Belly Casting
The Birth
of your baby is special and
Mary the Midwife would like
to help mold your maternity
memories by creating a
lasting sculpture of your
pregnancy with a belly cast.
Women are making belly casts as a celebration that honors the profound experience of pregnancy.
A belly cast is for you and your family to cherish now and future generations.
All of Mary’s clients will receive a FREE belly casting kit to ensure that those memories can endure!
Pregnancy
is a precious time that you
should always capture in
photographs.
Have your partner or an artistic friend snap some shots of your growing belly and baby.
If you decide to have professional photos done, Mary recommends the following:
Always have your camera or camcorder ready for the big “birth” day as well. Having those images of you and your new baby are priceless.
Excerpts from the book, “Birthing From Within,” By Pam England
One kind
of learning comes from
books. But the learning
necessary for you to
participate completely in
your birth must come from
you. In making birth art or
journaling, just bringing an
image to light can be
surprisingly revealing (and
sometimes healing).
Listening to it speak to you can tell you even more. A woman’s birth story, myths or fantasies expressed in drawings can include details, affect, and symbols that might never be expressed in conversation. In drawings she is able to express vividly her innermost beliefs, and recall perceptions and memories without confining them to the limitations of the spoken word.
What
Mothers and Fathers Learn
from Making Birth Art
Four
things stand out from
helping mothers explore
their art.
The first is that pregnant women unconsciously accept scientific and or television images of birth. Few women acknowledge or even know what their own image of birth is. Yet it is their images, whether ignored or acknowledged, that will determine how they prepare for and experience pregnancy and birth.
Second, while exploring their birth art women often realize the value of spiritual and psychological support from other women during pregnancy and labor, and begin to seek or welcome that support.
Third, during the quiet, reflective process of making birth art, mothers become more aware of their unborn baby. They report more maternal feelings and a greater sense of bonding.
And finally, women express gratitude to be heard, acknowledged and given time to reflect on their inner process.
For more on what you may need and inspiration to get you started
What you will need: Art Materials · Paper: Large paper encourages artistic freedom; try 11”x17” or 18”x 24” · Crayons: Get a box of regular size and try fat crayons too they help express the “big picture.” · Pastels: A box of 8 – 12 colors. Note: These are a favorite. You may enjoy the soothing feeling of blending the soft pretty colors with your fingers. You can also “ paint” a pastel drawing with a wet brush. · Paint: Acrylic, watercolor, tempera or fingerpaint. · Brushes: One or two big brushes will allow, free movement while painting (the same feeling and movement your body-mind needs in birth). Don’t limit yourself by using those scrawny little brushes that come in the paint box! · Colored Pencils: There are soft and hard lead to choose from. Colors blend and shade more easily with soft leads. Some pencils turn to water colors when touched with a wet brush. These are great for journaling. · Clay: Basic gray clay is cheap and can be bought ready to use in 5 to 20 lb. bags. · Sculpting Tools: You can but an inexpensive set of tools or use kitchen utensils (chopstick, garlic press, rolling pin, fork, and spoon and so on).
You don’t need to buy everything on the list to get started. Choose a few that appeal to you and begin.
Try This:
Begin
With
A
Doodle
Doodling
and
scribbling
are
a
good
way
to
warm
up
your
imagination
and
drawing
muscles.
If
you’re
not
used
to
the
art
media,
play
with
them
and
discover
what
they
can
do
as
you
doodle.
Following
the
instructions
below,
make
a
doodle
using
as
many
colors
as
you
want.
So
to
begin,
relax
let
your
eyes
partly
or
even
completely
close.
Become
aware
of
the
movement
or
stillness
within
you.
What
are
you
feeling
in
your
body
and
heart
at
this
moment?
Is
the
sensation
warm/cold,
sluggish/alert,
happy/sad,
tense/soft
or
open/closed?
Notice
any
thoughts
that
come
up,
then
gently
let
them
go.
When
you
are
ready,
take
up
your
crayon,
pastel
or
paint
brush
and
begin
flowing
onto
the
paper.
Let
the
movement
or
intensity
in
your
body-mind
mach
the
movements
as
you
work.
After
you
are
finished,
sit
back
and
contemplate
your
doodle.
What
is
the
feeling
in
it?
It
may
feel
slow,
fast,
flowing
or
constricted.
Does
this
match
what’s
happening
within
you?
Just
observe
your
doodle,
don’t
critique
it.
Continue
gazing
at
your
doodle
until
you
see
an
image
(turn
the
paper
around
if
necessary).
Then
outline
or
highlight
it
with
a
contrasting
color.
Next
for
the
Gentle
Exploration
Guidelines.
What
To
Do
Before
jumping
into
making
Birth
Art,
take
a
few
minutes
to
quiet
your
mind.
Entering
a
meditative,
receptive
state,
rather
than
a
goal
oriented
one,
heightens
creativity.
Images
which
speak
to
us
truthfully
and
eloquently
surface
when
we
are
not
trying
to
make
them
happen.
There
is
no
need
to
bring
anything
extra
to
this
process.
Just
as
natural
labor
unfolds
spontaneously,
regardless
of
an
individual’s
intention,
so
should
making
birth
art.
Bringing
an
intention
to
create
something
fantastic
or
original,
or
trying
to
impress
someone,
does
not
enhance
the
process.
Save
your
Birth
Art.
Date
it
and
make
a
note
describing
the
symbols,
colors
and
what
it
means
to
you.
Take
any
or
all
of
your
Birth
Art
to
your
birth
room
to
inspire
you.
Later,
you
and
your
child
might
enjoy
looking
at
what
you
made
preparing
for
his/her
birth.
What You Can Do
See how many
ways you can
creatively
express and
explore the
following
through Drawing,
Painting,
Sculpting,
Writing or even
a Dance!
Pregnant Woman How do you see yourself as a Pregnant Woman? Being Pregnant What is being pregnant like for you? (a physical experience, a spiritual feeling, a thought or even an abstract image) Fantasy of Labor and Birth What is your fantasy of labor and birth? (realistic or completely imaginary, physical or emotional?) Journey/Landscape of Birth Imagine your birth as a journey through a landscape; it could be water, earth, sky, forest, desert or anything else? What’s the weather like? What and who would you want with you on your journey? Door to Birth If there were a secret door to birth, to giving birth, what would it look like? What’s behind, around, or in front of it? Is anyone in the picture? The Opening Create an image that will help your body relax, open and bring your baby into this world. Drawing on Your Animal Nature What animal do you associate with “easy birthing” or “good mothering?” Artist-Historian Imagine you are an artist-historian showing someone form another planet or culture what birth in our culture is like. Your assignment is to record in a drawing, or a series of drawings, how women give birth in this time and place. Draw the birthplace and illustrate the customs. If there are people at births, show what they are doing there. Facing Fear Everybody has some fear about there upcoming birth. Freely express what you most fear happening in labor. Transformation of Fear If what you fear were to occur, draw or write how you would cope with that reality. A Womb with a View Imagine you could take a peek through a window in your womb. What is your baby doing in his or her womb all day? What does he\she look like? See? Hear? feel? 12. Closing Mandala This project has been a big hit with parents during their last child birth class. Cut a circle, of whatever size seems best with you , out of cardboard, poster board or foam board. On it use collage words, drawings, or painting to portray the fallowing themes: the relationship between you and your pregnant belly, the unity between you and your baby, and or the learning from the class (or this book) you’ll want to take with you.
A
Gentle
Exploration
Process
Stand
back
and
quietly
look
at
the
art.
Be
curious.
Notice
what
you
may
not
have
seen
first.
Concentrate
on
the
feeling
in
the
drawing
or
writing.
What
was
the
feeling
when
you
were
making
this
drawing/
sculpture/poem/dance?
Is
there
a
story,
a
time,
or
place,
behind
this
drawing?
Is
this
the
beginning,
middle
or
end
of
this
story?
Was
there
anything
surprising
to
you
in
this
image?
Is
there
anything
that
doesn’t
make
sense
to
you?
Is
there
anything
you
wish
you
had
included
in
the
drawing?
What
might
the
missing
part
symbolize
about
your
life?
Is
there
more?....
Draw
or
paint
the
next
image
in
the
story.
