A repurposed wedding dress becomes a keepsake for families who have lost their baby too soon. These angel gowns, made by seamstresses across the country, are donated to hospitals, birthing centers, and funeral homes and given directly to grieving parents for free. The ethereal dresses, called infant burial gowns or angel gowns, are a small measure of comfort in a time that is unbearable for many families.
Judi Gibson was inspired to start an angel gown program at Riley Children’s Health NICU after she heard of a similar initiative in Indiana. As a registered nurse, she knew the need was enormous, but she also understood that her skills weren’t enough to meet it on her own.
That’s when she turned to her church and her friends, who are also seamstresses. The women volunteer their time to turn the wedding dresses into gowns, wraps, cocoons, and outfits that will comfort babies who are born too soon or pass away before their parents can meet them.
The dresses are repurposed from a wide range of sizes and styles, and many of the seamstresses have experienced or been touched by child loss themselves. They work out of their homes and churches, taking time out of their busy schedules to snip and sew — all in the name of a little one who didn’t make it.
When a gown is completed, it’s photographed before being delivered to hospitals. Often, the families who receive them have never met the seamstresses who made them, but they know the work behind it carries a special weight.
Angel gowns are a beautiful reminder that every life is precious and worthy of being celebrated, even when it is too short. The project has reached families all over the world, including Dignity Health – St Mary Medical Center, where nurses like Lynn Gaber use them to comfort families that experience the heartbreaking loss of their newborns.
“It’s important to remember that it doesn’t matter where you are in the world or how much money you have, losing a baby is still heartbreaking,” Gaber says. “You have to find your own way through that. For me, that means finding the support system and doing what I can.” That’s why she works to spread the word about the angel gown project whenever possible. She knows that the more people who are aware, the more families can be served.