"Child loss is not an event, it is an indescribable journey of survival" -Out of the Ashes/FB
The importance of creating memories
They help confirm the existence of the baby and it's life. It also helps confront the death.
It can be comforting to those scared they may forget about the baby.
They show how the baby looked. Having to rely on fantasy can be more frightening for the family
Allows for a positive perspective while mourning and can also allow for the recall of soothing and comforting memories.
It can be comforting to those scared they may forget about the baby.
They show how the baby looked. Having to rely on fantasy can be more frightening for the family
Allows for a positive perspective while mourning and can also allow for the recall of soothing and comforting memories.
Ideas for creating memories
- Give mother a journal to write in during this time, or a scrapbook to keep cards or remembrances in.
- Baby hat, blanket, lock of hair, pictures, foot and hand prints, all inside a box that family can open when ready.
- Encourage the family to do something like plant a tree, donate to a fund in the babies name, or write a poem are examples
- Remember to put the family in a room away from where they can hear crying of other babies if necessary
- Mark the door and chart with a flower or special door sign that signifies that they have suffered a loss, so that staff can be sensitive when approaching them.
Photos used under Creative Commons from sethbaur, Imahinasyon Photography