We are so sorry you find yourself here, thinking about how to arrange your baby’s funeral. If you would like to discuss ideas and thoughts please do contact our Bereavement Support Team who can support you to explore ideas and how to go about arranging things. The telephone helpline is free to call from landlines and mobiles on 0808 164 3332. The helpline team can also be contacted at helpline@sands.org.uk.

If your baby was stillborn after 24 completed weeks of pregnancy, or was born alive at any stage of pregnancy and then died, he or she must, by law, be formally buried or cremated. Before this can take place, the baby’s birth and death or stillbirth must be registered. The staff looking after you will tell you what you need to do.

If your baby was born dead before 24 weeks you can also have a funeral but it is not required by law.

Urgent funerals - If for religious reasons, you need to hold the funeral very quickly, most registrars will register a stillbirth or a death out of normal office hours if necessary. The hospital staff will be able to give you the information you need to arrange this.