Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth Alabama

On September 2, 2008, my world came crashing down when my perfectly healthy pregnancy came to an end with the words," I'm sorry there isn't a heartbeat."  After 23 hours of labor, our beautiful daughter was born still at 35 1/2 weeks. Faith was complete perfection at 5 pounds and 19 1/4 inches. If born premature,  she would have lived. We were told that we had rare happen to us twice- not only is stillbirth "rare", but the true knot that took our daughter's life usually doesn't cause death. Losing Faith is the hardest thing I have ever gone through, but being told that in our state government's eyes our baby girl does not deserve a death or birth certificate brings complete sadness to my heart. In the hospital before I gave birth, I had to state the plans I had for her body  because by law I had to either bury or cremate my daughter. Of course, with or without the law dictating, I  honored  my daughter's life with a funeral and burial. No one should ever have to follow behind their child's casket and bury their daughter. Mostly, no one's life should ever be denied the right to a birth certificate. Even after requiring a burial or cremation, my state of Alabama and many other states don't think  that my child's life deserves the acknowledgement of a death or birth certificate.

Faith is our fourth child. She is the little sister of Nash, Krista, and Grace and is now the big sister of Hope. She is a daughter, granddaughter, sister,niece, and cousin that is missed everyday by so many, but in the state's eyes she never existed. Her life is not acknowledged, but has made a difference in so many lives. In memory of her short yet very meaningful life, we donate baskets to her birth hospital to parents that start this horrifying journey of living without one of your children. In the baskets, we include a "Certificate of Life" to acknowledge their baby's life. BUT these children and my daughter deserve to be counted and issued a state certified document that they lived, whether or not they lived outside the womb. Why am I required to bury or cremate someone that neither was born nor died in your eyes?

I have noticed many signatures from Alabama's bordering states...If you gave birth to your child in one of those states, they all offer CBRS. If you had your baby before it was offered, the law should be retroactive. Thank you all for your signatures and supportive words!!  Please, ask your friends and family to sign too. God bless!! 

If you are an Alabama parent that has lost a child to Stillbirth and would like to get involved or just need support from someone who understands, please contact me at faithhope5@bellsouth.net 

To help with passing a CBRS Bill in your area, please visit missingangelsbill.org
The following are the 28 states that offer CBRS:
Arizona, Utah, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia, Louisiana, New Jersey, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Missouri, Minnesota, Texas, Florida, Mississippi, South Dakota, Arkansas, North Dakota, Montana, Rhode Island, California, Nebraska, Georgia, Oklahoma, New Hampshire, Alaska, Maine, Tennessee, and hopefully the 29th state will be Alabama
 Thankfully, we have a Bill(HB 522) submitted for the 2011 Session. Unfortunately, the Health Dept only approved for CBRS to be available for Stillbirths from 2007 and after. Please, if you live in Alabama contact the following members of Alabama's Health Committee to ensure this Bill passes:

Rep. Jim McClendon- Health committee Chair- 334-242-7768
Vice Chair, Rep. Michael J Millican 334-242-7354 mike.millican@alhouse.gov Ranking Minority Member, Rep. johnny Mack Morrow 334-242-7698
Rep Elaine Beech 334-242-7702 elaine_h_beech@yahoo.com,
Rep Donnie Chesteen 334-242-7742 dchesteen@panhandle.rr.com,
Rep. Berry Forte 334-242-7553 berry.forte@alhouse.gov,
Rep Laura Hall 334-242-7688 laura.hall2@att.net,
Rep Ed Henry 334-242-7736,
Rep Ronald G Johnson 334-242-7777,
Rep John F. Knight, Jr. 334-242-7512,
Rep Paul Lee 334-242-7675 pwlee@graceba.net,
Rep Becky Nordgren 334-353-9032 clearimagesal@earthlink.net,
Rep Jim Patterson 256-975-7990 jimpattersonhd21@gmail.com,
Rep Benjamin "Allen" Treadway 334-242-7685 bsketa@aol.com,
Rep April Weaver 334-242-7731