NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP

 Angel Baby Gown, cap, blanket, pillow

*Angel Baby* Gown from the back

NILMDTS provides the Gift of Remembrance photography for parents suffering the loss of a baby with a FREE gift of professional photography.  My Daughter is a Local Area Coordinator and Photographer for our area Hospitals.  Her involvement began  in some part while my grandson James was in the NICU for almost the entire month of October.  James was born on Oct. 7th, 2007 and came home Oct. 31st...Halloween!  She became close to the NICU nurses and saw the ongoing need for NILMDTS services of which she had only an abbreviated knowledge of at the time.

James in NICU...4 lbs.

Flash forward 5 yrs and Mary Ellen is now Area NILMDTS Coordinator.  In photographing these *Angel Babies*  she has the need for clothing that is appropriate and yet easy to get on and off and won't damage the Angel Baby's delicate skin. 

 In memory of a lost grandchild, one Grandmother hand sews "Angel Baby Layettes" for the Photographers to use.  She said finding clothes for stillborn child was most definitely NOT prepared to dress her baby for a funeral.  Thus, making *angel baby* gowns became this grandmother's way of paying homage to her grandson.  

I became involved out of sheer need.  One person can not make the amount of gowns/layettes, needed for a large hospital such as our local hospital.  Huntsville Hospital provides the regional neo-natal unit for the entire North Alabama region.  Thus, yours truly had to teach herself how to make *Angel Baby* gowns.  I wanted to share my latest Labor of Love...and it truly is a labor of love.  Just knowing I am a part of helping grieving parents & grandparents is such a comfort to me.

As you preview my *Angel Baby* gowns, I hope you will go to the NILMDTS website and see if services are provided in YOUR area.  Perhaps you will feel led to volunteer or to check with your local Hospital to see what the clothing needs are for NICU babies and NILMDTS babies IF services are provided.

micro preemie layette

This gown is made from a pillowcase!

The little caps are made from a simple rectangle.  
I also used my decorative stitiches and vintage buttons from "Mama's Button Box"

A sweet little vintage button

Gowns must be open in the back and either tie, button, or velcro together. I enjoyed adding the decorative touches such as lace hem tape to cover edges; knowing grieving parents will take this gown home in remembrance of their son.

Little Girl *Angel Baby*

I got to use my new embroidery machine for this!

This sewing is a true labor of love for me.  Perhaps, you can fulfill a need such as this in your own community.  You can go to the website, type in your zip code, and names of the nearest photographers will appear as well as the Hospitals they serve.  BTW, Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep services are worldwide.

Blessings

 James's feet