Pregnancy and childbirth may be “beautiful,” but not literally so. Aesthetically speaking, it’s all pretty ugly, involving a lot of goo and gore and poop. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and sometimes the beholder is a crunchy doula or a narcissistic new mother who actually looks at a placenta and doesn’t see a disembodied, dying human organ, but rather, crafting materials for a sentimental DIY project. In this day and age when everything is considered worthy of documentation, it shouldn’t be surprising that “birth art”—in which people are getting creative with the science of labor and delivery—is now a thing.
What’s getting really big is “placenta prints.” It’s basically exactly what it sounds like: bloody placentas imprinted on pieces of paper that people frame and hang up in their house somewhere. (Maybe the bathroom?) It’s something that could be a DIY project, but there are actually several services that will not only turn your placenta into a piece of art, but will also encapsulate it so you can eat it.
Image via Jip’s Page
Because the veins and cord of the placenta leaves it looking like a tree (sort of), people have begun creating “Tree of Life” pieces documented by STFU Parents, in which they paint the placenta.
Image via STFU Parents
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