Instructions for Making Your Own Belly Cast
What you’ll need to
make a belly cast
3-4 rolls of plaster
bandages
Vaseline or other
lubricant
Scissors
Dropcloth (a shower
curtain or sheet of plastic works well)
Shallow pan of warm
water
What you’ll need to
finish and decorate the cast
Screen sanding paper
(if desired)
Gesso or plaster of
Paris (to smooth and seal the cast, available at art and craft stores)
Whatever decorating
materials you’d like to use—paint, glue, beads, feathers, leaves, baby
footprints, etc.
What you do
Get mom ready— go to bathroom, cover body hair with
saran wrap or old clothes, apply Vaseline.
Choose a pose—sitting is best, standing can cause
fainting and laying down causes “funny shapes.” You can also choose to
include hands in your cast.
Cut strips into manageable lengths.
One at a time, run the strips through the pan of water,
soaking them and carefully keeping them flat (don’t let them fold!).
Then apply strips to mom’s belly and, if desired,
breasts, shoulders, or thighs.
Cover the area to be cast completely once, then go back
and add another layer or two for strength.
Mom sits for 20-30 minutes until the cast dries enough
to come off. Then she does the hokey pokey to gently remove it. Ideally,
this will not hurt, but if any hairs are caught or not enough Vaseline was
used, it can be painful for a second. Use the pain-coping techniques
you’re learning for labor!
The cast should dry 24-48 hours (sometimes less in dry
climates) before anything else is done to it.
When it is completely dry, you can trim, sand, seal
and/or decorate your cast. Remember to keep it dry!
