Attachments

Mummified Baby from China

Crocheted outfits made for dead babies include "Angel Dolls"

Very tiny booties

Everything strangely perfect

There is this strange culture of attachment that we seem to nurture as human beings.

While looking for baby clothing patterns I ran across this site. Crochet Patterns Central in a section called burial garments.

There are a group of people, mostly women, who want to make sure that infants who died in late term pregnancy or as still births are given lovely wardrobes. They need the small "sleeping babies" to have warm, crocheted sweaters, blankets and little outfits to keep them warm and to comfort the grieving parents. The outfits are made for "Angels". They offer patterns to volunteers to make up the clothing and tell them where the clothing is needed. The sizes are called ultra preemie and would really fit a doll.

I have been with friends and family when children have died. My nephew Christopher died as a small child and the grief was terrible. His parents chose to dress him in his tiny leather jacket while wearing his favourite cool guy shades for burial. Tim's mother lost a baby in late term pregnancy and kept it in a pickle jar. She was very upset by people's shocked reaction to being showed it. She kept it for awhile because it was so "perfect" and she couldn't figure out what killed it. A more "scientific" interest took the place of her grief.

I feel very unsettled by this attachment to the departed. Even more so with departed pets. Maybe because I spent so much time hovering near death. I know that it has always been this way. Even ancient people kept remains of loved ones and mummified tiny, premature babies. It just seems very, very strange to me.