Remember those long-ago days when a happy snap taken of your newborn baby was enough to celebrate a pregnancy? Now, it seems, any self-respecting modern mum-to-be must document every part of the process, from her growing bump to the labour itself.
Just last week, presenter Myleene Klass posted a picture of herself on Twitter getting a ‘belly cast’ — a plaster cast that will be a permanent reminder of her baby bump now that daughter Hero has arrived. Here, we bring you the most unusual, bizarre and exhibitionist ways of marking a new child’s entrance into the world . . .
What is it? A plaster cast of your pregnant stomach to hang on the wall as a permanent symbol of your bountiful fertility. Where can you get it? Pick up a home kit from Boots, John Lewis or Everlasting Castings. How does it work? Watch your bathroom turn into a building site as you smear your torso in plaster and bandages and wait for it to dry. Celebrity casters, as well as Myleene, include Emma Bunton and DJ Sara Cox. Cost: £20-25 to do it yourself, or £60 upwards if you want a professional to do it for you. Where can you get it? Specialists such as The PregnancyPhotographer. and Tina Bolton.
How does it work? You turn up, take off your clothes and pose. Popular shots include bump stuck out with hands preserving modesty, topless father-to-be kissing the bump or arty black-and-white close ups. Blame Demi Moore — she made it fashionable with her 1991 cover of Vanity Fair. Cost: £125 upwards for the shoot, but expect added costs for photographs.
BUMP PAINTING: What is it? Essentially face painting for your belly — flowers, animals, star signs and baby feet are always popular — followed by a photograph of the completed masterpiece. Where can you get it? A few professional face-painters have begun to offer the service, including Nicola Shilson of Lucid-Arts.co.uk.
How does it work? You lie back and relax while an image of your choice is transferred onto your belly using sponges, brushes and non-toxic paints. Depending on the complexity, it can take from one hour to four. Expect baby to kick when the brush work starts (apparently they seem to like it). Cost: From £30 up to £300 for full body paint.