Woman transforms wedding gowns into burial clothing for stillborn babies

Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Wedding Gowns Repurposed
Wedding dresses and men's suits transformed into tiny burial clothing for stillborn babies

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Our wedding day is one of the most special moments in our life, and our gowns often come with lots of memories. However, more women are getting rid of their wedding dresses. Ann Wynn is one of those women. She remembers when she first tried on her perfect dress.

"It's so much fun when you're shopping for the wedding dress, and then there's that one that makes you break into tears. I knew it was the one. I just felt like a princess in that," said Wynn.

As the years passed and the dress collected dust, Wynn decided to give it away while helping grieving families. She donated her dress to Baby Gowns For Eternity - a local charity which takes old wedding dresses, quinciera gowns, or men's suits and transforms them into gowns for babies who die before they really get a chance to live.

"I did consider selling my dress, and yeah, maybe I could get some money for it, but donating the dress to give to families for this purpose is priceless," said Wynn.

Most people don't think about the newborns who never make it home from the hospital. However, families who lose a baby often struggle to find suitable clothing for the burial.

"We have them placed in hospitals so that when a child is lost - dies - there is a gown available for that child anywhere from 10 to 12 weeks gestation to a full term baby," said Baby Gowns For Eternity Co-Founder, Dana Dusek.

Dusek hopes providing families with outfits can give them some peace.

"As one mother said, 'It's the only normalcy she had in the loss of her baby - that she got to dress that baby.' One dad said, 'It makes the sad happy - that your baby is treated like the human. That it is dressed for heaven and wrapped in love,'" adds Dusek.

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Just five months ago, Martha Barba and her husband lost their baby boy.

"You feel your heart break into a million pieces to think you won't see your baby, to know you won't be able to hold your baby, see him grow up. It's something I can't describe. It's horrible pain," said Barba.

The thought of having to bury her son was equally as painful.

"It was hard to actually think of finding him something to dress him in. Everything was too big. I really didn't have my head to think," said Barba.

Her friend had Baby Gowns for Eternity make a suit for Barba's son.

"When I saw it, there were so many things that I felt. I was sad, but happy to know that he would be dressed for his funeral and for heaven," said Barba.

And her son went to heaven with a fitting name.

"After my husband decided to name him Angel, and it was perfect because he's an Angel. He's our Angel," said Barba.

Baby Gowns For Eternity works out of Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital and needs volunteers who can sew.