wikipedia. According to them, a belly cast is "a three-dimensional plaster sculpture of a woman's pregnant belly for the purpose of having a keepsake of the pregnancy. Belly casts are often made during the 7th or 8th month of pregnancy and some women choose to make a series of them capturing the progression of their pregnancy. Belly casts are made by preparing the skin with a coating of Vaseline or a similar product. Strips of wet medical grade plaster gauze are layered over the pregnant abdomen. Some women choose to also cast their girls into a full torso sculpture. The plaster sets in about 20–30 minutes; this is followed by air drying for 24–48 hours. The belly cast can be decorated with any number of finishes or designs or left in its natural state."

Being the good researcher that I am, I couldn't rely on just one source (although Wikipedia is often enough, I though the subject needed to be approached from another angle). A quick Google search pointed me to everydayhealth.com. This next one even addresses the ever-impending question: what does one do with a belly cast, anyway? According to Everyday Health, "belly casts date back to ancient times when they were used to commemorate the miracle of life. These do-it-yourself plaster replicas are easy and fun to make with your mate, midwife, or your baby shower guests. Just sit back as your chosen ones apply strips of wet plaster onto your belly (it usually dries within 15 minutes). Once the cast is dry, decorate and display as you like. (Is the dining room table too prominent a spot?) You'll find many resources on the Web; just type "belly cast" into a search engine and sculpt away."

Since I don't want this post to be a complete waste of your time, I have included a few questions to ponder:

1. If a wave of temporary insanity hits you and you decided to plaster your belly, would you really want to undress your upper body in front of all your baby shower guests?
   
2. Why would you want to remember the time when you looked like you swallowed an extra-large exercise ball?
   

I understand that carrying a baby is a miracle and I am honored to carry mine. However, I'd rather remember this time by writing down my thoughts and feelings. I'd even rather remember it by taking belly pictures ( please see post #1)!

p.s.: the opinions stated here only reflect the opinions of the individual writing, not the opinion of this blog. No, wait. I am the individual AND the blog. So if you don't agree with me on this one, just remember that I don't like baby animals and they don't seem to mind my humble opinion. :)