burial gowns

[Orangey]

I know if I lost a baby at the hospital, I sure wouldn't leave it at the hospital and have them bury it. I'd have our local funeral home come get the child and have a proper funeral and burial.

 

I'm just asking out of curiosity. I still think this is a great charity. Please don't take my question the wrong way.

 

I have a friend who lost her baby at 18 weeks, and didn't get to see her baby after it was born, it was considered a miscarriage. About 2 years ago I gave birth to a baby girl at 21 weeks and she only lived 6 hours, but she was considered a still birth. We were able to see her and hold her, once she passed the nurses helped us find a funeral home close to us and make arrangements for our baby. I think it really depends on the hospitals and their policies and your wishes. I think it's wounderful you guys make these gowns and I know it means so much to the families.

[CLLinda]

Burial gowns are something I like to make. I think it is a little hug for those families whose baby didn't live. The gowns are made with love, and a little love can help someone in this situation.

 

It can be a beautiful memory to have the baby dressed in a wonderful gown made by the hands of others.

 

When a baby dies, it is often a family member (grandma, aunt, etc.) that must look for an appropriate garment for the baby. Preemie clothes are very hard to find, and they may not be appropriate to bury a baby in.

 

Hospitals across the country accept donations for these families going through this very sad experience. I feel it is a beautiful thing to make a gown for a family.

 

Check out the Care Wear site on my signature. It has listed many places to donate gowns to, as well as hats, blankets and other items.

 

[leaette]

...and I have never heard that a funeral home supplies clothing: is that usual in the US?

 

My great aunt just passed away and my cousin who took care of all the funeral arrangements said that the funeral home has a garage full of suits or dresses (all brand new and really nice looking). She picked out a beautiful blue dress with white embroidery for my aunt. But.....like everything with a funeral....it wasn't free. She had to pay for it.

I know that you can bring your own dress/suit if you want but my aunt didn't have anything nice. So I guess it's a service the funeral home provides for people that don't have nice clothes.

 

As for kids and baby clothing, I don't know if they have anything for them.

 

Again...I was just wondering because I don't know of anyone who lost a child before.

[terrijo]

I read about these gowns last Friday and thought how sad it would be to lose a baby. Friday afternoon my son called and said that my pregnant dil had tested positive for trisomy18. It's a chromosone defect that causes failure to thrive and almost all babies that have this either are stillborn or only live a very short time. She is scheduled for an amnio test tomorrow. We won't know the results for a week. Please keep them in your thoughts.

[Needle Arts]

When I make these, I include a crocheted star trimmed in pink or blue to be given to the family. My sister lost a baby at 28 weeks and I made her burial bunting. My sister kept her star and placed it on their Chistmas Tree or near her Bible until her death. We then buried the star with my sister.

 

Thank you to each and everyone of you that accept this ministry.

[kookykatlady]

the charity listed in my signature accepts burial gowns of all sizes.. and provides them at no cost to families that need them. i am working toward getting a funeral home here to accept some gowns to have on hand should the need arise for one. i am so sorry for your loss, and will keep you in my prayers.

[NanaM3]

When I make these, I include a crocheted star trimmed in pink or blue to be given to the family. My sister lost a baby at 28 weeks and I made her burial bunting. My sister kept her star and placed it on their Chistmas Tree or near her Bible until her death. We then buried the star with my sister.

 

Thank you to each and everyone of you that accept this ministry.

 

What a WONDERFUL idea about including a star ... I will do this, too from now on:angel

[cjansen]

I have to say this is has opened my eyes. I work in Hospice but these babies tear at my heart. I will be making them for the special care nursery at my hospital. I have some gown pattern from the web. but she was talking about gowns for 7" long babies. any ideas?

[Ellie 13]

I made a few approx. 18 X 22 in. baby blankies for stillborns. So the parents can wrap the baby. They get to keep it or use it for burial. I saw a gown that looked like the christening gowns they used 100 yrs. ago. I don't think they anticipated death, only a christening. It worked either way.

Ellie 13

[darski]

I have to say this is has opened my eyes. I work in Hospice but these babies tear at my heart. I will be making them for the special care nursery at my hospital. I have some gown pattern from the web. but she was talking about gowns for 7" long babies. any ideas?

 

Aunt B's Yahoo group has patterns including an Angel Wrap

 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/abpatterns/

 

Look in the files section.

[darski]

I was looking for this yesterday but couldn't find it... it was bookmarked... well duh!

 

http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/burial-gown-tips.html

[cjansen]

thanks, I am going to sort through my yarn for baby weight white for now and ask about other colors later.

[apecaut]

I had a full-term little girl stillborn this past summer so I think I can provide some insight into this topic. The reason they want really soft yarns is because once the baby passes away their skin becomes very fragile. So fragile that rough surfaces will cause their skin to flake. My daughter passed a few hours before she was born but even then had very fragile skin. And in my experience the nurses encouraged us to dress our little girl, she wasn't taken and dressed for us.

 

I was lucky in that I had already knit a special outfit for her to come home in and we used that as her burial outfit. It was so much easier letting her go to the funeral home knowing that she was wrapped in something I made with my own two hands with love. We also received a hand crocheted blanket for her from a local charity. I really appreciated it. So any of you who do this it means SO much to the parents. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Each item you make tells the parents that someone loved their little one enough to put a lot of love into a blanket, burial gown, hat, whatever.

[knitcrochetandpray]

Darski,

 

Thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU, for the Aunt B Angel Wrap pattern. The Lord has but it on my heart to crochet burial clothing this year. I saw a knitted version of the Angel Wrap and searched all over for one to crochet. I had given up and figured I would just have to try and wing it (no pun intended) and when I finally had time to visit here today (after a looooooong time away) I found this thread. I am going to go start one right now. Thank you and God bless you!!!

 

Joanna

[darski]

Darski,

 

Thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU, for the Aunt B Angel Wrap pattern. The Lord has but it on my heart to crochet burial clothing this year. I saw a knitted version of the Angel Wrap and searched all over for one to crochet. I had given up and figured I would just have to try and wing it (no pun intended) and when I finally had time to visit here today (after a looooooong time away) I found this thread. I am going to go start one right now. Thank you and God bless you!!!

 

Joanna

 

You are very welcome. I know that feeling about God giving us this ministry. I knew the minute I first saw a pattern for a burial gown that I would have to make one.

 

I am focusing on Babies myself this year and I just may be able to make something for this ministry area. My main focus is our Pregnancy Support Centre but it couldn't hurt to have a couple of wraps or even gowns .

[CLLinda]

I made a set last year and entered it in the county fair, to make some awareness that these are needed.

 

I try to make some to donate each year.

 

[hexy27flyer]

What a beautiful thing to do. I would get involved in a group that did this. Just to know that your baby would be warm and wrapped in love has to help just a little. I lost an older son and I alway wonder if he is warm. I know that probably sounds dumb but I always wonder when it is cold outside if he is warm!!!

 

Thanks for sharing this.

 

Steffi

[kookykatlady]

i have made many burial gowns, have not made the angel bears tho. i am making the teeny tiny cradle ornaments to put inside memory boxes that go to the mommies to keep their angel's keepsakes in. wouldl love to find some patterns for angel bears.

[nana_k]

I made a set last year and entered it in the county fair, to make some awareness that these are needed.

 

I try to make some to donate each year.

 

 

 

What a wonderful thing to do! This past July my grandson Sam was born and lived for just 63 minutes. We'd known for 10 weeks that he wasn't going to survive, and I was able to make a pretty blue gown for him to be buried in. It was such a blessing to be able to do that for my daughter and son-in-law, as well as for little Sam. Since then I've made a few and donated to the hospital where he was born, along with tiny blankets and hats and booties. The nurses there as so appreciate of having them available to offer when the need unfortunately arises. Hospice also accepts them here, I don't know if they do everywhere or not.

[darski]

I made a set last year and entered it in the county fair, to make some awareness that these are needed.

 

I try to make some to donate each year.

 

 

Thank you for this. this is an important ministry and you probably made quite a few people aware of this need.

[peggytoes]

I just ordered the following little Christening Gown and if it's not too hard,

will make up some for burial gowns. What mother wouldn't love to see

her little girl buried in this precious little gown: ... MAYBE I could make

some little Berenguer dolls/bears with the same gown and cap for the parent

to take home.