# belly casting tips?



## magpiedee (Dec 21, 2005)

I'm 31 weeks now and interested in doing a belly cast. I'd love to hear some tips and tricks, especially regarding:

1. Whether to use straight-up plaster of paris or the impregnated strips, and if there is a particular brand that works better than others.

2. Once the mold is made, what is the best material to use to cast the actual belly? I don't have access to a kiln, so clay is out. Just a layer of vaseline and then more plaster? I want the actual belly cast, not just the reverse mold.

3. Is it possible to do by oneself, or do I need lots of helpers? I'm a big shy about lying around naked in front of others.

Anything else I should know?







TIA for advice!


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## andi-mama (Jan 2, 2008)

My husband and I did mine, and we were just fine with only 2 of us.


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## DizzyMissLizzy (Jul 1, 2008)

I used the strips and it made it muuuuch easier. They say using just plaster is not good because it can get too hot.

Make sure you use enough lube but not too much or your cast will be greasy.

It would be extremely hard to do it yourself! Just one helper is enough...maybe partner will help.


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## donnamr3211 (Aug 12, 2006)

I use impregnated strips and yes you will need someone to do it. If you do your boobs too here is what I do, I like to hold my arms up so my boobs don't sag as bad, lol.

What you will need:

Old towels
A sharp pair of scissors
A pail or a bucket
A helper
Belly Cast Kit

Mother: Choose Your Pose

1.Standing or sitting on the edge of a seat, will result in a more round, more full-bodied sculpture. Experiment with various poses: lean forward, to one side or back, or against the wall-find the shape/pose you want to preserve. Assume a position in which you can remain fairly still for about 20 minutes. Don't lie down!! This position produces a flattened breast-belly sculpture.
2. Decide how much of your torso you would like to cast. Some women just
cast their belly, while others cast their full torso, with their hands on their belly or a loved ones hands, and some even do their shoulders! If you want to place a small child's hands on moms belly during the casting, determine whether the child can hold still for the five or so minutes he or she will be part of the casting. We advise that you start the casting from the top and work your way down so that the child's hands can be placed on moms belly near the very end of the casting process. You may want to have an extra person available to help the child hold still or read him or her a book.

Sculptor: What to do: Getting ready

1. Put on old clothes or use an apron and roll up your sleeves. Take off any jewelry.
2. Cover the floor with the drop cloth. Make sure the room is warm but well ventilated.
3. Cut the plaster bandages into strips approximately 6, 10 and 14 inches long.
4. Generously apply lubrication to the mother's breasts, belly (neck/arms/thighs), going no more than half way around her sides and just above the pubic hair. If necessary, use cotton padding to cover armpit, belly or pubic hair.

6. The cast will be ready to remove about five minutes after you are finished casting. Have her help by doing a little "belly dance" to loosen the cast as you ease it off at the edges.
7. Find a safe/dry place to set your completed belly cast until is the completely dry, which takes 2-3 days.

Making The Cast

1. Fill the pan with warm water.
2. Glide one plaster strip at a time through the water for a few seconds. Never let go of the strip, keeping it taut, open and flat, (don't let it fold or twist).
3. With the short (6 inch) strips you can gently squeeze out the excess water by running your index and middle fingers down the strip. Casting strips should only stay in the water
long enough to wet (Approx. 1-2 seconds)
4. Apply the strip to the mother's body. Smoothing and over lapping the strips in various directions strengthens the body cast. Dip your fingers into the water and run fingers over your plastered torso to smooth out the plaster.
5. Work Quickly because the plaster begins to set (dry), and the cast begins to separate from her body about 10 to 15 minutes after you begin.

Finishing Touches

The body cast will need about 48 hours to dry completely before you begin decorating it. It may mold if you decide to decorate it before it is done drying.
Before painting or decorating, you can, if you want to, smooth the surface of the cast by dry-walling it with a pasty mixture of plaster of Paris or paint it with gesso. (Gesso is a white, durable paint-like mixture of plaster used to prepare and smooth the surface of a sculpture before painting).
There is no end to the possibilities: paint, collage with your baby's photos or magazine cut-outs, tissue paper designs, dried flowers, beads, feathers, or written messages.
After your baby is born, you can add footprints (right where he/she used to kick you under the ribs) on the sculpture with ink or paint, or make an impression of the footprint in wet plaster on the cast.
One couple had a different inspiration...lined with lambskin, their belly cast became a perfect cradle for their baby's first day!
Create and let your imagination SOAR!!!!

Belly Casting: Frequently Asked Questions

* How can I get a smoother finish on my Belly Cast? One tip is to dip your fingers into the water after applying a few layers of casting material, work the wet plaster of Paris over the cast until desired smoothness has been achieved. After Belly Cast is dried completely lightly sand the cast with sanding screen. To get an even smoother finish you can apply a thin layer of joint compound or Spackle, which can be purchased at your local Home Improvement store. Apply the joint compound with your fingers and smooth it on the cast. Sand in between layers of joint compound. Make sure to only sand the layers after the cast is completely dried.
* Why are the edges so rough on my cast? After your cast is completely dried use a sharp pair of scissors to trim the edges to make them look even, if you desire.
* How do I cast my thighs along with my belly using my Belly Cast? You will need to cast your belly and thighs while standing to make it look right. Start casting from the top working your way down your torso until you reach the bottom of your belly. Then place a piece of plastic wrap over your pubic area. The plastic wrap will act as a barrier between your pubic area and the cast. Coat the plastic wrap with Petroleum Jelly prior to placing it on your pubic area. Mom, you will need to hold the plastic wrap in place while your helper or partner places the first strip of wet casting material over your pubic area. The wet casting material will hold the plastic wrap in place. Another Idea is to wear a pair of semi seamless underwear but you may see the seams.
* How do I cast my hands with my belly cast? Simply place your hands right on your belly. Spread your finger apart. Apply the Petroleum Jelly all over the back of your hands and fingers. You can even have your loved ones hands on your stomach in the cast.
* How can I support my breast during the casting? Typically the mom is unclothed during the casting process. Many moms ask how they can support their breast while being casted. Some ways are as followed: Wear a strapless bra, the fabric and seams will show through your cast though, don't wear your favorite bra, you may need to throw it away after casting. Another great way is to take a piece of plastic wrap, fold it in half and wrap it around your torso, starting under your breast where your bra strap would rest. Continue to wrap the plastic wrap around your torso and breast until you feel you have the support you need. You can also buy a disposable bra at your local department store (the kind that stick to you).
* How long does it take to make a belly cast? Excluding decorating, the belly Cast takes around 45 minutes to complete.
* Is everything included in the kits? Our deluxe kits come with everything you need to complete your cast, no running out to local hardware store for a drop cloth or gloves.
* When is the best time to make a belly Cast? Many women cast there belly's multiple times in the course of there pregnancy and usually do the last belly cast 4-6 weeks before the mom's due date, that way your belly is at it's fullest. If doing only one cast in a pregnancy I would try to wait until at least 36 weeks if possible and if no record of early labor, I would wait till 37/38 weeks.
*Is It hard to make a belly cast? Not at all, many people are so surprised at just how easy it is.

*If I have some thin areas on my belly cast, how do I reinforce them?
If you have casting material left over, you can reinforce the cast where needed.
Simply wet additional casting strips and place them on the inside of your belly cast where reinforcements are needed. If you have run out of casting strips, you can order an additional roll to make your reinforcements.
*How do I get any remaining Vaseline® out of my belly cast?
You might wonder just how to get the excess jelly out of the inside of your belly cast. If you're a patient person (and I wasn't when I made mine!), the jelly will eventually dry out. If you want quicker results, after your belly cast has completely dried, first take a dry paper towel and wipe out any excess. Then, take another paper towel and dip it in rubbing alcohol and gently dab it on the jelly to dissolve it. Just be careful not to apply so much rubbing alcohol that it saturates your belly cast.
*What's the best way to display or hang my belly cast?
The easiest and most popular way to display a belly cast is to hang it on a wall. You can easily drill a couple of holes in the top using a small drill bit and thread and tie some pretty ribbon through the holes. Some other ideas include displaying it in a picture frame (with or without matting), a shadow box or setting it on an easel.


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## AKmoose (Jul 25, 2003)

My dh and I did it by ourselves...we purchased the strips at a med supply store, greased me up (vaseline), and dh simply applied the strips. They do dry fast, so work quickly...

I am just now (6.5 years later) getting around to finishing mine...I just trimmed it, and bought some plaster of paris to smear all over the cast material.

Easy









Oh, if you have large breasts, you might want to consider wearing an older yukky bra, cover it really well in saran wrap, then go ahead with the plastering. A friend just did this, and I think the results are much nicer than mine, with giant boobs hanging down and detracting from the belly


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## kayleesmom (Dec 16, 2004)

taking notes


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## magpiedee (Dec 21, 2005)

I think DH and I will try it this weekend with the strips from Blick. Thanks for the tips, y'all!









And I remember doing a plaster cast of my face in college and not using enough vaseline... pulled out quite a few caterpillar eyebrow hairs. Will be a bit more generous this time around the dainties, eh?


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