Final Cherished Memories

Pictures of loved ones are usually hung around people’s homes for everyone to see. These pictures are for others to see how beautiful their children and families are. Most pictures are taken during a happy time in our lives but what about the not so happy times in our lives. The death of a loved one is a very difficult time in everyone’s lives but what if this death is of an infant or small child, especially a child who will never be able to come home from the hospital? These lives have been cut short yet their memory should live on forever. Postmortem photography has been around for centuries however it wasn’t until recently that it became more popular to photograph someone who has passed away to capture the memory for the family. Some people may think this is wrong and/or disturbing but to others it brings great comfort to know that they will always have pictures of their loved one who is no longer on this earth. When a child dies during birth or shortly after, pictures may not be first in their minds however there are organizations who work with hospitals to talk to the families about pictures of their child. These photographers will come take pictures for the family. These pictures are very tastefully done at no cost to the family. Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep is just one of these organizations. NILMDTS is made up of professional photographers who donate their time and talent for these families to be able to take home memories of their lost loved one. These photographers go through training on how to deal with parents and families, how to make the child look as beautiful as ever, and they also have respect and understanding of the grief that these families are going through. Sometimes these pictures are the only memories that a family has to show that this child at one time did exist. This is a very sad and usually unexpected time for families but knowing that they have pictures can bring a sense of calmness and comfort to a family. Whether the family chooses to hang the pictures on the wall for everyone to see or put them in a photo album to be looked at in private, or even in a box in the back of the closet to be taken out and looked at whenever the person feels the need is totally up to them. But knowing these pictures exist and can be brought out whenever the need be is amazing. It takes a very special person to be able to do this for these families. They give up their time away from their family to bring a special kind of comfort to another family in need. So please be understanding if you ever walk into someone’s home and see a picture of their deceased loved one hanging on the wall, or on their fridge, or in photo albums, or even on a Christmas card as these may be the only physical memory they now have of this child.