Keep that bump!

It is one of the most significant times in any woman's life. And now she can commission a permanent reminder.

New parents can already take casts of their offspring's hands and feet as souvenirs of their earliest days.

But the latest trend for mothers-to-be is to create a vivid reminder of the pregnancy itself - a DIY cast of the "bump".

The casts are the idea of mother-of-one Tamera Peters, 36, from Kentish Town.

The former computer programmer had the brainwave after deciding her pregnancy bulge was worth remembering.

She said: "When I was pregnant I asked an artist who was exhibiting her work in my boyfriend's shop to do a plaster cast of my belly. It's now in the shop window. Some of the customers saw it and said they loved it and asked me if they could have the same thing."

Ms Peters has designed kits so other women can make their own casts. They cost £35 and contain simple instructions plus a photo guide, together with plaster of Paris gauze, vinyl gloves, a plastic sheet for the floor, a hook to hang up the completed cast and even an apron for the father.

She said: "You can make videos or take photos when you're pregnant but until you get something in 3D and see your belly and how big you are, you don't realise how amazing it is."

Later this year she will be showing off her business idea at a baby show at Olympia and launching a website.

She added: "Pregnancy is so amazing and you want to capture it and think 'What on earth has my body done in nine months?'.

"My family think it is great. They thought I was mad when I first had my belly-cast done but when they saw it they loved it. My son Lucas, who's three, loved it too.

"It's not difficult and it's a fun thing to do. And it is something that is fun for older siblings to help out with. You can give them a paintbrush to decorate it and they'll splodge it on so they can be part of it."