Plenty of parents opt to commemorate their babies with meaningful tattoos [1], but if you're looking for something a smidge less permanent, there's a new nail trend that expectant moms can try . . . as long as they have a little bit of patience.

In the last month, ultrasound nail art – in which an unborn baby's black-and-white sonogram is delicately painted onto fingernails – has bubbled up as an emerging trend on Instagram. For many, the desire to get such a manicure is celebratory. It's the perfect accessory for baby showers and gender reveal parties. But for others, it's a small but powerful reminder of a lost pregnancy.

As one woman, who spent three years and numerous fertility treatments trying to get pregnant before finally conceiving [2], wrote: "My heart was broken when I found out my baby was no longer living and growing . . . I learned how to love him and his brief life and more forward with renewed hope. I love you, jelly bean, and seeing you on my nails makes me smile."

Whatever the reason, it's a creative way to show one's maternal love – and that's a trend worth watching.