Yes, you can often bury a stillborn baby in your yard, especially if you own the land or have permission, but you must follow local laws, which typically require proper depth (around 18 inches for <24 weeks) and consideration for water/land rights, with options to use small caskets or containers, and seeking guidance from hospitals or charities like Sands or Tommy's is recommended for support and specifics.
If you are able to find your baby's body, there are options for burial. I've never heard of a state where babies are legally classified as human remains after death in the 1st trimester, so burial on your property is probably legal.
In many cases stillborn babies were buried in a shared grave with other babies. These graves are usually unmarked, though they do have a plot number and can be located on a cemetery plan. In other cases, babies were buried in shared graves with adults. In many cases several babies were cremated together.
This means that even your miscarried or stillborn baby was intentionally and supernaturally selected by God to be your child. He or she was reserved just for you, and there is purpose in this selection (Ecclesiastes 3:11, Colossians 1:16-17).
If your baby is under 350 grams or less than 20 weeks gestation, you have two options. You may choose to bury or cremate his or her remains through a funeral home. Or, you may choose for the hospital to handle the disposition of the remains at no charge.
Yes, babies who die do go to heaven. God's mercy and grace extend to these little ones in a way that aligns with His loving nature. For parents and loved ones who have experienced the heart-wrenching loss of a child, this belief offers a deep comfort.
What not to say. "You are lucky you have (or can have) other children." "It was meant to be" or "It was part of life's plan." "It is better you didn't have time to know the baby."
Stillbirth is a common term for death of a fetus after 20 weeks. It is also called intrauterine fetal death or demise.
As late as the 1990s, stillborn babies were routinely removed from their parents before they had a chance to hold or even look at the child, the theory being that any connection made would prolong the grief. The babies were then often taken to cemeteries and buried in unmarked mass graves.
A letter from Services Australia, dated 2 July 2025, confirms that the stillborn baby payment of $4,326.57 is available in cases of intentional abortion where a pregnancy has reached 20 weeks or the child weighs 400 grams.
This influence came from early religions that worshipped the sun. Many Egyptian temples were built so that the dead faced east. Christians believed that if the deceased were buried to face east, they could rise again on the day of resurrection.
You may wish to bury your baby in your own garden, or in some other place (in the countryside, for example) that holds a special meaning for you. There are also privately-owned woodland burial sites if you did not wish to bury in your own land or in the local cemetery.
Burial & Cremation Options
Cremation – Often the most affordable option (usually under $200). Burial – Costs vary and can include burial plots, grave openings, vaults, and headstones. Green burial – Uses natural preservation (no embalming) and biodegradable caskets. Availability varies by state.
This definition of fetal death, adopted by NCHS as the nationally recommended standard, is based on the definition published by the World Health Organization in 1950 and revised in 1988. The term fetal death encompasses other commonly used terms, including stillbirth, spontaneous abortion, and miscarriage.
When to have your baby's funeral. There is no legal time limit for having a funeral. Unless there are religious or other reasons for holding a funeral quickly, you can take all the time you need to make sure your baby's funeral is arranged as you would like it to be.
The 3 C's of grief are Control, Connection, and Continuity - three fundamental psychological needs that become disrupted after loss and require intentional attention during the grieving process.
Even though you lost your child during pregnancy or soon after, you are still a parent. Take care of yourself.
I believe that God is clear in Scripture that He welcomes into heaven each baby who dies, born or unborn (Ps 139). And this extends to young children and the mentally disabled who die before they are able to understand salvation. God is not silent on this question.
Babies who are stillborn (born dead) after 24 weeks of pregnancy (until 1992, after 28 weeks), or die during infancy, must be buried or cremated. Cemeteries and crematoria are required to keep records of all such burials and cremations.
In general, here's how you might express your grief:
Hold your baby until they're in a deeper sleep. Babies start in 'active sleep' (with faster, uneven breathing) and move into a deeper sleep after about 20 minutes. That's a good time to transfer them into their sleeping place. Many babies don't like being put down into a cot.
SIDS is less common after 8 months of age, but parents and caregivers should continue to follow safe sleep practices to reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related causes of infant death until baby's first birthday. More than 90% of all SIDS deaths occur before 6 months of age.
The hardest week with a newborn is often considered the first six weeks, especially weeks 2-3, due to extreme sleep deprivation, constant feeding demands, learning baby's cues, postpartum recovery, and a peak in inconsolable crying (the "witching hour"), making parents feel overwhelmed as they adjust to a new, exhausting routine. While the first week is tough, the challenges often intensify as the baby becomes more alert but still fussy, with major developmental hurdles like cluster feeding and increased fussiness peaking around 6-8 weeks.