If you've ever thought, "I really need to memorialize how adorable my tot's tushie really is," I can assure you that the only reasonable solution is to turn your baby's bum into a pumpkin come autumn and Halloween season. However, you'll need to know how to paint a pumpkin on your baby's butt safely and hygienically — because this isn't exactly something they teach you in the hospital.
In the interest of science, I scoured Pinterest and Instagram for at least an hour in search of the best methods for turning your infant's bottom into a gorgeous gourd.
As to the relative safety of this project, the experts Romper contacted were split.
But others aren't convinced of the safety. "As a mom, I love cute photo ops for babies. But as a doctor, the odds of skin irritation are very high," pediatrician Dr.
So proceed with caution. And if you're going to carry on with the activity, I cannot stress the need for non-toxic paint hard enough. If you're decorating your baby's bare derriere, you must take every reasonable precaution to ensure that no harm will come to one of their most delicate areas and that you're smart about it (test a small area to see if they have a reaction to the paint first). The last thing you want when you're just looking for a cute picture (for that scrapbook that you swear you'll get to just as soon as you can) is to inadvertently harm your child.
You could also try using something other than paint — something natural like blended sweet potatoes or carrots, or even pumpkin puree from a can for something that's non-toxic, natural, and the perfect orange.
There are a few ways to go at this if you're so inclined. The first is what I like to refer to as the "dip and dab" method. Get a paper plate and paint a thick layer of paint in a vague approximation of a pumpkin. Hold your baby as you would if you were also skilled at elimination communication (or you've just watched videos in morbid fascination), with their knees and legs up and away from their body, so the only thing hitting the paint is their booty.
If your baby is less squiggly, use either a soft bristle brush or disposable foam brush to Picasso a pumpkin on your little dumpling. If you're feeling super artsy, might I suggest a Van Gogh-style bum pumpkin? Lots of little strokes of different colors of oranges. Hey, if it makes your little one laugh, you might as well go bananas with it, right?
Also, missed opportunity alert: Why haven't I seen any family holiday Halloween photos where everyone's butt is a pumpkin? I mean, my dimply behind might lend itself to a more heirloom style of pumpkin, but it's doable.
This article was originally published on Oct. 25, 2017