**sensitive topic** Stillborn photography

I'm sorry, this topic may be distressing for some and I wasn't sure if I should post it or not. It's upsetting but I also think it's beautiful.
I never knew that organisations like this existed and I think the volunteer photographers must be just beautiful compassionate people.

Now I lay Me Down To Sleep - ~Infant Bereavement Photography~

It's an organisation that arranges to have volunteer professional photographers come to hospital after a family loses a child so that they can have photos of the baby to remember them by. They have beautiful photos and the photographers aren't paid at all. I have never heard of it at all and I'm not sure if there are other places like it but I thought I might post it so more people knew about it.

How nice and thoughtful. That truely is a gift for parents to reflect on their lost angels.

It is a gorgeous idea. I am in the process with a photographer of starting up a non for profit business doing a very similar thing. We will be doing photographs of stillborn, premature babies and terminally ill babies. All for free.

As hard as it is, sadly there is a need for such a business. My only hope is that I never have to visit any of my BB friends.

Wow Trish, that is an awesome thing to do.

there is a group of photgraphers mostly melbourne based who do this my friend is one of the I suppose head roganisers would be the name they also do pictures of children with life threatening illnesses cancer etc, they donate their time

I think it is a beautiful thing to do. The lady who did my DS's hand and feet cast also does casts for stillborns.

when my beautiful best friend sadly lost her son during labour, they had his hands and feet casts done as well, family took lots fo photos but something like this would heve been wonderful.

trish what a lovely thing for you to do, lucky there are people out there like you, bless you :)
i certainly couldnt do that, it was hard enough holding him with my DD kicking from inside me

The Australian Charity of Child Photographers.

is the name of organisation my friend is vice president of the vic group :)

Wow, that is just beautiful. Such a precious gift for those parents...

The photos I have with my son Harrison are some of my treasured memories. This is such a truely special idea that has me balling :cry:

Although a child may be stillborn, they are born still and deserved to be rememberd and treasured forevermore.

Springxx

I took some beautiful photos of Caitlyn when she was born. They are the most precious of our reminders of her. We even had them made into framed gifts for our immediate family so they could remember her tangibly too. A special memory for grieving parents.

When my friends baby was stillborn she took photos and then took them into Rabbit to be developed, and explained that they were the only photos of her DS and to please be careful with them and not be rude or coment negatively. they were lovely and didn't even charge her for them.

That's such a wonderful organisation.... for someone to donate their time like that to help the parents of stillborns/ill babies etc is just amazing....

We own a print shop and recently a young couple about our age, came in to get some photos printed and they left the disk with us. My DH opened it up and showed me that it was pictures of a stillborn.... about 20wks i'd say by guessing.. I was really disturbed by it, not in a bad way but just so emotionally shaken by it. I can't imagine what it would be like for parents to go thru this and for someone to help them by being there taking all those precious photos with such precious time they have with their young ones well that is such a gift....

Its such a wonderful gift to parents of stillborn children, we don't get to see our children grow up and the images we receive are all that we have of them, and something I cherish of my daughter Phoebe. We were lucky enough to have a midwife on staff who was a photographer the evening after we gave birth, she wasn't happy with how the midwives during the day had taken photos so she took Phoebe for about an hour, redressed her and put her in "sleeping" poses, you wouldn't know any different, she also made up a book with footprints and handprints, again she wasn't happy with how the earlier one was done, its something I am forever grateful for because you can see the difference between the two.
at the time we were not told of any organisations that did this.

When my freinds bub died 3 weeks ago from sids aged 4 weeks old the funeral lady gave them the name of a photograhper as she was upset they hadnt done any family photos, they had them done but the lady that did them was horrible charged them a $300 fee with no photos and they still havent got the photos which are another $600.

Humbling, beautiful thread. Thankyou.

Such a beautiful idea.

i think thats a beautiful idea..

my mum had a stillborn baby when i was 5 (she would have been 18 this year!) we often talk about her and say 'imagine if...' i think that has helped my mum and dad over the years.

they had some photos taken of themselves and Rebecca after she was delivered, they used their own camera, dad went straight away to develop the film.. just in case they didnt work out, and guess what, they didnt, the film hadnt been wound on properly. he actually called the hosp from the phot place and said he will be back asap and they need to take more photos.
they eventually got their photos.

i think the idea of a professional doing the photography is great, i think the people doing this are very thoughtful. i also hope anyone needs to use this service is pleased with the results.

What a lovely idea its something that is really needed as it is very hard for midwifes to be creative and take fantastic photos as it is not there specialised area, they are amazing at helping the woman and family but unless creative doesnt help with the pics.

Would be great if companys like this contacted all hospitals and could be available to do pictures at any time of the day.

Feeb, we are in the process of doing just that atm. Also wanting to leave our details at various OB's, ante natal clinics/labour wards and also funeral homes.

The shame of it all is that all too often nothing is mentioned to these poor families until its too late. We are hoping to be well known enough that when the unfortunate does happen someone will tell these familes that there are services like us to give them beautiful photographic memories of their angel babies.

Wow, I cried when I saw this website...how thoughtful...how hard it must be for parents to lose a child :cry:

I didn't know this service was available! Thanks for sharing Sarajane. So heartbreaking but necessary.

What a beautiful thing to do. Instead of feeling sad I actually feel quite uplifted that there are people out there who really care. Life is to be cherished no matter how long it lasts.

I also sat in tears when I looked at the nilmdts website.. it is truly beautiful and lovely to know that such a service exists. thank you for telling us about it.

It is something that hospitals should be aware of too, my photos were taken by the pathologist so they are very clinical. But I have never had the strength to get them developed and see them on paper because I am scared that someone that does will not see the beauty.

Thanks for posting that SaraJane. I think it is hard for anyone who has not experienced a stillbirth to appreciate just how devastating it would be; but I think looking at those beautiful photographs has just deepened my understanding much more than words ever could. Very, very moving and a terrific service.

Thanks again.

Can't stop crying, I think this is the most beautiful idea for us parents of stillborn babies. We took a few photos of our little Angel which are not the best quality but it is all we have so we treasure them dearly. Although Carly's memory is etched in my heart forever, a special portrait would definately help! Thank you for sharing this thread.