Baby Bump Art: Is It A Must For Today's Moms?
Remember back when pregnant women were forced to wear loose fitting maternity blouses that were, well, hideous?
The days of oversized shirts have long since passed as many pregnant women opt for tight-fitting shirts or even belly shirts now. I remember when the fad started taking off and some of my friends’ mothers-in-law began commenting on what an undesirable look that was. They said that a pregnant belly should be hidden, but of course when it comes to advice, mothers-in-law are probably not the ideal group to go by.
Today’s moms are taking it up a notch and not only showing their bellies in tight T-shirts, but painting them for posterity. It’s a beautiful thing to preserve the exact moment in time when your child was growing inside of you. Strollerderby’s own Stephanie Precourt had a gorgeous piece of belly art captured when she was 27 weeks pregnant (see photo above). And she’s not alone.
According the the NY Daily News, the rise in celebrity full belly art has a lot to do with the recent surge:
Face and body painters started getting requests about five years ago from pregnant moms who wanted a unique memento of their pregnancy but felt arty pictures of naked bellies à la Demi Moore were overdone. The trend really took off in March when a very pregnant [Mariah] Carey tweeted a picture of a colorful butterfly on her belly. Moms have been citing her as their inspiration ever since.
Derrick Little, a New York City painter says: “I’m doing two or three a month now. A year ago, it was nothing.”
Back when we were young, if we were lucky, we had photos of our moms when they were pregnant with us, but this generation of kids will have a lot more.
Did you have your belly painted? Would you ever consider it? How did you celebrate your pregnant belly?
Check out Babble’s collection of Pregnant Belly Art!
I LOVED showing off my belly in fitted shirts. It was a way to enjoy my changing body, and the belly art was such a neat experience. Two of my very close friends painted that beautiful “tree of life” and it was an intimate bonding moment I will never forget.
Steph
I love getting my belly hennaed…long tradition there in the cultures henna came through about bumps and blessings. Painting/decorating bump is nice- gives a bit of pampering to Momma, can be combined with the Belly Blessing/Blessingways a lot of women are doing now in replacement of the cheesy shower games.
I proudly wore a bikini to the beach until I was 8 months along, then I felt too huge. My sister in law thought it was hilarious that I would do such a thing. I had a beautiful belly. I never got painted though, I never thought of that.
Back in 1972 — you know, the dark ages — I painted garlands of purple ivy all over my belly. Or rather, I did the upper curve and my then-husband did the lower curve. Then I put on a pair of bikini bottoms, fishnet harem pants, and a sports bra and attended a Mardi Gras party. Five weeks later that child was born. If I’d had today’s body paints to work with I might have done something more elaborate, but it did seem to be the hit of the party.
My husband is Arab and he also loves to draw, so in the tradition of Arab celebrations (usually weddings) we mixed up some henna. He painted symbols on my 8 month pregnant belly. He painted a nice “evil eye” over the spot where we hear her heartbeat (we bought an inexpensive fetoscope just for that purpose) to ward off bad luck. Our guests got henna designs too! http://muneera.me/2011/07/pics-from-the-baby-shower/ Our baby decided to put on quite a show for everyone while he was painting and rolled back and forth, morphing my belly into all different shapes. EVERYONE loved it!
Henna By Jessica
Long Island/NYC (631)316-8706
http://hennabyjessica.health.officelive.com/default.aspx
Whatever happened to modesty?
I’m 28 and pg. Yes I love the changes that are happening to me & my body. But I don’t think it’s necessary to show the whole world my bare belly.
And quite frankly, I don’t care to see anyone elses!
Cover it up!
Disgusting!
i am now pregnant with my 3rd baby and am 28yrs old and I LOVE my belly, and have with all of my pregnancies!! I think all pregnant women are beautiful and should be PROUD of what they are going through. Painting,molding, and showing off your bump is an expression and an art form that everyone should appreciate and respect!!!
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