Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep : modern remembrance photography

I recently came across an incredible organization called Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS) and wanted to share the beautiful work they do. 

Since 2005, they’ve been providing professional remembrance photography to parents experiencing the loss of a baby. It’s a gift of healing—capturing those fleeting, precious moments and providing families with beautiful, retouched black-and-white portraits at no cost.

With over 80,000 sessions gifted worldwide, their volunteer photographers are truly doing heart-work. If you know a photographer looking to give back or a family in need of support

As you can see, post-mortem photography is still used, but that's a topic for a different post. 

Early infant loss

While stillbirths are the primary focus of Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS), their services are not strictly limited to that. They provide " remembrance photography "for a range of situations involving early infant loss. Their photography service is viewed as a " gift of remembrance."

What is Remembrance Photography?

This is considered a compassionate form of photography nowadays that honors and preserves the memory of a loved one who has passed. This is often about infant loss or end-of-life moments. This kind of photography focuses on capturing respectful images that reflect love, peace, and connection. 

 Stillbirth rates in the USA and Latin America.

Stillbirth rates in the USA 

According to the latest provisional data released by the CDC and the United Nations (UN IGME/UNICEF) as of early 2026, here are the current numbers for stillbirth rates:

United States Stillbirth Rates

The most recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), published in late 2025/early 2026, shows a slight improvement in U.S. rates.

• Rate: 5.41 per 1,000 live births and fetal deaths (provisional 2024 data).
• Total Number: Approximately 19,756 stillbirths (fetal deaths at 20 weeks of gestation or more).
• Trend: This represents a 2% decline from the previous year.
• Significant Disparity: The rate remains significantly higher for Black (9.96) and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (10.21) mothers compared to White (4.54) or Hispanic (4.76) mothers.
• Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), National Vital Statistics System (NVSS).

Latin America and the Caribbean Stillbirth Rates

Global data is typically released in slightly larger intervals. The most current comprehensive estimates come from the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) and UNICEF reports released in March 2025.

• Regional Rate: Approximately 8.2 to 9.0 per 1,000 total births.
• Total Number: Latin America and the Caribbean account for roughly 90,000 to 100,000 stillbirths annually.
• Progress Note: While the region has seen a steady decline since 2000, progress has slowed in the last few years. The UN warns that at least 15 countries in this region have shown stagnant or no significant decrease in stillbirth rates over the last two decades.
• Source: UNICEF / UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) 2025 Report: "Standing Up for Stillbirth."

Here you can reach out to them: 

https://www.facebook.com/nilmdts/about

https://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/