Belly cast

A belly cast is a three-dimensional plaster sculpture of a woman's pregnant abdomen as a keepsake of her pregnancy.

They are made by preparing the skin with a coating of Vaseline or a similar lubricant and adding strips of wet plaster gauze over the abdomen to make the cast.

Some women also cast their breasts, arms, hands and thighs into a full torso sculpture.

The cast can be decorated with any number of finishes or designs including the baby's hand and foot prints, or left in its natural state.

Most popular decorations include painting and decoupage, while some belly casts are mosaicked.