Photographs

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. —Genesis 1:27

It can be worrisome thinking about retrieving your baby for burial. One of the problems is knowing what you’re looking for. If your baby is sixteen weeks gestation then there’s no problem recognizing him. It’s a different story if you’re six weeks. Looking on the internet for photographs to aid you is a sticky business because you’re likely to come across things you’d rather not have seen. Initially, I culled the internet for some photographs of babies at each week gestation, but since then women have volunteered photos of their children for me to replace the “stock photos”. I have included sizes if the baby is not in a recognizable context, such as in a parent’s hand. A heartfelt “thank you” to all of the women who have graciously allowed me to post photographs of their babies. [If you have natural photographs of your baby and would be willing to include them on this page, I would be grateful to hear from you.] If the baby also has a story on the Your Stories page it is noted.

[Important note on recognizing the baby: Depending on how long it has been since the baby died, you may notice that the baby is smaller than you would expect for the age he/she was at death. Their size shrinks over time and so a baby who grew for eight weeks may only appear to be six to seven weeks at the time of delivery (or if another ultrasound is performed). This can be confusing to you. If, in fact, your baby died at six weeks but it is another few weeks before you deliver, you may not be able to see anything at all by the time you complete the miscarriage. Don’t feel that your baby never existed. As difficult as it is to experience, if you were pregnant, then you had a baby and you are that baby’s parent forever. 

In addition, depending on the time elapsed between death and delivery, you may see something different in terms of the sac. Usually, the amount of amniotic fluid decreases over time so depending on how much there was to start with, you may or may not see a nice, full “bubble”. In addition (and this is important), the uterus will form a clot around the sac/baby as time goes on. This means that you may deliver the baby in the sac very obviously, or you may deliver a sac with a clot attached, or you may deliver what appears to be a large clot or placenta but which is actually the sac enclosed in a clot. Especially if you feel as though you are completing the miscarriage but haven’t seen the sac, check inside the large clots. This sounds gross, but it will feel a little different when you are looking for your baby. The clot will be on the sac, not the baby (all things being equal) so you will still be able to remove the baby from the sac if you so desire. When my first son was born his sac had a large clot attached. It covered about 1/3 of the surface. When my second son was born there was no clot attached at all. My fourth was enclosed completely in a clot.]

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Four Weeks (Four weeks gestation is counting from your last menstrual period and is about the earliest most people realize they’re pregnant. All dates are given from LMP.)

At this stage, you may not recognize the baby for what it is. You may see a very small whitish or greyish piece of tissue, possibly with a cord attached, probably in a small fluid-filled sac. You will also probably have heavy bleeding with clots. It can be difficult to retrieve the baby at this stage. I suggest just retrieving the sac for burial if you wish.

Four Weeks: 1/8 inch long (source)

                A and B’s little baby C (4 weeks)

A was lucky enough to actually find the sac when she miscarried at 4 weeks. This is genuinely it – only a few mm in diameter, right on target for the gestational age.

                 T’s baby daughter (4 weeks, 2 days)

As mentioned above, you will probably be able to identify only the sac, and even that may be difficult to identify as it can pass very easily without your notice.

Elexus’s baby, Forrest (4 weeks, 3 days) [story]

Five Weeks

            Sara’s baby, Simsim, approximately five weeks

A very generous reader has shared photographs of her miscarried baby. Sara was about five weeks when she began cramping and bleeding. The next day she passed a small amount of tissue which her doctor had told her would be the baby. Since most people who miscarry will do so by six weeks it is very helpful to have photographs such as these.

What you are seeing is not only the baby, but the umbilical cord as well.

            Roxanne’s baby, Eden (approximately 5 weeks) Delivered at 9 weeks, 3 days at home after multiple scans showing some sac growth, but no baby growth and no heartbeat.

            Sandra’s baby (a ‘blighted ovum’) delivered sac and placenta but baby not visible
[story]

           

                  Clairessa’s babies: Cypress, Aspen, Willow, and Juniper (5 – 5.5 weeks, blighted ova, fetal poles not visible to the naked eye inside the sacs)

Not all of the sacs are easily visible in photographs, but Clairessa circled the areas in one of the photos.

                  A’s baby (5 weeks, 1 day; delivered at 11 weeks, 2 days)

Note that A’s baby was delivered a full six weeks after she miscarried. By this point, and considering how early the baby died, it would be extremely difficult to identify the baby, etc.

(shown with Sudafed tablet for scale0

          My baby, Demetrius (5 weeks, 5 days; delivered at 9 weeks)

The substantial white “tail” is actually the umbilical cord.

And the photograph below is a textbook photo so you can see the detail:

Five weeks, 2 days: (source)

            Heavenly’s baby, Cedar (5 weeks, shown in sac) Cedar is one of a set of twins, his sibling being 11 weeks (see below under 11 weeks heading). They were born after expectant management.

(Cedar (5 weeks) is in the bubble at the top of the placenta; Arrow (11 weeks) on the left)

Abigail’s baby: Amadeus (between 5 and 6 weeks)

Six Weeks

            Elexus’s babies, Lilly Marie and Lilliana Grace (6 weeks) [story]

            Jennifer’s baby, Journey (approximately 6 weeks, miscarried at 10 weeks)

Notice the similarity to Sara’s baby Simsim, pictured above at about 5 weeks. Journey is still in the sac and attached to the placenta.

And the photograph below is a textbook photo so you can see the detail:

approximately 0.5 cm (source)

            Thea’s twins: The Ehlowa Twins (6 weeks, delivered at 10.5 weeks) [story]

“After ripping open the gestational sac the two amniotic sacs came into better view.  The sacs were very close together before I spread them apart to take the photo.  The tiny babies are inside the sacs, one just above the 10 and 1/4 inch mark and the other just above the 11 inch mark.”

“Here are the amniotic sacs after I freed them from the gestational sac/placenta.”

[There are a few more photos on the Actual Process page that show the large clot containing the sacs before and after Thea opened it.]

Mimi’s baby Selah Lael (6 weeks, 1 day) Miscarried at 14.5 weeks.

[There is an additional photo of the placenta on the Actual Process page. It is larger than that of the usual 6 week pregnancy because it kept growing, the miscarriage being missed.]

Trisha’s baby Pax (6 weeks 3-4 days) [story]

Miscarried at home spontaneously at 11 weeks. Testing later showed Trisomy 22.

Alexandra’s baby: Caleb Ephraim (6 weeks, 5 days; delivered at 10 weeks)

Seven Weeks

            Sara’s baby (7 weeks, 2 days)

           

         Amber’s baby: “Our Angel Baby” (7 weeks, 4 days, delivered at 11 weeks, 5 days) [story]

(This baby looks developmentally closer to 6 weeks than 7.5 weeks.)

           Zara’s baby: Joey (between 6 and 8 weeks)

There is confusion surrounding the actual age of Joey. At 8 weeks he measured 5 weeks, 6 days and was delivered at 10 weeks 5 days. However, while developmentally he looks 6 weeks gestation, he is much bigger in size.

            Evon’s baby: Daniel (between 7 and 8 weeks)

(labeling provided by Evon)

            Mary’s baby, Riley Jae (7 weeks, 5 days; delivered at 10 weeks)

“My baby Riley Jae  was sent to us by God. God came to me in a dream the night after Riley Jae was born. His heart stopped at 7w 5d. he was born at 10 weeks.  He is now our Angel in heaven. God came and say, Riley was given to you for 3 purposes. 1-to help those who see my creations as “Tissue” to open their eyes to the true being. 2-to help grieving parents of early loss who never got to say goodbye, and to show those who will/are going through losing a child what they could expect. 3- to show “God” is real, and to spread the amazing creation’s you all came to be, through me. Please share Riley’s Photo to everyone you know. Please spread the word, please help fill Riley’s purpose of being given to us, to the world. November 23rd 2014.”

            Melissa’s baby, “Baby” (7 weeks, 6 days; delivered at 12 weeks) [story]

(Labeling provided by Melissa)

       Leonie’s baby (7 weeks, 5 days) [story]

1.5 cm long

Eight Weeks

            Bethany’s baby, Blessing

            Lisanne’s baby, Shiloh Rune [Story]

Shiloh is in the middle of the photograph inside the sac, right on the edge.

Next to the sac

            Sarah’s baby, Grace (8 weeks, born at 9 weeks, 1 day)

 

            Adalia’s baby, Malachi “Flipper” (8 weeks, 3 days, born at 12 weeks)

            Molli’s baby, George Charles Brown (8 weeks, 4 days) [story]

         

     

            Amber’s baby, Rowan (8 weeks, 5 days)

                    Rowan’s twin died at 6 weeks, and Rowan died at 8 weeks, 5 days. This was discovered                        at 9 weeks, 2 days. 



Nine Weeks            Heavenly’s Baby, Zion (9 weeks)Zion was born after medical induction after her heart stopped at 9 weeks. She was born outside the sac and her body was not intact. This does sometimes happen. (Note: Zion was born near the due-date of Heavenly’s twins Cedar and Arrow, also pictured on this page. Zion’s sex was confirmed by blood testing.)

           Brittany’s baby, Sprout (9 weeks, 1 day) [story]

             

            Valerie’s baby, Little One (9 weeks, 4 days) [story]

           

Myra’s baby, Peanut (9 weeks, 5 days)

Peanut died at 9 weeks, 5 days, and was carried for an additional 9 weeks. He was born at home after medical induction.

Candy’s baby, Kendall (9 weeks, 5 days) [story]

Ten Weeks 

            Shelley’s baby, Mason

            Ivy’s baby, Bliss

                    Baby Bliss died at 10 weeks (per ultrasound) and was born 4 weeks later at home. The baby was in the sac inside this clot (which also contains at least a portion of the placenta). 

           

            Tabitha’s baby Angel (10 weeks)

                    Baby Angel died at approximately 10 weeks and was born spontaneously at 10 weeks 4 days. Tabitha delivered him in the sac in the hospital while giving a urine sample. She cut the cord and opened the sac herself and used her clothing for a blanket for him.

       

            Hayley’s baby, Joey (between 9 and 10 weeks)

Joey died between 9 and 10 weeks and was miscarried naturally at 12 weeks, outside the sac.

               

            Jillian’s baby, Ever Elliot (10 weeks) [story]

                    Eve’s baby, Dani (10 weeks, 3 days) [story]

             

                Kimberly’s baby: Caleb (10 weeks, 2 days) [story]

           

              Rebecca’s baby: August (10 weeks, 4 days)

           

            Inga’s baby: Angel (10 weeks, 4 days) [story]

Eleven Weeks

            My baby, Gabriel (He died at 10 weeks, 6 days)

Still in the sac

In the sac, but after most of the amniotic fluid had been released

Just out of the sac

You can see details better when tiny babies are in water.

(slight distortion from the glass jar wall)

Perfect feet with all tiny toes.

 Faith’s baby, John David (10 weeks, 6 days) [story]

         

        Heavenly’s baby, Arrow (11 weeks)

Arrow is one of a set of twins, his sibling being 5 weeks (see above under 5 weeks heading). They were born after expectant management.

Arrow is on top of the placenta.

(Arrow is on the left, the placenta is on the right. The bubble visible at the top is a gestational sac containing 5 week Cedar.)

Xochitl’s baby, Angel (11 weeks, 5 days) [story]

          

            Crystal’s baby, Amos (11 weeks, 5 days; delivered at 14 weeks, 1 day)

          

         Lynn’s baby, Lucia Libby (11 weeks, 5 days, delivered around 14 weeks) [story]

            Eliane’s baby, Noah

(Noah looks closer to 13 weeks leading me to think that he was 11 weeks from conception, not LMP)

Twelve Weeks

            Lori’s twin babies, Ethan (11 weeks, 3 days) and Jonathan (12 weeks, 3 days)[story]

            My baby, Andrew [story].

He was 13 weeks but appeared closer to 12.

9 cm, 1 ounce

            My baby, Innocent [story]. He was 12 weeks 5 days.

Thirteen Weeks

            Amanda’s baby, Rowan

approximately 7 cm

            Amelia’s baby, Isaiah

Jeanna’s baby: Benjamin (13 weeks, 5 days, born sleeping a week later measuring 4.25 inches and 3/4 of an ounce)

Kimberly’s baby: Quinn Zoe (13 weeks, 6 days) [story]

Fourteen Weeks

Stacey’s baby, Cedric John (estimated about 14 weeks by CR length, delivered at 16 weeks. He is one of a set of twins but the other twin, Celeste Star, died early and was absorbed into her placenta. That particular placenta is the fourth photo and per the midwife the baby is in the upper right corner.) [story]

            Dawn’s baby, David (reported to have died at 14 weeks, delivered at 16 weeks, but much larger than the typical 14 week baby)

Fifteen Weeks

            Amelia’s baby, Micah

(Micah’s legs are resting on his belly; you can see the stump of his cord in the middle.)

Sixteen Weeks

            Diana’s baby, Owen (16 weeks, 3 days)

           

Jennifer’s baby, Ava May (approx 16weeks but may be younger)

4.5 in or 12 cm

A view of Ava still in the sac with the placenta behind.

Seventeen Weeks 

            Morgan’s baby, Emerson (17 weeks, 3 days): “Induced after we found out his heart had stopped within the previous 24 hours. He was born with his cord wrapped three times around his neck.”

160g (5.6 oz) , roughly 9″ long

            Jamie’s baby, Gabriel (17 weeks, 4 days)

[I do not have permission to post these pictures, but there is a lovely series of photographs of Gene and Melodie’s son, Caleb at this link. They have graciously allowed me to link back to them.]

Eighteen Weeks

            Diana’s baby, Sophia (17 weeks, 5 days)

            Natasha’s baby, Jeremiah

Nineteen Weeks

               Amanda’s baby, Levi

                Lexi’s baby, Walter

(more photos of Walter here)

 

Twenty-One Weeks

         Makayla’s baby, Joshua (21 weeks, 3 days) [story]

Twenty-Four Weeks

               Brittany’s baby, Marshall (24 weeks)

Thirty Weeks

            Melissa’s baby, Calypso (29 weeks, 5 days) (Note: Calypso was born alive and lived for 23 days before entering Heaven.)

13 inches, 3 lbs, 1.9 oz

Thirty-three Weeks

            Trish’s baby, Evelyn [story]

Thirty-six Weeks

            Dawn’s baby, Hannah Grace

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**Please note that these photographs are of people’s children, no matter how small. If you wish to use one of these photos for any reason, please contact me or the originator of the photograph (always linked) before you do. I have had many requests to repost photos of Innocent and others and I have usually given permission if they are not used in an exploitative way or for someone’s profit. But do please ask first because it can cause a lot of pain for a parent to come across their child’s photo when they are not prepared for it. In addition, I unfortunately have had to add watermarks. This does not mean that I am claiming that I personally took all of these photos. This is saying that all of the photographs on this site have been used with permission (usually at the request of the parent) and I don’t want them to be stolen and used for any other purpose. Thank you.**

Here are some sites that have parent-submitted photographs of still-born and miscarried babies. The majority are later gestation but there are a few earlier gestation. These sites generally feature portrait type photographs.

Missing Angel Foundation (This site is primarily of later gestation to full-term babies.)
Stillborn Angels (This site has a few more early gestation babies.)
Stillbirthday (This page has been recently created and has babies classified by gestational age, similar to this page)

[Additional note: There are frequent visitors from pages containing arguments that an X week baby does not look like a baby (and therefore is fine to kill). Look at this logically: We all start from two cells. How can two cells look like a three month old? Those cells divide and divide etc. and eventually you can see the beginning of eyes and arm and leg buds (not to mention the complex workings inside). The ad hominem argument that is most frequently used is this: “Such and such model of a tiny baby doesn’t look exactly like the real thing therefore all pre-born babies are fine to kill.” Because the nose on a silicone model, used to give people the idea of what a baby at X weeks looks like, is slightly more prominent than on the actual baby doesn’t mean the entire model is a figment of someone’s imagination. If anyone has any doubt about what an 8 or 10 or 12 week baby looks like, you need only look at the photographs above. If you’re trying to convey this information to someone else, I ask that you please do not copy the photograph, just link back to this page. Thank you.]