The baby's funeral
Your baby's funeral can be almost anything you want it to be. You may feel that you cannot face making the arrangements, but it can help you to acknowledge that your baby has died, and focus your mind in the difficult days following the death. If you prefer, the hospital may be able to make the arrangements for you, but take time to talk to family and friends before deciding what to do. Find out what sort of funeral the hospital would offer. Would the baby be buried in a private grave, or in a communal grave? Would baby be cremated alone, or with other babies? Would you be able to have any cremated remains returned to you?
If you decide to organise the funeral yourself, the first step is to contact a Funeral Director. Your hospital may be able to give you some information, or you may prefer to use a funeral company which had helped another family member in the past. Generally a simple funeral for a baby costs very little. Your baby could be buried in a traditional white coffin or you could use a wicker coffin or moses basket. Your Funeral Director can help you to find information on these options.
The funeral service can be religious or non-religious. If the service is held in one of our cemetery chapels, you can decorate it with flowers or balloons, and can play any music you feel is appropriate. Some parents have found it helpful to make a video recording of the service as part of the memory of their baby. You may prefer to have a simple graveside service, in which case we can offer a covered shelter to protect you from inclement weather.
If you decide that baby is to be buried in one of our cemeteries we would suggest that you make an appointment with our office so that you can look at the options available. You may want to consider being buried with your baby in the future, in which case there are traditional and lawn graves which may be suitable for this.