Fortunately, the gestation period is limited. However, these months play a special role in the memories. Marienn Pyko contributes with her pictures, even if they can only be seen for a short time.
Marienn Pyko takes belly brushing literally. She carefully slides the brush soaked in brown paint across Sandra Genz's bulging belly. "When we first met, I knew what motif I wanted: a little Mickey Mouse in a blue romper suit. Today I just let myself be surprised," says the 33-year-old, heavily pregnant woman from Warin in Northwest Mecklenburg. Relaxed in her deck chair, she follows how leaves sprout from the branch with the navel as a knothole and become the target of a hungry little green caterpillar.
Marienn Pyko has painted many baby bellies. The first was her sister's. "At the time she was pregnant for the second time and the time should be remembered in a special way. First we took a lot of photos until we came up with the idea of the painted stomach," recalls the 41-year-old optician from Wismar. The individual motifs were then in turn recorded in the photo. The collages created from this are still loved to be looked at in the family to this day.
"I drew the first picture with felt-tip pens, and then later tried out watercolors. I now work with professional theater make-up. It's skin-friendly, durable, but can also be easily washed off with a damp cloth or in the shower," says Pyko, who by his own admission always liked to paint, but as a working mother let her hobby lie dormant for many years. Now she lives it out in an unusual way and creates pictures of special liveliness.
"It sometimes happens that a small foot wanders over the stomach or a small fist protrudes as a slight bulge," says Pyko. Since the mothers enjoy the one to two-hour procedure, depending on the motive, it also rubs off on the well-being of the expected offspring. "What's good for me is also good for the little ones," Sandra Genz is also certain.
"It is very important that women deal with their pregnancy, deal with their bodies. And that includes certain rituals," emphasizes Kathrin Herold, chairwoman of the state midwives' association. Whether it's painted baby bellies, series of photos over the nine months or plaster casts of the round belly just before delivery, such trends are returning in waves and would benefit women and children.
"Certainly, childbirth doesn't get any easier just because a woman has her stomach painted. But there are studies that show that the intervention rates during childbirth are lower if women have prepared for it in a variety of ways," explains Herold.
What was more of a hunch when the stomach was first painted in February is now a certainty for the Genz family: After three daughters, Sandra and her husband Matthias are now having a son. "I briefly considered whether I should get involved in the choice of motif this time, but then leave it to the women," says the 34-year-old nurse. As a longtime soccer player and avowed fan of American football, he could have imagined a picture from this area, he says.
It would not be the first sports motif that she paints on a baby bump according to fatherly wishes, says Pyko. A supporter of the Hamburg football club HSV wanted the club mascot Dino and finally met with his wife's approval. The artist remembers the picture for another reason: "Instead of using white grease pencil like now, I drew the outlines on the stomach with black kajal. It was waterproof and that helped a little later when the twins were born Amazement in the delivery room," says Pyko.
With the method now used, however, it is ensured that the stomach paintings can be easily washed off and can no longer be seen by the day of the birth at the latest. Whether a cuddly teddy bear, a cookie monster, the little prince, children's feet or one of the popular Disney characters was the motif of choice.
