One in four women experience a loss of a baby through miscarriage or still birth. Angel gowns help families who say goodbye to their little ones.
Volunteer seamstresses transform donated wedding dresses into unique, one-of-a-kind burial gowns for tiny babies, often in sizes that are hard to find, like the micro preemie. They don’t let any bead or scrap of lace go to waste. They can make as many as 18 different, tiny angel gowns and wraps from a single dress.
They also create blankets, hats, two onesie sets and heart-shaped memorial trinkets that are given to the baby, their parents and family. These beautiful keepsakes are often used for first and last photos, or at a family’s memorial service.
The organization is expanding to places like Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where they placed the first Butterfly Room in Virginia and are working to support bereaved families with cooling units and a comforting place to say goodbye. It’s a national program with networks in Canada too. If you have a wedding dress to donate, and don’t want it to go to waste, check out this website to find an angel gown network near you.