FAQ

No, you can purchase each service separately. You simply indicate what you want help with.

If your baby has died during or around birth, welcoming and saying goodbye come together. Not only will we, therefore, pay attention to saying farewell to your baby, but also help you welcoming your child and creating beautiful and valuable moments. Examples include:

• Dressing your child
• Washing/bathing your child
• Making hand/footprints
• Requesting Make a Memory
• Taking pictures

You can, of course, decide for yourself what you need.

If your baby died in the womb (IUVD), we can come to you before the delivery and talk about what you can expect and start arranging some things whilst we are there.

Despite losing your baby, you are the mother of a newly born child. You have been through a pregnancy and a delivery. That requires special care.

We often hear from parents that, thanks to our help, they are able to continue. We show that there can be a future again.

If your baby has died or you know that your baby is going to die and you want help, advice or you want ima to arrange the funeral, you can contact us by calling 085 877 08 09, 24 hours a day. You don’t have to call straight away. Take your time to cuddle and admire your baby.

Our telephone number is permanently forwarded to one of our mobile phones, so you can always talk to us. Alternatively, you can send an e-mail to info@ima-afscheidszorg.nl.

ima helps parents who expect and lose a baby at the same time. This can be a premature child or a child that dies having completed the full term or a few days/weeks after birth.

It all depends on what you want. The costs that are charged are:

• Guidance by ima
• Cooling
• Mortuary (rate dependent on hospital)
• cemetery/crematorium (prices vary and can be found on the websites of the cemeteries)
• children’s casket or basket
• venue of the farewell reception
• flowers
• combined birth announcement/mourning card
• music

Yes, you can purchase each service separately, so hiring the cooling only is possible. At €350, we will install the cooling, help lay out your child and also collect the cooling afterwards. Installing or disconnecting the cooling system yourself is not permitted. You can, of course, always call 085 877 08 09 if you have any questions in the meantime.

You are legally obliged to bury or cremate babies who die after a 24-week pregnancy. At a term of less than 24 weeks, you can choose to have your child cremated collectively through the hospital, but you can also opt for your own funeral or cremation. ima can help you with this or provide advice, just call us on 085 877 08 09.

If your baby is born after a pregnancy of 24 weeks, you are obliged to register it.

In the event your child was stillborn, it will be registered as a stillbirth. That involves the registration of a birth and death in a single deed.

In the event of death after your child was born alive, you register both the birth and the death and you will receive two deeds.

It is entirely up to you. A casket is sturdy and not so easy to take on your lap for instance. A (fabric) basket is soft and easier to take with you. Both are suitable for burial or cremation. Very soft terry cloth baskets are less suitable for burial.

You can also choose to lay out your child on a bier without a basket or casket. Note that on the day of the funeral or cremation, your child must be covered and its contours may not be visible.

You can, but you don’t have to. On our website, under links, you can find webshops that sell clothes for premature babies. We ourselves sell wraps you can wrap your baby in. You can, of course, also wrap your child in a cloth of your own.

You can, but you don’t have to. If you decide to lay out your baby at home, you can hire the baby cooling at ima, but you can also use cooling elements. We will come and check on your child each day. If you don’t like the idea of laying out your child at home but you do want to keep your baby with you at home for a while, we will find a solution that best suits you. You can put your baby in a basket or casket but if you prefer to put it in its cot, then that’s fine too.

If you decide not to take your child home, it will remain in the mortuary until the funeral. On the day of the funeral, we will pick it up from the mortuary together. Bear in mind that the mortuary may charge costs.

If you have a funeral insurance policy, unborn children are often co-insured free of charge. During the first 30 days after birth, they are automatically co-insured. If you submit your insurance details to us, we can find out for you what you are entitled to.

The overview below shows which funeral insurance reimburses what expenses, if ima afscheidszorg arranges the funeral. Please note that no rights can be derived from this overview.

Yes, most maternity care agencies offer special maternity care from 20 weeks onward. We have contact with maternity care agencies that specialise in providing care when you lost your baby. The maternity nurse will do check-ups of the mother and welcome visitors. A maternity nurse, especially for expats, who offers care in English is provided by Rebecca Overmars of Cherry Tree Lane

The crematorium is legally obliged to keep the ashes in its custody for a month. You will subsequently be informed that you can pick up the ashes.

If you want to place a commemorative tablet or a headstone, you need a permit. You can apply for this permit yourself or the supplier of the memorial stone or cemetery administration can assist you with this.

In order to place a headstone, you can make an appointment with the cemetery manager.

Some people don’t like the term stillborn or stillbirth and prefer miscarriage, as it sounds less harsh. There isn’t much difference in terms of meaning and it’s entirely up to you how you refer to your loss.

For brothers and sisters, the loss of a baby can be just as bad. The funeral or cremation and the farewell make a huge impression.

Sometimes, professional help is recommended. On our website, under links, you will find various care providers for dealing with grief. You can also read books with your child or children that deal with saying goodbye and the loss of someone dear. These books can also be found on our website.

Our website contains multiple links to various care providers for dealing with grief. You can, of course, also ask your GP about suitable care providers. The Psyche and pregnancy organisation offers specialist aftercare in this field. On our Facebook page , you can find comforting and informative videos, texts and photos.