Celebrate your pregnancy with henna adornment!
Prenatal henna is an opportunity to honor
a woman’s transition into motherhood,
to celebrate her changing body,
and bless the upcoming birth of her child.
This sacred rite of passage is the perfect occasion to mark with art and photography. The henna will last a week or two, but the photos will last forever.
Natural henna is safe and has been used by women for women for thousands of years. The henna plant grows in hot, arid climates - throughout Africa, India and the Middle East.
I mix up my own henna paste to guarantee high quality. Poor quality henna may not even contain henna at all - just industrial dyes and other dangerous chemicals. My hand mixed henna paste is created with these ingredients:
Henna powder
Black tea
Sugar
Lavender or Eucalyptus essential oil .
Through time women have celebrated each other's pregnancies with unique rituals. In many cultures henna is offered as a calming and therapeutic gift, leaving the expectant mother relaxed and honored.
Traditionally, henna is applied during any sort of big life change and is meant to offer protection and bring good luck.
Pregnancy henna can include traditional themes of
mandalas,
paisleys
and floral elements
Every belly painting is unique, and can incorporate
meaningful symbols,
specific flowers,
trees,
animals,
baby footprints.
Scroll through this page to see many examples of my work.
In my 20 years as a henna artist, I have adorned over 1,000 women in the Boulder area and created several books and magazines focused on motherhood. It’s my passion!
A 3rd trimester belly makes a wonderful canvas and is definitely the most popular time to be adorned for pregnancy. Of course, you can receive henna at any point in your pregnancy and on most any part of your body. Traditionally, hands and feet were painted - it’s a modern twist to apply henna to the belly.
How close you want to plan the henna session to come to your due date is up to you. I personally recommend 4 weeks before your estimated date of birth, so that you don’t miss the chance to get it done. However, women sometimes choose to be adorned a few days before they are expected to go into labor, which can result in spectacular images if you catch it just right.
Monet had her pregnancy celebration very close to her due date thinking she had at least a week or two before her baby arrived.
These photos are from Monet’s blog, taken by RAW photography and Jennifer Mason Photography.
Monet began labor just 2 days after I had adorned her with henna - it was peaking in color as she gave birth. What a blessing!
She had a wonderful team of people supporting her and the photos and video from her birth are marvelous.
Read Monet’s story on her blog of the whole experience:
Monet is an incredible birth photographer herself and her site is full of her beautiful photos.
Also, check out this gorgeous birth video!
Her video was taken by www.capturedbybrezi.com
In 2023 I had adorned this beautiful mama-to-be (pictured above) and she gave birth just a few days later. My assistant and I arrived at her home when her baby was just a few days old to photograph this brand new family. Read about it and see more photos on my blog.
An artistic pampering session for pregnancy can be a private session, offering a woman cherished time for herself during what can be a profoundly emotional time of her life.
Women enjoy reclining in my comfortable tattoo chair, watching me create a customized and intricate design. Some close their eyes and relax in a kind of meditative rest.
Most sessions last a couple of hours. I can also create smaller designs in an hour. Larger, more detailed work can take 3+ hours.
Henna adornment can also be a part of group celebrations. Perhaps include a friend or family member, or if there’s energy for it - I invite you to create a gathering of your closest friends & family.
Daughters LOVE to join in and receive henna with their mothers.
My Art studio has a bathroom and kitchen, and can accommodate groups of up to 15. I am also available to come to your home for the gathering.
Baby showers, Mother Blessing ceremonies and Baby Belly blessings are all powerful times to be adorned with henna.
People of Native American heritage have a special ceremony incorporating their traditions called a Blessing Way.
I have been to hundreds of these woman centered events and it is a magical experience the way henna brings a group together.
After I adorn the mother-to-be, I go around the circle and offer henna to each guest (over 6 years of age).
This kind of ritual art ties the group together in a unique way and over the coming days they will look at their henna tattoos and remember the ceremony. These celebrations often last 2 to 3 hours.
If you are creating a special ritual for a group, you may want to hire a ritual facilitator. There are many incredible women in the area who know the rhythms of the ritual and can lead a group gracefully through it. Their experience can create a deeper meaning for your event.
Check out this blog post I created with photos from an incredible Mother Blessing that was facilitated with such grace and love.
https://www.sarahkatebutterworth.com/blog-1-1/a-sacred-rite-of-passage
One of the oldest symbols of protection is the Hamsa, which looks like an open hand - the hand of the goddess. It dates back over 2,000 years and originated from Africa and the Middle East. When the Hamsa is facing downwards, as it is on this beautiful pregnant belly (above), it symbolizes good things coming into your life and is a blessing for fertility.
Group photos are a beautiful way to capture your circle of loved ones! A reminder of who gathered to support a woman on her journey into motherhood is a powerful image that women cherish.
These gatherings of women just make my heart break open. It’s such an incredible thing to witness women coming together to support each other, to bless a new mother, to be in ritual together.
Are you part of a pregnancy class of some kind? It can be really fun to get your bellies all done together - everyone gets a little something special.
I love photographing my art, and a brief complimentary photo session is included with every pregnancy session.
This is important to me because if I didn’t capture the art (the pregnant belly is my absolute favorite canvas), I will probably never see it again.
Every session includes 4 finished, watermarked images that are sent in an email a few days after your appointment. These images will remain private, though of course you are welcome to print and share them as you wish.
Make an appointment for a henna pampering session!
Simply send me a text at 303-345-1516
Or email SKB@SarahKateButterworth.com
Henna pampering sessions in my Boulder Art Studio are $100/hour and include
a unique, creative henna design
a brief, complimentary photo shoot
4 watermarked images sent via email.
Henna Parties in your home or other locations start at $300 and include
travel to your location (in the Boulder area)
2 hours of henna adornment
a brief, complimentary photo shoot
4 watermarked images sent via email.
Additional henna is billed at $100/hour.
Photo packages begin at $500 and include
30 minutes of photography in my beautiful photo studio
A variety of backdrops and wardrobe options
20 finished images sent via email as ready-to-print high resolution unwatermarked digital files.
A printed book with all 20 images mailed to the mother.
Premium photo packages begin at $1100 and include
30 minutes of photography in my beautiful photo studio
A variety of backdrops and wardrobe options
30 minutes of photography at a gorgeous outdoor location
30 finished images sent via email as ready-to-print high resolution unwatermarked digital files.
A printed book with all 30 images mailed to the mother.
There are so many beautiful places all around the Boulder area for us to visit to photograph you and your family.
Add another photo session on for when the henna is peaking in color, 2 or 3 days later, for $500 (indoor only) or $1100 (indoor and outdoor photos).
Please note: the price for photos does not include the cost of henna adornment.
Design Ideas for Pregnancy:
Please take screenshots when you see design ideas that you like. During your henna pampering session, show me all your ideas and tell me what you like about each one and I can create a unique design from there.
I love to draw and have lots of ideas all flowing together in my sketch books.
I have drawn ideas for each kind design request that I commonly get (keep scrolling to see these design ideas) and I’m happy to show you some drawings during your session.
I don’t publish these raw drawings online much at all.
Tree
The most popular design request is for a tree, often the Tree of Life.
Pregnant women often feel like their family tree is growing and want a visual representation of this, with children represented as birds or butterflies.
Others feel that it speaks to the interconnectedness of all life on earth. It can also be seen as representing the cycle of life and death.
The Moon
Many women feel pulled by the moon and want me to adorn them with the phases of the moon, because their body is also changing and in a new phase - the full moon of motherhood. The moon is a powerful symbol of feminine energy.
Many ancient cultures revered the moon as a sacred goddess responsible for fertility and the birth of new life.
Lotus Flower
Another very popular request is for a lotus flower, which to many women represents the Divine. It is considered one of the most sacred plants on earth. Each evening the lotus flowers close up and retreat to the murky waters and then return at sunrise to bloom again - sparkling clean and beautiful. For this they are considered a symbol of rebirth and purity.
They also represent resilience, because a lotus seed can withstand years without water and then germinate successfully.
Many women have used the visualization of their cervix opening up like a lotus flower and want that reminder on their body.
Mandalas
The center of the mandala represents the seed, the beginning of all life and growth. It expands outward in symmetry and balance, symbolizing the universe in its ideal form. The circular shape demonstrates the concept of wholeness and the cyclical nature of our lives.
When I create a mandala, I love to add lots of extra flowers, leaves and other swirling lines extending from it to fill up the belly and create a unique design.
Check out this beautiful mandala design I did in 2023! See all the photos on my blog and read the details of her experience.
https://www.sarahkatebutterworth.com/blog-1-1/mandala-opening-up
Flowers
To me, flowers represent that feeling of being in bloom, feeling an abundance of beauty.
Some women aren’t sure what they want, and I offer to doodle on them. When I doodle with henna, it often comes out as one flower after another, leaves and swirls.
Mountains
Because we live in Colorado, many women want me to include mountains in their design. It also represents a love of nature and the great journey that motherhood is.
Often the mountains are just the very tip of the design, with requests for a forest, a river, and the kind of animals you might find in the Colorado Rockies. Eagles, hawks, deer, moose, bears, rabbits…. even chickens have found their place in my intricate landscape designs.
Here’s a henna design from 2023 that included the prompts
moose
spruce
acorn
See more photos on my blog and hear the reason for these symbols.
https://www.sarahkatebutterworth.com/blog-1-1/moose-spruce-and-acorn
Elephants
Many mothers admire elephants for being matriarchal. The oldest, most dominant female is the backbone of the herd because she provides stability and determines the ranging patterns for the rest of the group. They are very nurturing creatures and protective of their offspring - which gestate for 22 months - the longest of any mammal on earth. When the babies are born, they weigh 200 pounds! Elephant mothers display outward expressions of love and comfort, and they work as a tribe to keep the little ones safe.
An elephant in the henna design can represent a woman’s strong connection to her family as well as her ability to lead the family with strength and grace.
The elephant is also a scared creature associated with Ganesh - the opener of doorways and remover of obstacles.
More Meaningful designs
Often the meaning behind a design comes directly from a woman’s experience, not another source. One mother wanted whales because she conceived while on vacation in Hawaii. Another wanted horses because she rides and raises horses. Roses were requested in the design because her daughter’s name will be Rose.
There does not have to be an official meaning for a design to be important to the mother.
See the photos from this maternity henna involving a leaping horse on my blog:
https://www.sarahkatebutterworth.com/blog-1-1/horse-leaping-in-the-meadow-under-the-moon
As you can see, adorning pregnant women is my passion.
To book your session, simply send me a text
303-345-1516
Or email
SKB@SarahKateButterworth.com
See my current art work on my blog: