Many Sands members have found that collecting and creating keepsakes can provide a lot of comfort and is a lasting way to remember your baby. Here are some of the ideas we have found useful.

Hospital keepsakes
The hospital should offer you a memory folder, containing footprints and handprints of your baby; a lock of hair; a photograph; and your baby's hospital wristband. You may not initially want to accept it, because you are so shocked and traumatised by your baby's death, but hospitals will often keep folders in case parents decide they want them at a later date.

Creating a memories box
You could buy or decorate a box and use it to keep all your memories of your baby in the same place. You might include:

• the hospital memory folder
• your baby's birth, death or stillbirth certificate(s)
• the blanket your baby was wrapped in
• a teddy or other toy you may have been given for your baby
• additional photographs taken at the hospital with your baby
• your scan pictures 
• some of the clothes your baby may have worn
• cards you received from friends and relatives after your baby died
• cards or ribbons from flowers your received
• mementoes of your baby's funeral
  

Putting together a photo album
You could take the time to put any photos from the hospital or that you took yourselves into an album. That way, you have all the photos in one place to go and look at whenever you want to. You could also put a few photos of your baby around the house.

Jewellery
You could buy a locket and put pictures of your baby in it. There are several websites in the US, which specialise in baby loss jewellery. For example, they sell heart-shaped charms, which you can have engraved with your baby's name, birth date and footprints, and customised jewellery with your baby's birth stone. The companies usually ship to the UK. See La Belle Dame or My Forever Child.

Commissioning a sketch or painting of your baby
You could have a painting or pencil/charcoal sketch done of your baby from photos. You could find your own local artist or, alternatively, national Sands has connections with an artist called Sue Fernandes, who has done many portraits for Sands members (price is about £50; contact national Sands for details on 020 7436 7940). This doesn't have to be expensive and can provide comfort and an enduring memory.

Creating a Memorial Website
You could set up a page on a memorial website such as Gone To Soon.  This gives you the chance to publish photos and your story, and allows friends and family to add messages of comfort and support.