Local hospital provides burial services for stillborn babies - East Idaho News
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Local hospital provides burial services for stillborn babies

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REXBURG — Dealing with a stillbirth and or an early-term miscarriage can be a tremendously difficult and emotionally taxing experience for expecting parents.

But what many don’t realize is that these traumatic events can also be a very large and unexpected expense for parents.

That’s why Madison Memorial Hospital started its Angel Babies program — a program to aid parents who need help burying a deceased pre-term baby.

“It was important for us as a hospital to have a place for those parents to go to mourn,” said Jill Clawson, a registered nurse at the hospital.

Clawson plays a major role in the bereavement committee at Madison Memorial Hospital and heads the Angel Babies program. She said it’s a free service for parents who may not be able to afford burial services and who have given birth to an infant who is less than 20 weeks gestation.

“The safest way now is (having) these babies delivered intact. In the olden days you never saw the remains. Now you have this brand new baby that’s perfect,” Clawson said. “Even though they weigh under a pound, they have all those things that normal babies have. When the mom’s see (their baby) it’s so hard to just dispose of (the baby) to a laboratory or crematory.”

Diapers
Diapers from the bereavement kit given to families during difficult times. | Photo by Natalia Hepworth, EastIdahoNews.com

Clawson said the program started about eight years ago, and was donated a burial plot from the privately owned Sutton Cemetery three years ago. Hunter’s Idaho Falls Monument gifted a headstone recently, which was placed at the site before Memorial Day.

“We’re so fortunate to live in this community and have something like this in our community. We’re fortunate to have a (privately) owned cemetery,” Clawson said.

“In the olden days you never saw the remains. Now you have this brand new baby that’s perfect. Even though they weigh under a pound, they have all those things that normal babies have. When the mom’s see (their baby) it’s so hard to just dispose of (the baby) to a laboratory or crematory.”

Hospital administration couldn’t give exact details on the size of the designated gravesite, but said it was the best formation of land that could fit the needs they have at this time.

“It fits perfectly for the size of the caskets and the infants that are placed there,” Director of Compliance Nolan Bybee said.

Out of the 1,500 babies delivered per year at the hospital, 20 to 30 pass away, Clawson said.

“Where it’s a college community, our numbers are increasing, our numbers of deliveries are increasing. With that comes more stillborns and miscarriages. We will be seeing these things more — we’ll be more familiar with them and be able to help patients through the grieving process,” Clawson said.

GraveSite

Bybee said the hospital isn’t required to have this service for grieving parents.

“The laws (or hospital regulations) don’t go as far as comforting people. The hospital is willing to cross that barrier. We’re going to step forward and do what we feel is right,” Bybee said.

Clawson said the Angel Babies program has received an outpouring of support from local doctors and various groups in the community. Ultimately the program is so grieving parents know they have support.

“This is a very inexpensive way to show that we care,” Clawson said.

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