Essential Phone Numbers

Arranging a Funeral for Your Baby

We hope this leaflet will provide some basic information about making funeral arrangements for your baby. If you would like any help in making enquiries, the social workers at the Royal Hospital for Women are available to help you through this stressful time. After the loss of your baby you may be faced with making many decisions. We would like to offer our support to you in any way we can.

Some Practical Information

Making plans and decisions for your baby’s funeral can be a continuing expression of the love and care you felt for your baby during your pregnancy. We have prepared this practical information to help you discuss and decide on the kind of funeral arrangements you would like for your baby.

If your baby was born at 20 weeks gestation or over, it is a legal requirement in New South Wales that a funeral be held. In Australia, funerals are arranged by an accredited company of Funeral Directors.

The funeral director will make all the arrangements for you, in consultation with you and your family. NSW law requires that the funeral director must give you an itemised quote in writing, prior into entering into any contract with you.

Your baby can be held safely and respectfully in the hospital for a few days until you are ready to engage a funeral director.

You may find you wish to see your baby again after your discharge. The Viewing Room is a quiet and private area where you can spend time with your baby. You can arrange this with your social worker.

If your baby is having a post-mortem, the Department of Anatomical Pathology will liaise with your social worker and will do their best to accommodate any arrangements you have made for a viewing or funeral.

You may be eligible to claim a Maternity Allowance or Baby Bonus Payment from Centrelink. Your midwife or social worker will give you a copy of the special claim form for bereaved parents.

If your baby was 20 weeks gestation or over, you must also register the baby’s birth. Your social worker will give you a copy of this form. You will receive an acknowledgement from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, a month after you have lodged this form. It may be helpful for you to know that you will not automatically receive a birth certificate. You may purchase a standard or coloured birth certificate at any time in the future.

Planning The Funeral

We have listed some local funeral directors and cemeteries. Some families have found it helpful in reaching their decision to contact more than one funeral company and choose the firm they felt most comfortable with. Your social worker can provide a leaflet on funerals from the Department of Fair Trading.

There are many decisions to make at this time, and the funeral company should help you think through questions such as:

· Deciding on burial or cremation

· Holding a service at a church or chapel, or at the graveside

· Contacting a priest or minister

· Deciding who will attend, immediate family or a wider group of friends and family

· Spending time with your baby before the funeral service

· Choosing an outfit or shawl for your baby

· Choosing or buying flowers

· Placing an announcement in the press

· Travelling in the car with your baby

· Completing appropriate forms and legalities

You can add many personal touches to the funeral service:

· Spending some time at home with your baby before leaving for the funeral

· Placing mementoes in your baby’s casket: photographs, letters, jewellery, a special toy, from you or your baby’s siblings

· Having the baby’s father or mother carry the casket into the church or chapel

· A reading or a poem

· Music that you may have listened to during your pregnancy

· Taking a video or photographs of the service

· Presenting a flower or card to mourners

Some Local Funeral Directors

· TJ Andrews (Newtown) Ph: 02 9557 2873

· WN Bull and Sons (Newtown) Ph: 02 9519 5344

· Walter Carter (Woollahra) Ph: 02 9389 3499

· Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park (Matraville) Ph: 9694 9494

· Gregory & Carr Boland (Kogarah, Maroubra) Ph: 1300 732 298 / 9314 2778

· H N Olsen Pty Ltd (Sutherland) Ph: 02 9545 3477

· Maurer & Bracks Funerals (Chatswood) Ph: 02 9413 1377

Islamic Funeral Services

· Lakemba Ph: 02 9759 5949 Mob: 0411 522 739

· Al-Zahra Funeral Service (Arncliffe) Ph: 0411 359 916

Jewish Funeral Services

· Chevra Kaddisha (Woollahra) Ph: 02 9363 2248 (Sabbath: 02 9389 3499)

Cemeteries and Crematoriums

· Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park (Matraville)

· Fields of Mars Cemetery (Ryde)

· Macquarie Park Cemetery (North Ryde)

· Northern Suburbs Crematorium (North Ryde)

· Rookwood Cemetery (Lidcombe)

· Woronora Cemetery and Crematorium (Sutherland)

Please note, we are not able to recommend any particular company. We have received positive feedback from other families about the companies listed above.

Please don’t hesitate to talk over any practical or emotional issues with your social worker. Her card will give her telephone or pager number, or you can phone Social Work reception on: (02) 9382 6670.