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Newborns need clothing that’s safe and comfortable, but it also needs to be cute! From sailor-inspired one-pieces to smocked dresses, the options are endless when it comes to cute baby clothing. But when choosing outfits, parents should keep in mind that babies go through many changes a day, and even more laundry, so it’s important to pick clothes with easy access to nipples, as well as buttons that close on the back (as opposed to front). Look for clothing made of natural materials like cotton and silk and avoid those with chemicals, pesticides and flame retardants. While creating a cute newborn wardrobe can be pricey, it’s possible to save by selecting mix-and-match basics and adding in accessories for special occasions. Start with a solid base of bodysuits and babygrows (6-8), which pair easily with pants (3-4). A few pairs of socks (5-6) are a good idea, as newborns lose a lot of heat through their heads and feet, while soft skull caps (or hats) prevent them from scratching themselves. If you want to buy clothes online, look for those with snaps or double zippers, which make diapering and nursing a breeze. A couple pairs of footie PJs (4-8), as well as some gowns, are also helpful for the nighttime. Some families find that they prefer to dress their babies in pajamas during the day, too, so you might want to choose some styles that can be worn both ways. Another option is to shop at your local baby store, where you can eyeball the pieces in person and compare them to your baby’s measurements on a chart. You can also ask the store’s staff about sizing and fabric, which is a great way to get tips on what’s going to work best for your family. Finally, look for brands that support families and their communities. Janie and Jack, for example, sells a variety of classic kids’ looks that never go out of style—think sailor-inspired one-pieces for boys and smocked dresses for girls. They also donate to charities that support children in need. The Children’s Place offers a wide selection of cuddle-worthy cute baby clothes, including dresses, rompers, and outfits. Their clothing is made from comfy fabrics that won’t stretch out or irritate your little one, and their clothes come in all different prints, colors, and sizes. Their dresses and smocked tops are great for baby photoshoots and special occasion outfits, while their onesies and bodysuits are ideal for everyday wear. In terms of pricing, the brand is fairly affordable, but their sizing can be inconsistent, so it may be a good idea to size up if you’re shopping online.

As much as it may be difficult to think about, when a loved one passes away there are many decisions to be made. Some of these will be unexpected, and while you may not have any specific information from the person who passed away about their wishes for their funeral or burial, you can lean on the advice of those around you and your own common sense to make the best choice. One of these choices is the clothing that they will be dressed in when they are laid to rest. Choosing burial clothes can be a difficult task, but with a little thought and care you can find outfits that are appropriate and will help to honor your loved one. It has long been a tradition to dress the dead in clothes that they would have worn in life. It is a way to help family members say goodbye in a way that feels familiar, and it has also been a religiously mandated practice for some groups, such as the Catholic faith. However, there are occasions where clothing that was worn in life isn’t appropriate for burial. This is often due to a change in weight, stiffness caused by rigor mortis, or other factors. In these situations, funeral homes will often provide a gown for the deceased to be dressed in during the services and at the graveside. This garment is similar to a smart night gown or pyjamas, and it can be adorned with false shirt fronts and other embellishments to resemble day wear or eveningwear. There are other options for clothing a loved one for a funeral and burial, including shrouds that can be wrapped around the body or dresses that can be slipped over it. A popular option for women is a simple, classic black dress, which exudes elegance and solemnity. The dress is typically knee or midi length and features a modest neckline and sleeves. It is typically paired with closed-toe shoes and minimal jewelry for a refined, dignified look. Choosing burial clothes can be a difficult and emotional experience, but you can take comfort in the fact that your loved ones will be honored with dignity and respect. Whether you are selecting a funeral gown or other clothing for a loved one, you can lean on the support of your family and friends, and you can seek out the guidance of a funeral professional. The caring and experienced team at Vaughn Greene Funeral Services can offer you compassionate assistance and support during this time. This article may contain affiliate links, which means we receive a commission on your purchase. Read our disclosure policy. This article was originally published in June 2018 and has been updated. 2019 The Vaughn Greene Group. All rights reserved. This site uses Google Analytics to track visitor data and improve our content. You can opt out of tracking by visiting our privacy page. This website is operated by The Vaughn Greene Group, a partnership of companies that offers a variety of products and services to the funeral industry.

One of the most memorable, and often emotional, parts of getting married is choosing a wedding dress. It can also be one of the most expensive. And all too often, those once-loved gowns end up in storage. Instead of letting your gown collect dust, give it a new life and donate it to a worthy cause. Many charities, from Goodwill to wedding dress-specific ones like Brides Against Breast Cancer, accept wedding dress donations and resell them for a fraction of the original price at their thrift stores. The money from the sale goes back to the charity, which in turn supports their charitable programs. In addition, donating your wedding dress gives you a tax deduction. Most of the charity shops that accept wedding dress donations do require that the dresses be professionally cleaned before they are donated. They may also have other requirements, such as the year and size of the dress. The best way to know if your dress will be accepted is to contact the charity directly. For example, Adele Puccio, who works at a library in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, collects pre-loved wedding dresses as part of her hobby. She also runs a website called Brides Do Good, which is a nonprofit that accepts wedding dress donations and turns them into wedding dresses for brides who can’t afford to buy their own. The company has also partnered with organisations such as Plan International UK and Sanitation First to use the funds from the dresses to provide education for young girls. Other charities repurpose wedding dresses into infant burial gowns, christening gowns, and bonnets for babies who have died before their due date. NICU Helping Hands, for instance, works with seamstresses from all over the country to create these gowns to be given to families for free. The organization says it has outfitted more than 26,000 mothers and fathers since 2008. St Ann’s Hospice, which is based in Stockport, Greater Manchester, is another worthwhile charity to consider. It hosts several speciality shops, including a bridal department, which seeks both new and pre-loved bridal gowns and attire. The proceeds from the sale go back to the hospice to make a difference with people who are facing life-limiting illnesses. While most general charities like Goodwill and Salvation Army will accept wedding dresses, they aren’t as specialised as the bridal-specific charities. If a wedding dress is worn multiple times or has visible stains, it will only add to the stress of the staff who will be cleaning it up. Donating your wedding dress to a specialty charity also means that your gown has a higher chance of being used, versus potentially being packed into a large box, sold by weight and shipped off to a remote destination in the world. While it may be difficult to part with your beautiful gown, it’s a small sacrifice to make to ensure that it helps someone who really needs it. Just remember that donating your wedding dress is the right thing to do.

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In the grand tapestry of life there are moments of immense joy, and heartbreaking sorrow. For families who lose a baby during pregnancy or at birth, the loss can be unimaginable and overwhelming. A local seamstress has been working to comfort these parents by stitching tiny gowns from donated wedding dresses. It’s a project known as angel gowns. In 2014, Edith Beck saw an article about a program at Riley Children’s Health in Indianapolis where nurses were asking local seamstresses to help create memorial gowns for babies who would never leave the hospital because they died due to complications from prematurity or were stillborn. The 66-year-old retired labor and delivery nurse from Twin Cities saw the need, and she decided to help. Since that time, she’s turned the snippets of donated wedding dresses into more than 500 angel gowns and other items. She says the dress is a symbol of love and the gowns are a way to honor a baby’s brief but precious life. She says it can be a difficult task to work on these gowns, especially because of the emotional attachment many mothers have to their babies. The gowns have been given to hospitals throughout the area and in other states. Recently, a man in Spokane sent a dress to her because he had lost his daughter and knew how special it would be for a family to have this special gown for their infant. While she’s not a bereavement counselor, she has helped many grieving families. She says she hopes that these gowns can bring some small measure of comfort during a very sad and trying time. She is one of about 50 seamstresses nationwide that creates the gowns for a nonprofit called NICU Helping Hands. The organization also provides infant loss items to hospitals across the country. The coordinator of the organization, Katrina Durst, says if she needs a gown for a local hospital in central Ohio, Bauer is usually the first person she contacts. Bauer isn’t a bereavement counselor, but she says sewing these gowns is her ministry. She says she doesn’t think losing a child will ever go away, but she hopes these gowns let grieving families know they’re not alone. For more information about the NICU Helping Hands program and how you can help, click here. You can also donate a wedding dress to the organization and follow the journey of your dress to a developing country (Guatemala is currently the location). You’ll also get to virtually meet your seamstress, who will explain the impact your donation has made. KFYR’s Kimberly Bjornstad contributed to this report.

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Children have unique needs when someone they love dies. They want their opinions to be valued and they don’t like to be left out of things. That includes funerals. When planning a child funeral, ensuring that children have as much information as possible up front can make the difference between them feeling comfortable and being anxious or upset at the service. Whether the funeral is for an infant, toddler or a child of any age, there are many ways to create a meaningful and healing ceremony. The first thing to do is set aside a person to be in charge of communication with the funeral home, guests and anyone else who may have questions about what’s going to happen. This could be a family member, friend or the funeral director. It’s important for the person in this role to be able to give clear, consistent and age-appropriate answers to help children understand what will happen and why. Explain the setting to a child in advance, including somber clothing and a quiet atmosphere. Also, if the body will be on display or in an open casket, let them know. If the body is to be cremated, tell them what it means and that their sibling’s ashes will be kept in an urn or another special container. A headstone is a lasting memorial that can be personalized to honor a deceased child and can include a photo, birth and death dates, a special verse or message, and an image or graphic. It is a place for a family to share their memories, keep them close and find comfort. Headstones can take up to a few months to design and are typically placed a few weeks after a service. Some children may feel responsible for the death of their brother or sister, even if they weren’t to blame. This is why it is important to communicate clearly and frequently with the child that the death was not their fault. It’s also helpful to remind them that the feelings they have are normal and to encourage them to express them in whatever way is most appropriate for them. Children will likely have many questions at the funeral or memorial service. Answer them as honestly as you can and try to stay calm. Then, if they choose to attend, make sure they have a back-up plan if they become upset or uncomfortable at any point. Children’s emotions can range from very sad to numb, and they will react differently depending on their age. Providing them with as much information as they need and allowing them to decide what they want to do can help them feel more prepared for the service. It can also help prevent them from resenting funerals or having a negative attitude toward death in general. If they decide to skip the service altogether, that’s okay, too. They are still a part of the family and deserve to be included in whatever they choose.

Babies are tiny and delicate, so they need soft, comfortable clothing that is easy to move in and won’t irritate their skin. The right fabrics and well-fitting clothes are also important for a baby’s healthy development because they support their ability to crawl, roll, and eventually walk. In addition, properly-fitted outfits allow babies to explore their surroundings without limiting their movement and inhibiting their natural curiosity. While it’s tempting to fill your baby’s wardrobe with a wide array of adorable styles and prints, you should focus on basics that will provide a variety of options throughout the year. A few essentials include onesie tees and jumpsuits, body suits, short-sleeve or sleeveless tops, sweatshirt rompers, and pants that fasten between the legs for easy diaper changes. In terms of fabric, cotton is a good choice because it’s gentle on your baby’s sensitive skin. It’s also breathable, so it will help keep your baby cool and comfortable in warm weather. Cotton is also durable and washes well, making it an ideal choice for kids’ clothing. It’s best to stick with natural fabrics for your baby, since synthetic fibers can cause irritation. You should also avoid anything with small buttons or strings, which can pose a choking hazard. If you want to give your baby a more luxe look, consider organic cotton clothes for your baby or a combination of cotton and wool. A great place to start shopping for your baby is Gap, as it offers a classic style that is timeless and affordable. Unlike some other stores, it doesn’t have a lot of frou-frou, overpriced apparel, and you can often find a great sale at the end of the season or on Black Friday. Another option is the brand Monica + Andy, which carries onesie tees and jumpsuits in cute patterns and colors. They also have a line of sweaters, which are great for cold weather and come in a range of sizes. Other must-haves include hats and socks. Babies lose a lot of heat through their heads, so hats are essential. Thin mittens are helpful, too, as they protect newborns’ little fingers from scratching themselves. And, of course, a pair of warm socks is essential for keeping your baby’s feet toasty while walking outside. For a complete outfit, add a coat or windbreaker for extra warmth, a bib to prevent food spills and leaks, and a soft skull cap (or an actual hat, if your baby likes it). For strolling in winter, you might want to add a bunting (a jacket that covers most of the body) and a warm foot muff (which slides over a pair of boots). Then, finish off with a set of reusable wipes, as baby will inevitably spit up or poop on their outfit.

When a loved one passes away, it’s important to remember them with love and respect. While navigating loss is often emotionally challenging, there are many practical decisions that must be made. One of these is the choice of clothing to dress the departed in for their viewing and funeral service. Many families choose to dress their deceased loved ones in the outfit they would have worn in life. This can be a comforting gesture and a way to honor their unique personality and style. If the departed had specific instructions or requests, it’s always a good idea to honor those wishes. However, not all families have this information to draw on and may need help in deciding what kind of clothing would be best for their loved one. In this article, we will explore some of the key considerations for choosing burial clothes and offer some helpful tips. When choosing burial clothes for a loved one, consider their lifestyle and personality. Were they someone who tended towards formal attire or was their style more laidback and casual? Did they follow particular cultural or religious customs? If they did, honoring these traditions can add a profound layer of meaning and respect to their funeral ceremony. Many people find it comforting to dress their loved one in a favorite pair of jeans or a tee shirt they enjoyed wearing in their lifetime. Likewise, it can be very moving to have them dressed in the soft and comfortable robes they might have worn as night gowns or pyjamas in their later years. These kinds of clothing can symbolize how much they were loved and cared for in their lifetime and are a powerful way to remember them. Alternatively, some people prefer to have their departed buried in an ensemble that is more reflective of their final journey. In the past, this might have been a full-length dress or suit, but now there are also plenty of options that mimic these types of garments. These types of clothing are typically made from soft, silky fabrics that feel comfortable against the skin. They are designed to be easy for the funeral director to dress the departed in and come in a wide range of attractive colors and sizes. Some are also designed to be trimmed with embroidery or other decoration that can commemorate the departed. Clothes with metal, rubber or plastic are usually unsuitable for burial because they can cause damage to the casket. Clothes that are too tight can be uncomfortable on the body and may become blotchy after embalming fluid has been applied. For this reason, it’s a good idea to choose loose-fitting clothing for the departed. If you need guidance in navigating the delicate process of selecting burial clothes for your loved one, don’t hesitate to reach out to family members and friends for support. In addition, a skilled funeral director can provide valuable input and understanding during this difficult time.

When it comes to preserving wedding gowns, many brides opt to keep their gown as a keepsake or pass it down to the next generation. Others participate in the popular “destroy the dress” trend, taking their wedding gown out for a swim or allowing it to be artfully slashed. But wedding gowns can have a much longer life when they’re donated to a charity, according to Zola, a wedding website. The site lists several ways brides can give their dresses a second life, including passing them on to family members or donating them to local thrift stores or charities. Some of the charities that accept wedding dress donations have a singular focus, like breast cancer, or are meant to help women who can’t afford a traditional wedding gown. In the US, Goodwill accepts almost any item of clothing and sells them in its thrift stores at a discounted price. But wedding dresses aren’t usually accepted because they are a bit more difficult to store and maintain than most other items. And one wrong move could rip the delicate lace or pull the beads apart. That’s why it’s important to make sure your dress is in great condition before attempting to donate it, explains Beth Chapman, owner of The White Dress by the Shore. The first step is to contact the organization to check their specific donation requirements. For example, most charities and thrift shops that resell gowns will only accept ones that were designed within the last five years. Another option is to contact a bridal store in your area to see if they have a gown donation program. For example, the Brides Project in Ann Arbor, Michigan, accepts wedding dresses and sells them to raise money for free programming for families impacted by cancer. Its gowns must be from the last five years to be accepted, but the charity offers a tax deduction for donors. The faith-based organization Adorned in Grace accepts wedding dresses for sale in its shops in Oregon and Washington. The sales proceeds are used to support its youth mentoring programs, outreach events, and more in its fight against human trafficking. Other organizations that accept gowns include Brides Against Breast Cancer, which sells wedding dresses and other bridal accessories to benefit early breast cancer awareness and detection. And Wish Upon A Wedding, which helps military brides and their families by offering free wedding gowns to them during Operation Wedding Gown twice a year. Brides Against Breast Cancer and Wish Upon A Wedding also offer online donation forms. And for a more global impact, you can send your wedding gown to Oxfam, which is an international organization that strives to reduce poverty through fair trade and fighting injustices and inequalities.