Blogger:  Andrea Chapman

www.hennabellies.blogspot.com

Along with healthy eating, drinking lots of water and regular prenatal appointments, many pregnant mommas-to-be are embracing belly henna to as part of their pregnancy and journey to becoming a mother.

Henna is a safe, beautiful way to temporarily decorate an expanding belly.  Some women get it done once each trimester and just before their due date to celebrate the different stages of gestation.  Henna paste – made with henna powder, lemon juice and sugar and sometimes lavender oil – has natural cooling properties and its application has a calming effect.   It is believed to draw good luck and ward off evil.  The henna is applied directly to the belly while the momma-to-be quietly relaxes.  Application takes between 30-60 minutes.  Once the paste has dried to the touch, a solution of lemon juice and sugar is applied to the design to increase adhesion to the skin and prevent the henna from flaking off.  Tape or tissue can also be applied to prevent further flaking.  The paste should remain for a minimum of 4 hours but will provide a deeper stain the longer it stays on the skin.  The temporary design can last 7-10 days and start off a light orange color, darkening to reddish brown, and disappears during your skin’s natural exfoliation process.

The designs drawn with henna vary as much as the artists themselves.  Because of its ancient and symbolic qualities, many women wonder about the religious nature of henna.  While many cultures around the world use symbols in their designs, henna can be enjoyed for its purely decorative properties, without offending its traditional heritage.  It’s more important for the design to be meaningful to the wearer, whatever it may be.  Some mommas-to-be request their initials together with the father’s to symbolize their new family or baby footprints celebrating the life is growing inside.  Many mommas-to-be wish to include photographs of the hennaed belly in their baby album.

Henna is generally safe to use during a healthy pregnancy, although you should consult your caregiver before application. Beware of “Black Henna” which contains black hair dye.  It can cause blistering, scarring and lifelong problems.  Henna should NEVER be black or have a chemical smell.  It should smell earthy and pleasant (like hay) and be brownish in color. The paste should contain only natural ingredients with the possible addition of lavender oil, and you should feel comfortable enough with your henna artist to ask about and trust their paste.

While this article focuses on belly henna, many people enjoy adorning themselves with henna to celebrate weddings, birthdays, or any special event.  It can be applied to any part of the body, but tends to last longer on the hands and feet where the skin is thicker.  Because it is temporary, it is a fun way to “try out” tattoos and can be enjoyed by both men and women.