Giving Back – Bereavement Photography through Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

I love working with children. I’ve always loved it. In fact my dream job when I was a child was to grow up and own my own daycare. I think working with kids is a calling in my life and I’m so very fortunate and blessed to be able to do so.

Anyone who has ever talked to me about newborn photography or has seen me photograph a child knows how passionate I am about it. Being an Indianapolis photographer I get to use my gift of working with children all the time.

For me working with kids is fun and I love doing it! I don’t have my own children (yet!) but I love to love on other people’s children. They are all so easy to love. The biggest loss I think can happen to someone is to lose a child.  I can’t even begin to imagine how this feels. I can say I’ve seen other experience the loss of a child, but I can’t and don’t want to image what these people are truly going through.

I enjoy helping people and I’ve found a way to help these people who have lost a child. My newest volunteering effort is through Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS). Through this organization I’m able to photograph children (primarily newborns) that have had very short lives. This type of photography is called bereavement photography. It gives the parents who have lost a child something tangible to grieve over (pictures). It gives them something to say “This was my baby.”

Bereavement photography isn’t for everyone. Not everyone wants these types of pictures… and that is ok. But I’m there to take them for the people who do. NILMDTS partners with the hospitals in the Indianapolis area to help match parents in need with photographers in the area.

So far I’ve done 4 NILMDTS sessions. They have been hard for me, but I know the parent who lost their child has it even worse. If the photography helps with the parent’s grief in even the smallest way I would consider my donation successful. You can read how other parents have benefited from these services.

NILMDTS is a great organization. They are in need of all kids of support. If you are a photographer looking to donate your time and talent, an individual wanting to support the organization, or a medical professional wanting to work with the organization you can learn more about NILMDTS  here – https://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/ 

NOTE: I did not  take the picture in this blog post. For privacy reasons I am unable to share the image that I have taken for NILMDTS sessions.