How Do I Honor my Baby after a Stillbirth?

First, I'm sorry if you have lost a son or daughter. I'm sorry that you have found yourself here looking for ways to honor your stillborn baby.

As a mom to a stillborn son, I can personally empathize with these feelings. My hope is that this article gives you many ways to honor a stillborn child year around, and not just for missed milestones.

Finding ways to honor and remember your baby can be a powerful part of the healing process. My hope is that this article, also, gives you opportunities to find joy and healing in honoring your baby.

Here are some loving ways to honor your stillborn baby:

1. Create a Memory Box A memory box is a beautiful way to collect and preserve mementos and keepsakes that hold significance for you and your baby. You can include ultrasound photos, hospital bracelets, a special blanket, their baby outfit, handprints and feet prints, your child's ashes, or any other items that remind you of your precious little one. Put this memory box in a special place in your home where you can see it daily. To make it even more personalized you can get a wooden box with your baby's name engraved on the top.

2. Donate a CuddleCot to your Local Hospital You may already be familar with a CuddleCot if you used one at the hospital for your son or daughter. A CuddleCot is a unique cooling device that helps grieving parents to have the gift of time with their baby who has died. The CuddleCot helps in the preservation of your baby's body so that the breakdown of body changes happens more slowly. You could donate a CuddleCot to your local hospital in honor of your baby.

Unfortunately, when my son, Noah, was stillborn our local hospital didn't have one of these. I wish all bereaved parents had access to these so that the could have the most time with their child.

3. Plant a Memorial Garden

Consider planting a memorial garden in your backyard or another special place. Choose your baby's birth flowers or plants that hold significance to you and your family. Spending time tending to the garden can be therapeutic and provide moments of reflection and peace.

4. Create a Custom Memorial Print

A customized memorial print is an intimate way to remember your baby's special birth details and see their picture up every day in your home. Mother of Wilde's sentimental memorial prints come personalized with your baby's birth stats and photo and are a beautiful way to memorialize your child.

5. Random Acts of Generosity

Consider engaging in acts of kindness or volunteering in your community in memory of your baby. Donating to a nonprofit that supports families who have experienced stillbirth or participating in a charitable event can be a meaningful way to honor your baby's memory while making a positive impact on others.

6. Say Their Name and Tell Their Story

This may seem like an incredibly simple way to honor your baby but I promise, as a bereaved mom, it is the one that gets missed most. Saying your child's name is very important. Whether it's giving their name for your coffee order and hearing the barista yell it out loud or having open conversation in your home with your family, saying their name is important. Make it normal to talk about your baby in every day dialogue. Your baby matters. They were real and their story deserves to be told.

Honoring your baby after a stillbirth is a personal and tender journey. It's essential to allow yourself the space and time to grieve, and to embrace the healing power of remembrance.

Each tribute you create will be as unique as the bond you shared with your baby. Embrace these acts of remembrance as a way to keep your baby's memory alive and continue your love for them in a meaningful way.

This article is written by Mother of Wilde founder, Moria Rooney. Moria is a wife and mother of three. Moria and her husband, Brian, began Mother of Wilde after their second son, Noah Wilde, was unexpectedly stillborn at 35 weeks. Mother of Wilde creates custom birth prints and child loss memorials.