Dressed with Dignity Campaign in all NHS Hospitals

#dressedwithdignity Campaign (Started 2016) - What is it and why we offer this service to parents and NHS hospitals throughout England, Wales, North Ireland, and Scotland?

Did you have a tiny baby under 18 weeks?

Where you offered the chance to dress you baby with dignity?

Would you like to see this in your local area?

Come on board and work with us to help you work with you NHS Hospital to ensure that #dressedwithdignity is offered to families who endure the loss of a baby 18 weeks and under. For more information please email us at support@handmadewithlove.net

   It is so wonderful and heartfelt to see so many organisations being set up and offering parents the chance to dress their tiny babies. For many this option has only been available for 20+ weeks, but at Handmade with Love & Making Memories we have been making tiny outfits, gowns, and our beautiful forever beds for over 5 years now. With 117 volunteers from all walks of life, and all ages working together to ensure their communities can be supported, that families are given choices, and in many cases Admin or Volunteers will duplicate our work to start up their own within the hospital they work for, or their local community. As an organisation we pride ourselves in knowing our work is of a high standard and others want to replicate this, and I for one want to #dressedwithdignity in every hospital, in every EPAU, so parents have the choice to say goodbye with dignity and love. It not only helps the grieving process to begin, but prevents the heartache I endured with our son at 17 weeks and 4 days. I still have the nightmares seeing his tiny hand and foot, and not being encouraged to hold or dress him. He was taken away in a bed pan, and to this day I cannot bring myself to enter that hospital. I know over the year's of speaking with parents they have endured this pain too.

Did you know we have eco-friendly cribs that we have been using for the past 3 years, for use when a baby is going to be cremated? Each of our burial boxes contains a tiny urn for babies ashes to be returned to the parents in. As we know it is normally a cardboard box and the impact this can have upon families.

Did you know that each crib is made with donated wedding and bridesmaid dresses? Every dress sent to us is used, and not sold, to raise funds for a community project. We understand that a wedding dress is a statement of love, and how much time and energy went into choosing it. So, by turning it into tiny gowns and outfits makes it so special. We will also be opening our Wedding Donation List this August. So, please if you have a dress you would like to donate then drop us an email at support@handmadewithlove.net and a member of our Admin Team will happily add you to the list, and send out the relevant paperwork.

                    We also realised 2 years ago that it was not just about providing the special dresses, gowns, and cribs that were needed, healthcare professionals needed to be trained too. How to dress a 13 week baby, what sort of crib or wrap would support the baby. Or, how to present baby in a crib. We take for granted that all healthcare professionals are trained, and those who have endured the loss of a baby, especially under 16 weeks will happily tell you that a. they were not offered the chance to say goodbye with dignity, or b. that the healthcare professional was nervous. Which is totally acceptable, certain items, and certain ways are needed to ensure babies are preserved. To date, we have trained Sonographers, Doctors, Nurses, and Bereavement Lead nurses in how to dress and present tiny babies.

Come October the team will be delivering (free of charge) to student nurses and midwives at University level. Showing them special items they can use, or request from ourselves, as well as leaving with one of our tiny outfits and forever beds, because one day they will need this special handmade with love and care forever bed for a family.

So, it is with great honour and heartfelt that I show you one of our cribs that has been handmade with love and care, from one of our beautiful volunteer's, who has been with us and friends since Paul was around. How the 3 of us, would bounce idea's and do whatever parents want for their precious babies. This weekend a parcel arrived and was a special forever bed, for a special princess which is able to be used for her cremation.

We are self funded and our team work every single day to support, care, and deliver to families, and NHS hospitals across the UK. Due to demand we have had to reduce our workload and focus on how we can give a better service to the hospitals we work closely with. If you know someone who has experienced the loss of a tiny baby, or is going through a miscarriage, TFMR, early baby loss, then please SIGNPOST them to us. There are no charges, and our bereavement trained Admin will ensure they care cared for and speak on behalf of them if needed.

This year we will also be working with more funeral directors, as our cribs for burial fit perfectly into their tiny coffins that are used from burials, This is so babies can be transported without a bumpy ride, and can be shown to parents should they wish. Knowing they are secure and snuggled up. Our tiniest bay dressed to date was 12 weeks and they had a full burial and funeral. While there is no legal requirement for a burial, it should be the choice of the parents, as many religions forbid cremation. And... many parents are not offered the chance to choose options.

We welcome changes within the "Pathway" and also the introduction of the certificate in England of the Certificate for Pregnancy and Early Baby Loss, as this gives parents the chance to say my baby was real, my grief is validated, and this heartache I feel is no different of another parent who has lost a baby or child that is older. We never know people's journey's and no two are ever the same. Hence the reason we say each baby is unique just like their DNA.

However, you want to proceed, the choice should be from the parents, and the health professionals need to adhere to this. Policies need to change. Not only to offer this service but to support the healthcare professionals that deliver these babies every single day in the UK. 1:4 babies will be miscarried, imagine how many nurses are affected by this. They are not offered counselling or training in this field, and I for one applaud the team at @TheRoyalOldhamHospital who have worked with us to support their teams. Which is why 5 years ago we decided to set up as a CIC and let our volunteers join us and our aim to this being in every NHS hospital with our #dressedwithdignity campaign. If you would like to see this in your hospital, become an advocate, or volunteer with us to duplicate our model across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, please drop us an email or message.

#dresswithdignity #handmadewithlove #tinybabies #angelparents #Everylifemattersnomatterhowsmall #choicesmatter #griefsupport

Handmade with Love and care by our amazing volunteer's.