Mementos of a baby who died to miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death may be hard to come by and deeply treasured if you have any. It is so wonderful that some hospitals put together memory boxes of any and all physical remembrances of a little one who has died. At the same time, I know that I found it difficult to not have some sort of documentation, like a birth certificate, to publicly acknowledge that my child lived. In miscarriage, no one is required to make any documentation of that sort. In stillbirth, I have seen that some have received certificates that document the birth and death at once in an impersonal and cold way.
Birth certificates do not have just a practical purpose. They are emotionally important too, so to not receive such a document after the death of a beloved baby can feel very jarring. At a time when one may be struggling with receiving affirmation that their baby lived and was loved, such a certificate may be helpful for some.
That is why I have created six different baby memorial certificates. Crafted out of the inspiration of a birth certificate, these certificates are meant to be a source of affirmation and comfort.
These certificates:
can be displayed in a certificate frame or placed in a memorial book or box.
come in color themes of pink, blue, or green (neutral), which is a good fit for those who are unsure of their baby's gender.
have two format options- one that gives the option to list out the living siblings of the baby who died and one that does not have a section for siblings.
have a specific place in the last blank for the parent to choose which date they would like to have on their document. Some parents do not know the date of death or have bad associations with that date. You have the freedom to place a date of your choosing on this document. It can be an exact month/date/year, a month/year, or even just a year. Take a preview of the certificates below.
Preview the certificates below. Click the download button below each certificate preview to download.
Baby Girl, siblings listed
Baby Girl, siblings not listed
Baby Boy, siblings listed
Baby Boy, siblings not listed
Neutral Baby, siblings listed
Neutral Baby, siblings not listed
I truly hope that these certificates can bring some comfort and affirmation to bereaved parents out there.
-Megan