Make a Baby Belly Cast - Prepare your work area. Scatter newspapers on the floor and place a comfortable chair on top of them. Lay a plastic drop cloth over the chair to protect it from getting messy.
Fill a pan with room-temperature water for dipping the strips of plaster into. Cut the rolls of plaster into 12 to 18 inch long strips. Cut three 2 to 3 inch squares of plaster which will be used over the breasts and belly button.
Make a Baby Belly Cast
Apply Vaseline or petroleum jelly to all areas of the body where the cast will be made. Besides helping the cast easily slide off, the Vaseline helps to protect any body hairs from being caught in the plaster. Additionally, plastic wrap may be placed over the Vaseline so that it does not stick to the inside of the cast. Plastic wrap can also be put over the underwear so it does not get dirty.
Wet the plaster strips in the water. Hold the strips up by one end and wipe off any excess water.
Smooth the wet plaster strips onto the body; work quickly so the strips do not get a chance to dry before being set. Layering the strips in different directions on the body will give the cast extra strength. Place the squares over the nipples and belly button and gently shape them.
Belly casting is a wonderful way to preserve your pregnant body three-dimensionally. Many women wait until the end of their pregnancy to belly cast so that their baby bump is at its biggest size. Others choose to cast several times throughout their pregnancy to show the belly's growing progression. There is no right or wrong way to make your belly cast in terms of when to do it or what parts of the body to include. Some women prefer to cast just their belly while others want their entire torso, arms and hands in the cast. However you decide to cast, know that your pregnant belly will be well preserved. - by eHow
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