Holding A Funeral For A Baby
Posted on: 8 August 2016
One of the most difficult heartbreaks to go through is the death of an infant, whether he or she was a stillborn, passed away from sudden infant death syndrome or passed away from any other cause. After your infant has passed away, you will likely want to have a ceremony to honor his or her memory.
Choose Between Cremation And Burial
As with the death of any loved one, you will need to determine whether you will have your baby cremated or buried in a casket. Most hospitals will offer a cremation service. However, you can also have a traditional burial service through a funeral home regardless of the stage of life your child was in.
Decide Whether You Will Have A Viewing
You will need to determine whether you would like to have a viewing of your baby. Sometimes, emotions can be heightened because of the loss of someone so helpless and it may be too emotionally difficult to view the baby. Decide whether you would like to hold your baby one last time before the burial. Not every decision will work for every parent, so you will want to follow your heart.
Decide Whether To Make It Private
Like with the death of an adult, you will need to decide whether you would like the funeral to be a private event or whether you would like a larger funeral. Determine whether you would like to follow religious traditions. Make sure that you communicate with the attendees of the funeral about your wishes. For example, be clear of whether attendees will be allowed to see the baby.
Make The Funeral Unique
Every funeral should be unique and should focus on the baby and the memories that families have, even if the time with the infant was short. If the baby was a stillborn, the mother may want to talk about her experiences during pregnancy and the pain that came with losing someone she had carried. However, for some mothers, sharing this experience might be too difficult.
Choose A Casket
Baby caskets are miniature versions of adult caskets. The casket should be sized so that it is the appropriate size for a baby. Even burying a child who was miscarried is appropriate because it is a way to acknowledge the loss. A casket is a very respectful final resting place for a child and there are many design options to choose from based on what the parents would feel is appropriate. For more information or assistance, contact companies like Elmwood Casket Company.
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