If you are comfortable with the director's level of awareness and sensitivity, arrange to make a visit. Upon arrival, consider the options that they have available to you. Remembering important issues such as location, flexibility of service options, coordination options with clergy and the cemetery you have chosen, and payment arrangements. Be sure to make your memorial desires clear to the director so they are able to coordinate the schedule and other arrangements according to your wishes.

If it is too difficult for you to deal directly with the funeral director, find a family member or support group volunteer who you can speak with and ask them to communicate and coordinate your requests for the memorial service on your behalf.

Options

Funerals

There are two types of funerals. One is with your child's body present so that family members and friends may have the opportunity to say good bye, the other is without your child's body present. You may chose an open or closed casket viewing. If you choose to have your child's body present, consider decorating his or her casket with pictures of his or her family, stuffed animals or toys, flowers and other items of memorial. A common myth surrounding a burial is that all bodies must be embalmed. This is your decision. Express your questions and concerns to your director.

If you are considering cremation, think about what you would like to do with your child's ashes before acting on your final decision. Most bereaved parents who cremate are very comfortable with their decision. If you do cremate, you may keep the ashes in an urn at your home, you may bury the ashes (interred) with a memorial headstone or you may scatter the ashes at a special location. If you choose to scatter the ashes, we strongly recommend that you save a small portion of the ashes to keep. There are special boxes, charm necklaces and mini urns that are available to keep a small portion of the ashes in. If you decide to cremate, you may still have a memorial service for family and friends. It is a crucial component in the bereavement process.

If you are feeling pressured into cremation either by a lack of funds, lack of time or sheer confusion surrounding the decision making process, please ask someone professionally to assist you in that decision so you do not have regrets later.

Some parents express that they feel cheated if they do not have a special place to go and care for their child's body. An occasional visit to the cemetery where your child is buried or the ashes are placed can have a special healing effect, as many parents have expressed. It is a place to go on your child's birthday or Christmas to remember your child or even just a serene place to go and gather your thoughts.

It is an individual decision, however, either way we recommend much consideration be given to this subject.

It is important to have a memorial service whether you have made the decision to bury or cremate. You may choose where to have the service, for example you may have it at the funeral home, at the cemetery or even at your home. If you have made the decision to scatter your child's ashes in a special location, you may have a memorial service, called a committal service at that special location.

Please include siblings in the memorial service. Offer them an opportunity to speak, read a letter or a poem to their brother or sister. Encourage siblings to draw a picture or write a letter and allow them to place it in the casket with their sibling. Also, choosing a special toy or memorial item from home is helpful. Older siblings may want to help carry the casket at the cemetery. By including siblings in the service, it will grant them the realization of the death of their baby and also give them special memories they will carry their lifetime.

The memorial service can be directed by your clergyman or woman, a staff member of the funeral home or even a friend or family member. Please consider a video tape of the service and photographs. It may be painful to look at them right away after the death of your child, however, someday you may want to have it available to you. Consider songs that you would like to have played, poetry read in memory of your child and even having your child baptized if you are religious and had not yet done so in the hospital.

Ideas for a Special Goodbye:

1. Be careful to choose a special song to eulogize your child. Listen to the words several times and make sure they have meaning to you. Print the words to the song on special paper and hand them out to friends and family at the memorial service.

2. Bring a special stuffed animal such as a lamb, toys from siblings, cards and letters from siblings, a special necklace for your child to be buried with. Choose a special outfit (perhaps the siblings could assist in choosing the outfit) and a special blanket. Don't forget booties and perhaps a bonnet or headband (for a girl). Be sure they have removed your child's identification bracelet prior to burial for you to keep.

3. If you elect to have a spiritual leader or pastor speak at the memorial service, it is a good idea to limit the sermon to 15 minutes maximum. You have permission to ask about the format or outline.

4. If at all possible, mom and dad should try to write a letter to the child. The letter should be read by a close friend or family member on behalf of the parents. The letter should be about the feelings of grief, loss and love for the child. Also, chose a special poem or two as a eulogy.

5. Open casket services help to make an infant more "real" to others.

6. Spend time holding and rocking your child prior to the service. You certainly can take the baby out of the casket and hold him or her. This is still your child.

7. Ask others to send stuffed animals or toys instead of flowers. After the services, you can donate to a local charity on behalf of your child (see Kindness Project.)

8. Make a tape of your own favorite songs so you are not limited to the choice of the funeral home. (see songs list on Cherish Corner)

9. The parents should strongly consider closing the casket for the final time.

10. In some instances, the parents can ride to the cemetery in the hearse, with the child.

11. The family can request to shovel the first dirt. This is a therapeutic ritual for many. Guests may also take a handful of dirt and sprinkle it onto the grave. You may stay with your child until the cemetery staff have completely buried your child.

12. A balloon release is a warm tribute to the significance of the child's life. Consider this ritual at the very end of the ceremony.

13. If possible, a ceremony at sundown is beautiful. Consider a graveside unity candlelight service. This is a service where one larger candle is lit, and each person lights their candle off the main unity candle in honor of the child.