I met baby Anders a few months back. His story is shared on my Facebook and Instagram. When I went to the Bradley home that Sunday afternoon, I only prepared to bring comfort to this family who had lost their sweet son at 14 weeks gestation. I knew we wanted to give Anders a bath prepared with saline water to mimic the appearance of being in the womb again. Babies at this gestation are rather fragile. When submerged in saline water their features and skin tone change and become more like what you would see in the womb. The tiniest of features like little fingernail beds and soft strokes of eyebrow hairs.
That day Anders mother told me that they had chosen his name which is of Scandinavian decent. Anders meant Brave and Manly. My heart swelled because I had this feeling that Anders was going to bring the world something big. Some hope, comfort or peace. I didn't know what, but I said out loud that day. "Anders is going to do something big!"
After sharing the initial post of Anders, I received a flood of messages from people who had experienced loss at a similar gestation. Many of them never having photos taken, some never having met their sweet baby.
I want it to be clear......
The choice to be able to meet or physically see a baby who has passed is a very personal choice. Sometimes our hearts just can not visibly look. I want you to know that is an option that is your choice and it is what is best for you, your heart and your family.
Sometimes we do not get the opportunity to meet our tiny love when we want to so desperately. Those moments are heartache upon heartache. Death of a baby is never easy. No matter what.
So, just yesterday I had a lady reach out to me letting me know that she worked in a hospital birth center in Washington. She said she had seen baby Anders story and inquired about using one of his images for education purposes as they had just introduced the saline bath method of memory making. I thanked her for the inquiry and told her I would be happy to ask Anders mother if that would be ok to use the image. I can't explain the joy that I get when someone reaches out and asks a question about a baby that I have met through Loving Benjamin. Just the mention of a name is enough to know that baby's legacy is being carried on. I quickly asked Anders mother if the hospital could share his image and she agreed right away.
What an honor it is to have Anders story and images help other grieving families clear across the country. What a Brave and Manly little angel.