Baby remembrance photography 'a priceless gift'

Hannah is one of the charity's 15 volunteers members in Northern Ireland.

A photographer from Omagh has described being able to create memories for parents whose babies have died as a "priceless gift".

Hannah McKeown does the work for free for families, through the Remember My Baby charity.

She began working with the organisation eight years ago and in September photographed her 60th family.

Baby remembrance photography is a specialised form of photography that focuses on capturing images of babies who have passed away.

Volunteer photographers work closely with hospital midwives.

Hannah's work covers Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry, along with maternity hospitals and units in Belfast, Enniskillen and Craigavon.

In the UK, it is estimated that one in four pregnancies end in loss during pregnancy or birth.

Since 2014, Remember My Baby has conducted nearly 7,000 remembrance photography sessions, resulting in more than 200,000 captured images across the UK.

The charity has 15 volunteer members in Northern Ireland.

Hannah said she initially came across the charity at a photography convention but was concerned the role would be too difficult emotionally to take on.

"I thought at first there would be no way I could do that", she told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme.

"It is a service that no parent wants to have to use.

"But being able to photograph these families when they need you and give them memories they thought they might not have had, is priceless," she said.

Volunteers work on an on-request basis and Hannah, who runs her own photography business, said she has travelled after working at weddings to hospitals across Northern Ireland when needed.

"I try and go in and deal with it like a family photo-shoot," she said.

"We go through the baby's memory box together and work on ideas.

"I do get messages and cards afterwards and it's so heart-warming to know you helped give these memories to families."

Remember My Baby charity said it wanted every family who experience the loss of a baby to have access to compassionate, high-quality photography services.

Hannah said she hoped that awareness of the service will continue to grow in Northern Ireland.

"I meet a lot of photographers who say it's amazing work, but 'I couldn't do it'," she said.

"And I tell them that I once said the same thing.

"It's an amazing thing to do and if you just try, you might change your mind."

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