Maryland Woman Makes Dresses for Stillborn Babies From Wedding Dresses

WEBVTT THEO: INSIDE HER KINGSVILLE,SHE SEWS THEM FROM DONATEDCUTTING OUT ORIGINAL PATTERNS OFA RETIRED BALTIMORE COUNTYNOW THAT MEANS MUCH MORE.>> THEY JUST GAVE BIRTH, THEYSO I CANNOT IMAGINE HOWSO I WANT TO KEEP THAT FROMTHEO RIGHTS DONATE THEIR GOWNS>> THE FIRST ONE I WENT TO WASI CRIED ALL THE WAY HOME.ALL THOSE LITTLE COFFINS ON THETHEO: THIS GOT STARTED INCHECK OUT THIS BACK CLOSET INSHE SAYS ONE DRESS CAN TYPICALLYEVERY PACKAGE WILL GO OUT TO THEIT'S NOT ALWAYS AN EASY TASK,THE WOMEN OFTEN CRY WHEN SEWINGSHE CONSTANTLY IS IN NEED OFIMPORTANT.>> THIS IS A DIFFICULT MINISTRY.IT IS IMPORTANT.ANDRE: A TOOTH OF THE HAT TOANITA

Kingsville woman sews angel gowns for stillborn babies

Anita Schatz makes burial gowns for stillborn babies

There are 24,000 babies that are stillborn every year in the U.S., according to the March of Dimes, and it's a tragic experience for parents who deal with it.Fortunately, there's a Baltimore County woman who is making a difference in Maryland by making the burial process a little easier.Inside her Kingsville living room, Anita Schatz makes burial gowns for stillborn babies. She sews them from donated wedding gowns, cutting out original patterns of all sizes and decorating them with embellishment and underlay; blue for boys and pink for girls.A retired Baltimore County school professional, the latest calling in her life likely began at an early age, sewing baby doll clothes, but now, she's sewing miniature-sized gowns that mean much more."They just gave birth. Their baby died. They're going to baby stores, looking for baby doll dresses to bury their babies in, and they can't find them, and I can't imagine how tragic that is, and I want to keep that from happening," Schatz said.Angel Gowns by Baba is the name of Schatz's labor of love. A group of volunteers gathers every Tuesday to help her sew. Brides donate the gowns, and she's in the process of contacting Maryland hospitals to give them the gowns, all free of charge."The first hospital I went to was St. Joseph, and the nurse showed me her store room, which was very traumatic. I cried all the way home. There was coffins on the shelf, and I saw the tiny little gowns," Schatz said.It's hard to believe this all just got underway in January. A back closet in Schatz's home is already full of beautiful donated gowns. She said one dress can typically make about 30 infant gowns.Every package will go out to the hospitals with a gown, a message and keepsake for the parents, a diaper and a blanket for the parents to swaddle their babies in.It's not always an easy task, Schatz said. The women often cry when sewing the gowns. She constantly is in need of more material, ribbons, thread, gowns, gallon zip-lock bags and more, and she keeps a plastic baby model by her side to remind her why making angel gowns is so important."This is a difficult ministry. It's important," Schatz said.Schatz has 85 gowns ready to go to Maryland hospitals. She said every gown gets blessed by a priest.Want to donate? Visit Schatz's Facebook page: Angel Gowns by Baba.

KINGSVILLE, Md. —

There are 24,000 babies that are stillborn every year in the U.S., according to the March of Dimes, and it's a tragic experience for parents who deal with it.

Fortunately, there's a Baltimore County woman who is making a difference in Maryland by making the burial process a little easier.

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Inside her Kingsville living room, Anita Schatz makes burial gowns for stillborn babies. She sews them from donated wedding gowns, cutting out original patterns of all sizes and decorating them with embellishment and underlay; blue for boys and pink for girls.

A retired Baltimore County school professional, the latest calling in her life likely began at an early age, sewing baby doll clothes, but now, she's sewing miniature-sized gowns that mean much more.

"They just gave birth. Their baby died. They're going to baby stores, looking for baby doll dresses to bury their babies in, and they can't find them, and I can't imagine how tragic that is, and I want to keep that from happening," Schatz said.

Angel Gowns by Baba is the name of Schatz's labor of love. A group of volunteers gathers every Tuesday to help her sew. Brides donate the gowns, and she's in the process of contacting Maryland hospitals to give them the gowns, all free of charge.

"The first hospital I went to was St. Joseph, and the nurse showed me her store room, which was very traumatic. I cried all the way home. There was coffins on the shelf, and I saw the tiny little gowns," Schatz said.

It's hard to believe this all just got underway in January. A back closet in Schatz's home is already full of beautiful donated gowns. She said one dress can typically make about 30 infant gowns.

Every package will go out to the hospitals with a gown, a message and keepsake for the parents, a diaper and a blanket for the parents to swaddle their babies in.

It's not always an easy task, Schatz said. The women often cry when sewing the gowns. She constantly is in need of more material, ribbons, thread, gowns, gallon zip-lock bags and more, and she keeps a plastic baby model by her side to remind her why making angel gowns is so important.

"This is a difficult ministry. It's important," Schatz said.

Schatz has 85 gowns ready to go to Maryland hospitals. She said every gown gets blessed by a priest.

Want to donate? Visit Schatz's Facebook page: Angel Gowns by Baba.

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Source: https://www.wbaltv.com/article/kingsville-woman-sews-angel-gowns-for-stillborn-babies/18754436

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