Devastated families share heartbreaking images of their stillborn babies that help them cope with their grief
- Charity Remember my Baby (RMB) takes photographs of stillborn babies
- Pictures are taken so parents have an emotional memento of their child
- RMB says the photographs help parents cope with the devastating loss
- 'I will treasure the photos for the rest of my life,' one mother said
These heartbreaking images of tiny babies who tragically died during or shortly after birth are an emotional keepsake for their devastated parents.
The poignant yet haunting pictures were taken by inspirational charity Remember my Baby (RMB) - set up to offer a gift of remembrance to parents experiencing the devastating loss of their child.
A team of volunteer photographers visit families across the UK who are going through the tragic loss of their baby either before, during or shortly after birth.
Parents who have experienced the devastating loss of their child can now have professional pictures taken as a life-long memento of their beloved babies. Luke Farnham's son Zachary (pictured) was stillborn in February
The poignant images were taken by charity Remember my Baby (RMB), which has professional photographers as volunteers
Danielle and Craig Melville's baby girl, Harper-Shae, was stillborn in October last year. Mrs Melville said: 'Having these pictures really helped me - it made [the whole experience of her death] a lot easier for me'
The families get a gift of high-resolution photos so they have a life-long memento of their beloved babies.
All of RMB's photographers are professional, but give their time up to volunteer for the charity alongside their day jobs.
RMB co-founder and volunteer Cheryl Johnson said: 'It's so important for parents to have a memento of their baby.
'It's what keeps them going - they don't get to take their baby home, so it's all they've got left.
'When you walk in the door and look at the parents' faces, you do get a lump in your throat.
'People say to me "oh my God, why on earth would you want to take a picture of a dead baby?".
'It's not for everyone, but when you hear the positive responses from the parents you help, you know it's the right thing.
'It's so rewarding - we really are making a difference for these parents.'
Mia Sawyer died just two days after she was born last September. Her mother Helen said: 'When the nurse suggested photos I was utterly mortified at the thought - our first response was absolutely no. But I'm so glad we did it - it was the best thing to happen and I will treasure the photos for the rest of my life'
Devastated Helen Sawyer, 37, and her husband Kenny, 47, were left heartbroken when their precious daughter Mia died just two days after she was born last September.
Mrs Sawyer, from Liverpool, Merseyside, said: 'When the nurse suggested photos I was utterly mortified at the thought - our first response was absolutely no.
'But I'm so glad we did it - it was the best thing to happen and I will treasure the photos for the rest of my life.
Zachary's parents Paige Warren and Luke Farnham say the pictures have eased their terrible grief
'She was covered in tubes and plasters for the two days she was alive - these photos show us what she would have been like as a normal baby.
'She lives through these photos - she was here and she was alive.
'It was a short period of time, and we'll never see her speak or laugh or even open her eyes.
'But we have these beautiful images and we're so proud of them.'
Danielle Melville's baby girl Harper-Shae was tragically stillborn in October last year.
In a further cruel twist of fate, this was devastated Danielle's second infant loss after son Fletcher sadly died neonatally in 2009.
Danielle, 30, and husband Craig, 35, have recently welcomed baby Arlo - but they are beyond grateful for their precious memories of little Harper-Shae.
Mrs Melville, from Ambrose, Scotland, said: 'It's horrible to be in this situation twice, but having these pictures really helped me - it made it a lot easier for me.'
Little Zachary was stillborn in February, leaving his parents Paige Warren, 21, and Luke Farnham, 27, distraught.
Ms Warren, from Crawley, West Sussex, said: 'They touched Zachary up to make him look healthier, and now I can show those pictures to my daughters to help them remember their brother.
'In the images we took ourselves his lips were dark and he had started going purple and it would have scared my kids - it's not something they recognise as a baby.
'I'm so happy I have these to share with them.'
RMB is on the lookout for more volunteer photographers, to help with its mission to make the service available in every hospital across the UK.
For more information visit http://www.remembermybaby.org.uk/
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