Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS)
I volunteer for a non-profit organization called Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS), and I think their mission is too compassionate not to share with you! I also wanted to share this video clip from this morning’s Today Show (NBC). Reporter Kerry Sanders profiled a NILMDTS photographer and family from Minnesota during the show.
For some, it is difficult to fully understand the value of NILMDTS. If you find yourself wondering whether NILMDTS truly makes a difference, please take a few minutes to watch the video below. The Today Show special really gets to the heart of NILMDTS:
About NILMDTS:
Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS) that exists to assist families suffering an early infant loss or who have children in hospice situations. The foundation provides Infant Remembrance Photography to families, at no cost, in a sensitive and compassionate manner.
“Our mission is to provide Remembrance Photography to families faced with the untimely death of their infant or Hospice Care child under the age of seventeen. In addition under certain criteria, we offer Maternity sessions to parents who know prior to delivery, their unborn child has little chance of survival during or after birth.”
Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (NILMDTS) is a nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization, and there are photographers participating in almost every state and even in other countries. Their website is www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org.
Families:
Photographs are one of the most precious and tangible mementos that a parent can have, showing the love and bond that was given and shared with their baby. These portraits will last for generations, and will honor and remember a tiny life that is forever loved and cherished. NILMDTS can help honor the life of your child in a compassionate and loving manner. Visit the NILMDTS website to find a photographer in your area, or to learn more about NILMDTS.
Photographers:
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer for Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, please visit the the NILMDTS website and explore the “for photographers” section. Your time and talent will mean the world to the families who are going through a terrible time of loss.
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How very touching, Betsy. A most wonderful and truly heartwarming organization.
that’s so sad ….but touching….
and this is free for the families. what a great service.
It’s really an honor to be a part of this organization. They have great resources for grieving families too, including a forum area for the parents. Some of the stories are so heart-wrenching, and I’m just glad that I can be there to help families in this area.
Betsy, something you forgot to mention is that this service is offered to families with infants born alive, but facing an uncertain future, or infants that lack the ability to survive on their own.
Baby Maddux, the first angel photographed for NILMDTS, was photographed while on life support before he passed away.
@anonymous: you are absolutely correct. While many of the infants photographed by NILMDTS never had the chance to live, there are those that were photographed while alive but very sick, and despite tremendous odds, later survived.
My beautiful daughter delivered her daughter this morning, sadly Adryana had passed on before birth, my daughter had been put in touch with the Now I lay me down to sleep website, Shelley Vandervelde was the photographer who came to take the pictures and I cannot praise her enough, she was so kind, compassionate, caring, and handled everything with tact, words can never Thank her enough and I am so so glad there are people out there like her who take their time to come to the aid of those suffering the loss of a child, I will not have my precious grandaugher here with us, but we’ll always have the precious moments that Shelley captured for us, from the bottom of my heart I thank you Shelley and ALL of the wonderful people involved in this amazing act of caring about other. God Bless you all. Sincerely, Vicki Warner and Family
@Vicki: Thank you for sharing your story. I am so sorry for your loss — but I am glad Shelley was there to capture those precious memories for you.