Belly Cast to Preserve Pregnancy Memories?

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Discussion Overview

The thread explores various opinions on the idea of creating a belly cast during pregnancy as a way to preserve memories. Participants share their personal feelings about belly casts, maternity photos, and the overall experience of documenting pregnancy.

Discussion Character

  • Opinion-based
  • Anecdotal
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses strong disapproval of the belly cast idea, calling it "crazy."
  • Another participant shares a similar sentiment, questioning the practicality of storing a belly cast.
  • Some participants find the concept of belly casts cute but doubt the outcome, suggesting it may not turn out as expected.
  • One participant mentions their experience with maternity portraits, preferring to be fully clothed and expressing dissatisfaction with their appearance in the photos.
  • Another participant notes they have a belly cast kit but are not particularly interested in using it, indicating a lack of enthusiasm for preserving that shape.
  • Several participants mention their discomfort with having pictures of themselves pregnant, with one stating they do not like any side or belly shots.
  • One participant shares a touching story about tasteful pregnancy photos taken during a difficult time, highlighting the emotional significance of such memories.
  • Some participants express curiosity about what to do with a belly cast after it is made, indicating a shared concern about its practicality.
  • One participant humorously suggests using the belly cast as a reminder for their partner of the pregnancy experience.
  • Another participant, considering starting a family, expresses fear at the thought of making a belly cast.
  • Some participants appreciate the idea of having pregnancy photos, mentioning their importance in documenting the journey.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Views differ significantly among participants regarding the desirability and practicality of belly casts and maternity photos. There is no clear consensus on the topic.

Contextual Notes

Participants share a range of personal experiences and preferences related to pregnancy documentation, reflecting diverse attitudes towards body image and memory preservation.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to individuals considering pregnancy or those curious about different ways to document the experience, particularly within the consultant community.

I wouldn't do the belly cast...who needs to see THAT!?! (No offense intended) But I do have belly pictures of both pregnancies...clothes on, shirt lifted & tucked so nothing obscene shows. I thought the boys might like to see "when they were growing in Mommy's belly" some day & with the 2nd pregnancy, it worked great to show my oldest what my belly looked like while I carried him. ;)
 
chefshawna said:
Well now, I think this sounds like something that Dannyzmom's inlaws would just love!:D It would fit in great with the penis gourd!

Too funny, I was thinking the EXACT same thing earlier but got busy and never posted it. :D
 
I've seen pics of the casts all done up (painted nicely) to put in the nursery and some were really cute!
 
My fear with a belly cast is that if I'd have done it 18 years ago with my first child that I might be able to hold it up to my stomach today and THEY'D MATCH!!! :eek: I was pretty tiny before having my daughter and only gained about 25 pounds. Today I weigh exactly what I weighed when I walked in to the hospital :o The weight has distributed itself around various parts of my body (just in case someone is thinking that I still look 9 months prego :D ) but it's still depressing to think about.So....I won't think about it and go wash my ice cream bowl <<ha ha>>
 
I think the belly casts are a little strange, but I like the idea of taking pregnancy pictures. It reminds me of the one Gillian posted way back... I'm sure it's floating around CS somewhere still.
 
I wouldn't do the belly cast, but I always have said that one of my biggest regrets is not having professional pregnancy pics done. If there was anything I'd do over, that would be it. I'm not having any more kids, so I lost my chance...oh well..

I only gained 14 lbs when I was pregnant, was back at my prepregnancy weight by my 6 week check, but after 4 yrs of being a stay at home mom I think I'm up there to the weight I was at when I was ready to give birth! Not good! Even when I lost all my weight, I never fit back into my clothes, everything on my body shifted! (I still have the clothes though!- LOL) Maybe someday I'll be rich enough to get some lipo and a tummy tuck!
 
I went for my one week check up after my c-section with Christopher. The nurse said to me... "DO you still have your staples?" I told her I didn't think I had any but if they were put in there I certainly didn't take them out! She says "Well you should be able to see them!" I told her that I think the docror forgot the tummy tuck part of the operation!:rolleyes:
I wouldn't do the cast either, what do you do with it later? In the nursey might be cute for about a week! When your chid gets older it wouldn't really work in there. I think they are good for doctors offices or maternity wings.
Nice, flattering, preg. pics would have been nice, especially with the girls in them. Oh well! To late now!
 
GeorgiaPeach said:
My fear with a belly cast is that if I'd have done it 18 years ago with my first child that I might be able to hold it up to my stomach today and THEY'D MATCH!!! :eek:

I was pretty tiny before having my daughter and only gained about 25 pounds. Today I weigh exactly what I weighed when I walked in to the hospital :o The weight has distributed itself around various parts of my body (just in case someone is thinking that I still look 9 months prego :D ) but it's still depressing to think about.

So....I won't think about it and go wash my ice cream bowl <<ha ha>>
I have met you and you are a tiny person! If you weigh now what you weighed at 9 mo preg. then you were a very teeny tiny pregnant lady!
 
jrstephens said:
Either that or I am in a worse mood! I KNOW I have been the last two days - I could just go off on my husband so bad! But I have withheld so far, haha!!! But tonight .........................we will see.....hahah!

Must be a hormone thing... I'm due Friday (and if I remember right you are pretty close too) and I have hardly been able to stand my husband the past 2 weeks! Yesterday was a little better but... geez... I wanted to kick him out! (and really he hasn't done anything that bad - everything just irritates me!)
 
  • Thread starter
  • #40
hperschnick said:
Must be a hormone thing... I'm due Friday (and if I remember right you are pretty close too) and I have hardly been able to stand my husband the past 2 weeks! Yesterday was a little better but... geez... I wanted to kick him out! (and really he hasn't done anything that bad - everything just irritates me!)

HA! I have until May 15th (hopefully sooner).

I ended up telling mine last night has had made me mad and needed to do better! HAHA!!! I had enough, haha!!!! It was either tell him or shoot him!!!!

Did help my mom kind of made me mad at the ame time, so, he was getting both took out on him!!! He was very nice about it and apologized and now I MAY let him live, ha!!!

Are u being induced Friday? Or have the dr's set a date for that yet? Good luck!!!
 
hperschnick said:
Must be a hormone thing... I'm due Friday (and if I remember right you are pretty close too) and I have hardly been able to stand my husband the past 2 weeks! Yesterday was a little better but... geez... I wanted to kick him out! (and really he hasn't done anything that bad - everything just irritates me!)

Then my hormones must be really out of whack! I'm not even pregnant and I want to kick DH out much of the time!
 
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  • #42
katie0128 said:
Then my hormones must be really out of whack! I'm not even pregnant and I want to kick DH out much of the time!

It gets worse, ha!:D
 
jrstephens said:
It gets worse, ha!:D

Yeah, I know... I have three kids. I think my hormones decided they liked being out of whack and even after the last kiddo, just stayed that way.
 
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  • #44
katie0128 said:
Yeah, I know... I have three kids. I think my hormones decided they liked being out of whack and even after the last kiddo, just stayed that way.

HAHA!!! My husband had a friend who had a "witch" for a wife, after their first child she turned nice, the next child turned her back into a "witch" and the third one kept her there, HAHA!!!!
 
jrstephens said:
HA! I have until May 15th (hopefully sooner).
Are u being induced Friday? Or have the dr's set a date for that yet? Good luck!!!

I had a c-section with my first so I have to have another this time. I want to wait and go into labor then go in. Too many babies I know were scheduled and ended up in the NICU because they weren't ready. Just scares the crap out of me! My first was 10 days late and so far my Dr. isn't pushing me to set a date but I told him the first day we met I wanted to wait until the baby decided it was "done". He checked me yesterday and nothing is going on down there so it could be another week or two. I'm fine with that - I love being pregnant (except for the hating my husband part!! hahahaha).
 
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  • #46
hperschnick said:
I had a c-section with my first so I have to have another this time. I want to wait and go into labor then go in. Too many babies I know were scheduled and ended up in the NICU because they weren't ready. Just scares the crap out of me! My first was 10 days late and so far my Dr. isn't pushing me to set a date but I told him the first day we met I wanted to wait until the baby decided it was "done". He checked me yesterday and nothing is going on down there so it could be another week or two. I'm fine with that - I love being pregnant (except for the hating my husband part!! hahahaha).

I have thinned 70% but no dilating. I went 4 days early with my first one.

My SIL had her baby last week - she ws two weeks past due and the induced. I think they missed her due date personally!
 
I think that the national average is that due dates are off by about a week or so for most women. After all, due dates - like most medicine - are just a guess... maybe a very educated and well thought out guess, but a guess just the same. And since MD's have to rely on the memory of their patients, the "medical" guess is a bit less reliable!
 
My Dr last time was convinced that my due date was set in stone. We fought the morning I went into labor because she wanted to induce and I told her the baby knew when it was done cooking. It was not pretty. I changed Drs this time and we discussed it in detail. Schedling would be more convenient but all 3 of my sisters girls were in the NICU and it is so hard to see them in there. I can be patient and let nature take it's course! We don't even know what we are having either! We are completely winging it but it's fun!
 
Two of my three were inductions (one medically necessary and one scheduled). But my OB's won't even think about a scheduled induction until you are 39+ weeks and they feel the baby will be o.k.
 
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  • #50
I prefer to go "naturally when God is finished" too but my doctor likes to schedule a date right at the end since I live 90 miles from the hospital. Mine chooses a date right on the due date, if possible I prayed with my first one that if God did not want me to be induced (and am this time too) that He would take care of it. He did, I went 4 days early.

My SIL was giving 2 different due dates and then was induced to week AFTER the last date. She had 3 miscarriages before she ws able to carry and I think that had something to do with her date being wrong. The ultrasounds were even off on the date and were off on the final wieght too. I know though, that dr's cannot tell it all for certain- her dr was different with everything though, HA!!
 
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hperschnick said:
My Dr last time was convinced that my due date was set in stone. We fought the morning I went into labor because she wanted to induce and I told her the baby knew when it was done cooking. It was not pretty. I changed Drs this time and we discussed it in detail. Schedling would be more convenient but all 3 of my sisters girls were in the NICU and it is so hard to see them in there. I can be patient and let nature take it's course! We don't even know what we are having either! We are completely winging it but it's fun!

Good for you!!
With my seccond I wanted to try for a VBAC. But the hospital where we were moving did not do them. The OB there wanted to schedule me a week before my due date. I just knew it was not what I wanted or what was right for the baby. I went to another doc at another Hospital. I was so glad I followed my instincts because DS ended up comming 2 weeks late. Ended up with another c-section but at least I went into labor on my own! I was determind to make sure he was done cookin! LOL

If I had gone with a scheduled C-section he may have ended up in the NicU.

I cheer anyone who stands up for their medical rights and goes with their gut!
 
Medically speaking - you are your own best advocate! I encourage all my preggo friends to make a birth plan and insist that hospital staff abide by it. While there are some things that must be done a certain way either due to the law or safety of the staff/other patients, there are sooo many things that can be changed based on the wishes of the patient.
 

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