Taking your baby home following their death

We are deeply sorry that your baby has died. We understand there is a lot of information given to you at this time and many decisions that need to be made. We are here to support you with this. This page explains some of your options and provides practical guidance so that you are aware and understand the choices open to you.

Your right to take your baby home
How do I take my baby home?
Will I need to sign any forms?
Post-mortem
When your baby is at home
Burial and cremation options for your baby
Considerations for a private burial
Support
Contact information
Further information

Taking your baby home following their death

Your right to take your baby home

It may be important for you to take your baby home, allowing you time together, quietly and privately with family and friends. You can take your baby home directly from the ward or hospital mortuary once any legal documentation has been completed.

How do I take my baby home?

You may take your baby home with you straight away, or you may go home first and bring your baby home later.

Your baby can be transported in your own car. You may wish to carry your baby in your arms, use a moses basket, a casket obtained from a funeral director or one that you have made yourself. However, consideration should be given to the gestational age of your baby and fragility of their body when deciding how to take them home. Your midwife can help you with this decision.

Alternately you may wish to use the services of a funeral director to bring your baby home; there may be a charge for this service.

We would advise avoiding public transport due to emotional distress and to protect your privacy and others'.

Will I need to sign any forms?

Before leaving the hospital, you will be asked to sign a form confirming that you are taking your baby home and therefore accepting responsibility for their care, transfer and will be arranging their burial or cremation.

There is no legal requirement for a funeral service to be held for babies born under 24 weeks of gestation, unless your baby was born with definite signs of life. We can offer you a commemorative certificate. You can also request a baby loss certificate from the government. Please type the following link into your internet browser.

Baby Loss Certificate

https://www.gov.uk/request-baby-loss-certificate

The law requires that babies who are stillborn from 24 weeks of pregnancy or die after birth are buried or cremated. They must be registered in line with the Births and Deaths Registration Act.

If your baby was stillborn or died following birth, you will be given a Certificate of Stillbirth or Neonatal Death Certificate, which is completed by the attending midwife or doctor and is then sent to the registration services.

They will contact you to register your baby’s death.

Details of the Registrar’s offices can be found at the end of this page.

Post-mortem

You may still take your baby home beforehand, but it is recommended that your baby come home for a limited duration of 24 to 36 hours. This is to ensure your baby is transferred for their post-mortem sooner rather than later and to minimise any changes in your baby that might affect the post-mortem itself.

Before you go home, we will arrange for you to bring your baby back to the hospital at an agreed date and time prior to the post-mortem. If you wish to have your baby back at home again after the post-mortem this can be arranged.

When your baby is at home

You may wish to spend quiet time together, introduce your baby to close family and friends, and create lasting memories. Please be aware that natural changes in appearance occur over time. These may include:

Discolouration of the skin, especially the lips
Peeling of the skin
Some loss of blood from the nose, mouth or skin
Some stiffness to the baby’s body or limbs
Coolness of the skin
Baby beginning to omit an odour

To help slow down these changes it is important that you are aware of how to care for your baby in the home environment:

Keep your baby in a cool room, with no heating on
We will give you a special cot to help keep your baby cool.
Try to keep all windows closed
Ensure pets are kept out of the room
Use a light blanket or sheet over the baby
If you are planning to arrange your baby’s funeral service, we would encourage you to contact your funeral director as soon as possible, so they are aware that the baby is with you at home.

Burial and cremation options for your baby

Thinking about funeral options, burial or cremation for your baby can be extremely tough. The bereavement midwife will be happy to support you when deciding what option will be best for you, your family and your baby.

You may choose:

Burial in a cemetery or churchyard
Hospital cremation (only if your baby is under 24 weeks with no signs of life).
Cremation at a local crematorium
Burial on your own private land (with appropriate guidance)
Burial on privately owned woodland burial sites

Considerations for a private burial

It is essential that you obtain permission to complete a burial where you are not the owner of the land involved.
If there is any doubt over ownership, you should contact HM Land Registry to check who the registered land owner is.
If you have a mortgage or loan against the property where the baby is to be buried, you should notify any company or individual who has an interest in the property.
You should record the date and place of burial in a formal letter, which should be attached to the title deeds of your property or land.
Your baby must be wrapped or buried in environmentally friendly, biodegradable material (plastic containers, etc., must not be used).
You should be aware that such a burial may deter future prospective purchasers or occupiers and affect the resale value of the property.
When a burial takes place on private land, there is no guarantee that the burial site will not be disturbed at a later date. You may wish to take advice about this from a solicitor or from the Coroner’s office.
After a neonatal death (not after a stillbirth), the burial authorisation must be completed by the landowner, giving the date and place of burial. This must be received by the Registrar of Births and Deaths within 96 hours after the burial.
There is no legal requirement to inform the Environment Agency in advance of a burial, although you may wish to confirm that the intended burial site meets their safety standards for any local watercourses or other local issues.
There must be no danger to water courses or supplies and there must be no danger of bodily products leaking onto adjoining land.
The burial site should not be within 10 metres of the nearest field drain, 30 metres from the nearest spring or watercourse or 250 metres of a well, borehole or spring that supplies water for human consumption or used in food production.
Babies born before 24 weeks of gestation should be buried at a depth of at least 45 centimetres. For babies who are stillborn or die shortly after birth, a depth of 1.25 metres is recommended.