This section is for OBGYN nurses who will be doing baby care and assembling our memory boxes. We hope you find this informative and helpful; if you have any questions or comments please do not hesitate to email or call us!

Upon the opening of you families memory box you will find that we have layered items in such a way as to be nurse friendly. First you will find the outside box items, then the cloth memory holder, and finally the inside box items.

Let us go through all the items and how to then fully assemble to box for presentation to the families...

First we start with the actual box lid. The cover of each individual memory box may be imprinted upon; you may use your hospitals standard inkpads and place hand and/or feet prints directly onto the top sheet of paper. You may also write with markers on the paper or on the inside lid. Examples of what you may want to write include; the baby's full name, the date, the weight, the length; or you may ask the families what they would like--they may appreciate 'son/daughter of...' 'brother/sister of...', etc.

Outside items include your baby's outfit packet, an angel bear, mold kits/both regular and 3-d, and any other props you may with to assemble for creative picture taking. 1. Please pick two size appropriate outfit bags/or let your families choose their baby's outfit. One outfit is for the baby and one is a 'keepsake' outfit for the families to keep in the event that they wish their baby to stay clothed in the original outfit. 2. Choose an angel bear; remember to use bear as a picture taking aide/prop. 3. Other props may include toys the parents brought, outfits the parents brought, flowers the families have received, etc.

Regular molds using Crayola Magic Mold: Take one glass mold holder and press flat Magic Mold. Press hands and/or feet into molding material to make impression. *Suggestion: for all babies, but especially micro-preemies it is helpful to ink hand/feet before molding. This aides in the effect of the mold when you are unable to deeply press the hand/foot.

3-d mold kit: Each kit comes with its own instuction paper and is very easy to use. You simply press hands/feet into playdough cup as deeply as you can. Mix plaster with enough water and shake well; add enough water for the plaster to be the consistency of pancake batter. Pour plaster into playdough cup to brim for sturdiness. Let dry for several hours/until you scratch the top and it feels dry. 'Pop' mold out of playdough cup and inform patient they may remold at a later date if they wish using the same playdough impression; we have kept playdough mold examples for several months before they fully dried out.

Next, we lift out the cloth memory holder. Inside the holder you will find 4 print cards, 1 journal with matching bookmark, a certificate of life, and a sympathy card. On all of these items you may print hands, feet, and ears; again, remembering more is better. You may also write with marker on all these items. If you have a baby who is unable to be printed this often you may decorate the cards in other ways, or simply put them back undecorated. (At a later point the families may decorate them on their own with baby's pictures, etc.) Other ways to decorate include: placing baby's tape measure on cards, baby's ID bands on cards, instant pictures on cards, etc. Be creative! You may always use extra cards available in the bereavement cart if you need more than we have supplied each box. Other paperwork inside the box nurse don't need to worry about or do anything with include a packet of poems and 2 pages of box instructions for families. When printing is complete please place all cards, poems, instuctions, etc back into the pocket of the cloth holder. *Please remember to sign your families sympathy card, even if just with everybodys first names; nurses, doctors, and any other caregiver.

Underneath the cloth memory holder you will find several items: a remembrance candle bag with attached poem, a shell for blessing baby at parents request, a pregnancy and infant loss support ribbon/PAILS ribbon, a mom/baby bracelet combo, and a flower. All these items can and should be used as background for picture taking. The flower gives good reference to parents later on how big/small their baby really was. The bracelet combo makes a powerful and poignant picture when both moms and baby's hands are the focus of the picture. The shell, support ribbon, candle, and even the box itself are just nice beautiful backdrop items. Also, please feel free to use blankets as background cover; ie to cover ugly hospital equipment. *Remember, all items that were near or touched the baby will be especially important to the parents--and getting a picture of this in action is extra special!

When all baby care is complete you are ready to assemble the memory box for presentation to the family.

1. Please place all remaining 'inside box items' inside first. Next, place the cloth memory holder inside. Inside the cloth memory holder will be all your print items, poem packet, instuction sheets for patients, and any instant pictures you may have taken. Then the keepsake outfit excluding plastic bag may be placed inside box. You may need to add at a later point: the original baby outfit if parents choose to keep this as well and the baby bracelet if they choose to keep instead of send with baby. At this point the box will be very full.

2. After placing cover you will still have the angel bear, which patients may keep or send with baby. You may place bear next to or on top of box. You may also have extra blankets, etc which did not fit inside box. And lastly you will have the 3-d molds you have made. These need to dry extensively as previously mentioned and even if you have room inside box should remain outside for drying purposes.

3. At the point of 'presentation' to the families you have 2 scenerios. First, you may sit with your families and go through each individual item of the box and then pack box up. Second, families may not be ready to look at box items and you may need to pack box up out of their view. Many families do take their boxes home this way and open then for viewing when ready. *Very few families are unable to actually view baby and/or take home their memory box. In all instances you should make and assemble memories for your families and should encourage viewing and holding of baby--gently reminding them that this will be their only chance to make their 'emotional memories' with their baby; studies have proven that at some point the families will want the memories, even if it is years later. In this scenerio you may contact us for keepsafe of a box if your hospital is unable to safely house it for your patient.