Expectant parents are no longer satisfied with framing a ultrasound photo of their unborn baby. The big new trend in 2016 is a 3D printed foetus for the mantelpiece.

The days of framing a photo of an ultrasound of your unborn baby are over. You can now buy a 3D printed model of your unborn child instead.

Channel Mum, a parenting website based in the UK, has thrown the spotlight on a popular new trend for 2016 — a 3D printed foetus, to forever preserve a replica of the child developing in the womb.

Parents can either opt for a full body scan, or they can simply opt for just a model of the head and face. Either way, it’s a peculiar object that only a mother could love.

Who Wants a 3D Printed Foetus?

Several companies have sprung up to offer this special service. One is the private scan company Baby:Boo, which has branched out into 3D printing of a scan which is done at 28 weeks when the baby is fully formed.

Katie Kermode, who owns Baby:Boo, told the Daily Mirror: “People do think it’s a little odd but it’s similar to creating casts of baby’s feet or hands. It’s actually a really lovely keepsake to cherish.”

Another company 3d-babies, offers a similar service, but this time they super-impose the features, skin-tone and gender of your little cherub onto an artistic representation of the foetus, which can be fixed in several poses against paraphernalia like cupcakes and flowers.

According to their website: “Using technology, we capture a parent’s loving feelings and excitement about the birth. We want all parents to feel the joy that we and our customers experience and prolong it, using this combination of science and emotion.”

If you’re a bit perplexed as to what you should be using your 3D printed foetus for, they’ve even created a handy list to help which includes; artistic sculpture for your display case, memorabilia for baby’s room, centerpiece for baby shower, sharing the news of your pregnancy, and a gender reveal party.

Parenting in the 21st century is a complex business!