Celebrate motherhood with a replica of that bodacious belly

ENDERBY – Being a mom all starts with nine months of carrying a small, growing human being inside of you, so what better way to celebrate the special, transformative time than with a personalized belly cast?

The keepsakes are all the rage and Enderby artist Marli Luff has expecting mother’s in the Okanagan area covered with her business, Bodacious Bellies.

“The first cast I did was when I was pregnant with my twin boys. Now they’re five and when I put it on, they comment ‘You were so big,’” she says with a laugh. “It is amazing to look at your belly cast after your baby is born and realize how much your body changed in nine months.”

She’s since made around 40 belly casts for other women, each one a completely unique replica of a mother’s pregnant form. The casts are made with plaster and are built to last a lifetime, Luff says. While some women may feel the pressure of weight-gain during pregnancy as something less than desirable, Luff insists it's something to be proud of. 

“When I look back, carrying a child was one of the most special times of my life,” the mother of four says.

With her Fine Arts training, Luff makes each cast into a work of art. Some feature painted scenes of where the mother and father met, others with footprints of their baby, or ultrasound pictures.

She says many people buy belly casting sessions for expecting mothers as a gift, particularly for those on their second or third child.

“People want to give them something they don’t already have,” Luff says. “It makes a great gift.”

And for Luff, the home-based business allows her to focus on the greatest job of all.

“I get to be a stay at home mom until my children are in school,” she says.

You can see more of Luff's work here.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.