We hope that you find something on here that will help you in your grief journey.
ONLINE SUPPORT
Faces of Loss, Faces of Hope
http://facesofloss.com/
A compilation of stories written by mothers who have experience pregnancy/infant loss; also includes a community forum, advice sections, pen pal options, and so much more.
Carly Marie Project Heal
http://carlymarieprojectheal.com/
A grieving mother's blog; my favorite part of her page is the artwork she does with our angel babies' names on the beach. She has a sign-up section for sunset names, sand butterflies, sunset butterflies, natural stone butterflies, and peace doves. The profile picture that I've had on my personal Facebook for a while was actually done by her. She has a ton of other stuff on her page, as well.
Sweet Pea Project
http://www.sweetpeaproject.org/
This has to be one of my favorite resources. The mama/founder of this project, Stephanie, is such an amazing woman. She keeps up with her blog, collects blankets for her project, has written an incredible book (Still.) expressing her roller coaster of feelings throughout the first year after the loss of her precious daughter, and so much more. If anyone is interested in reading it, I have a copy that you are more than welcome to use! I really encourage you to spend some time going through her page; I have been able to relate to her in so many ways and it has helped immensely.
Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep
http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/
Everyone that I know who has come in contact with NILMDTS cannot say enough good things about this organization. Although I don't have any personal experiences with them, I know that they have a forum for bereaved parents and a place where you can share the pictures that NILMDTS took of your baby.
Healing Hearts
http://www.healingheart.net/
This is a wonderful monthly newsletter that is mailed to you, provided free of charge for the first year that includes stories of hope, how to cope with your grief and connects you with other bereaved parents in a multitude of situations.
Grieve Out Loud
http://grieveoutloud.org/
A wonderful organization that provides a safe place for bereaved parents to connect to each other and share their stories and their grief. Each month they also host a real gift exchange between parents (for those who have special milestones like a birthday, anniversary or due date).
National SHARE
http://www.nationalshare.org/
An organization based out of St. Charles, Missouri, they have a wonderful website where you can share your story, honor your loved ones through memorial bricks, find helpful information on grief, read their newsletters and connect to other bereaved parents.
Rowan Tree Foundation
http://www.rowantreefoundation.org/
A Colorado based organization that provides support and resources for bereaved parents. Has an online community, resources, memorial items and more.
BOOKS
"Empty Cradle, Broken Heart: Surviving the Death of Your Baby" by Deborah L. Davis
This book is a guide for grief in how to deal with others, how to talk to children about your loss, how to incorporate your loss into your life and so much more.
"Losing Malcolm: A Mother's Journey Through Grief" by Carol Henderson
This book is about a mother who had a full term "normal" baby. Shortly after his birth, it was discovered he had a critical heart murmur. After several trips to the PICU, Malcolm ultimately succumbed to his illness. In the book, the author describes her journey through grief with her husband, her family and through her journey in parenting other children.
"Still." by Stephanie Page Cole
This book is about a mother expressing the roller coaster of feelings throughout the first year after the loss of her precious daughter.
KEEPSAKES FOR PURCHASE
My Forever Child
http://www.myforeverchild.com/
An online store that sells a ton of different remembrance keepsakes and jewelry.
The Vintage Pearl
http://www.thevintagepearl.com/
Another online store that sells hand-stamped jewelry.
Baby Boards
http://writtenforyourwall.blogspot.com/2012/03/baby-boards.html
I actually came across this website while I was looking at the pictures on the A Heart to Hold page. You can purchase a remembrance "board" with your baby's name, a quote, and other 100% customizable options. They regularly cost $12, but she charges bereaved families only $8.
The Comfort Company
http://www.thecomfortcompany.net/Gift-of-Sympathy-after-Loss-of-a-Child-or-Miscarriage.aspx
This company offers a wide variety of items for purchase including pavers, frames, memorial trees, jewelry, garden markers and so much more.
Mom of an Angel
http://sobbs.goodsie.com/
This company offers memorial wristbands to those who have suffered the loss of a child of any age. There are wristbands available for parents, siblings, grandparents, etc.
Butterfly Creationshttps://www.facebook.com/butterflycreations10?fref=pb
This company makes custom ornaments, keepsake boxes & name blocks for a small fee.
KEEPSAKES (FREE OF CHARGE)
Molly Bears
http://www.mollybears.com/
After the death of her sweet baby girl, this mother started making weighted teddy bears (weighing the exact amount as your baby) for fellow grieving parents. She holds sign-ups for the bears every month on the 30th. She even allows you to request custom details for your bear. I ordered my "Eden Bear" last month and I am so incredibly excited to receive her.
A Heart to Hold
http://www.ahearttohold.com/
Another organization that strives to fill the aching, empty arms of a grieving parent. They make handmade weighted heart pillows for bereaved parents.
Robby's Rabbits
http://www.robbysrabbits.org/
This organization provides stuffed animal rabbits to fill bereaved parents' aching empty arms.
Project B.E.A.R.
http://www.projectbear.us/
This organization provides stuffed teddy bears to bereaved families to fill empty arms with love and compassion.
Gianna's Light
http://giannaslight.org/
Sherri was one of the very first baby-loss moms that I met after Eden's stillbirth. Thank goodness I found her when I did; she is so incredibly sweet. She creates pins for bereaved families- black ribbons (to symbolize the loss of someone close) with pink crystal hearts. I wear my ribbon to work every single day and whenever somebody asks me about its significance, it gives me the opportunity to share my sweet Eden's story with them. Sherri also introduced me to her private facebook group, Mothering Our Angels. The group really allowed me to open up about my grief in the first few weeks and showed me that what I was feeling was normal. I am forever grateful for Sherri, her ribbons, and the group.
Project Sweet Pea (different from Sweet Pea Project)
http://www.projectsweetpeas.com/index.php/resources/request-a-package
This is a wonderful organization that provides memory boxes, free of charge to bereaved parents. They also provide more elaborate boxes that you can purchase through their bereavement division Forever My Sweet Pea.
Calvin's Hats
http://www.calvinshats.com
This non-profit organization provides tiny keepsake hats to families who lose a baby before 28 weeks.
Jamie's Butterfly Kisses
http://jamiesbutterflykisses.blogspot.com/p/request-form.html
Heidi Grohs, the wonderful creator of Jamie's Butterfly Kisses, provides embroidery of hand prints (actual size), name and birth date to bereaved families.
Lil Angel Hankies
http://lilangelshankies.com/lah/request/
This organization provide custom embroidered hankies with your baby's name.
Angel Blanket Ministries
http://angelblanketministries.org/Request_a_Blanket.html
This organization sews beautifully crafted handmade blankets and sends them to families in need, including bereaved parents. While you can request a blanket free of charge, they kindly ask you to make a donation, if you can, in order to allow them to keep sending blankets to families in need.
Angels for Hope
http://www.angelsforhope.org/
This organization crochets beautiful little angels and sends them to families in need, including bereaved parents.
Christian's Beach
http://namesinthesand.blogspot.com/
Another project by Carly Marie, she creates beautifully written names in the sand and snaps pictures at sunset. You get a link to the picture she posts on her blog when your request has been filled. You can purchase the picture for a small cost.
The Solace Foundation
http://www.thesolacefoundation.org/index.html
A wonderful organization that provides care packages for bereaved families including comfort shawls. They also have a wonderful blog with lots of guest writers.
Rowan Tree Foundation: Sweetest Keepsakes
http://www.rowantreefoundation.org/2012/02/sweetest-keepsakes/
A program offered through the Rowan Tree Foundation, it offers free digital retouching service for families who have lost children to stillbirth, complications due to prematurity, or other causes shortly after birth.
Rowan Tree Foundation: Remembering With Lovenotes
http://www.rowantreefoundation.org/2011/10/remembering-with-lovenotes
Another program that that the Rowan Tree Foundation offers is the Remembering with Lovenotes. During your child's anniversary month, they send you a sweet personalized keepsake and a card.
Mamie's Poppy Plates
http://www.mamiespoppyplates.com/
This wonderful mom transfers your child's prints and birth information onto a "Poppy Plate" free of charge.
Eden's Wings
http://www.facebook.com/EdensWings
Created by Face2Face Piedmont Co-Leader Molly Smith, the mission of Eden's Wings is to provide hope, healing, and remembrance to bereaved parents through handmade bracelets.
Maura's Mission
http://maurasmission.com/Request.html
This wonderful organization was created in loving memory of Maura Lynn who was born still on September 20, 2012. They create beautiful handmade memory blocks with whatever you'd like on it. Whether it be quotes, photos or your baby's photo(s). It is free of charge.
OTHER RESOURCES
Tiny Heartbeats
http://www.tinyheartbeats.org
Tiny Heartbeats rents out a fetal doppler, free of charge, to women who are going through a subsequent pregnancy after a loss.
Beats for Bristol
http://www.beatsforbristol.com
Beats for Bristol is another organization that provides fetal dopplers to women to use during subsequent pregnancies, after experiencing a loss.
Mollianna's Mission
http://www.MolliannasMission.org
Mollianna's Mission provides financial assistance with honorable headstones. They also donate "care packages" and remembrance cards to hospitals for newly bereaved parents.
Justice For All
http://justiceforallcertificates.yolasite.com/
After Eden was born still, I was devastated that I didn't receive any kind of document recognizing her existence. The only thing I had to even prove that she had been born was her certificate of cremation. I went online in search of some kind of certificate that I could put with all of her belongings and I found this woman. She creates "Soul Certificates" for pregnancy and/or infant losses. The certificates are beautiful and such a positive reminder that although our babies may not physically be here, they were very much alive in our hearts. Which brings me to the next website...
MISSing Angels Bill
http://www.missingangelsbill.org/
After a mother gave birth to her stillborn daughter, she called the vital records office in her state asking for the birth certificate in addition to the death certificate she had already received. The mother was abruptly told that she didn't have a baby, she had a fetus that had died. She vowed to change the way that stillbirths were viewed and she created the MISS Foundation. Since then, she has tirelessly worked to pass the MISSing Angels Bill in many different states. This bill recognizes stillborn babies as human beings and has changed the "Fetal Death Certificate" for stillborn babies into the "Birth Resulting in Stillbirth" Certificate. NC is one of the states that provide this certificate. I believe the fee to receive it is $24, it can be ordered through the NC Vital Records website.
Lost for Words Card Line
http://lostforwordscardline.com/
In the months following Eden's death, I've thought many times, "someone should make cards for situations like these." I received tons of sympathy cards and I greatly appreciated each one. But most of them seemed like they were for people grieving the loss of an elder or a spouse, never the loss of a child. Since the subject of baby loss is so taboo, I just assumed such cards didn't even exist. But just recently, I've found a website that has the most beautiful cards (which isn't surprising, considering they're designed by Carly Marie) that are made for "angelversaries," birthdays, due dates and "just because" cards for people who have lost a baby. So incredibly comforting and necessary. Everyone should know about these cards.
