The Teeny Tears Mission

Approximately 26,000 children are stillborn in the United States every year, about 1 in 160 births. A significant number of these angels are preemie or micropreemie infants.  Many of these angels are far too small for even the very smallest commercial diapers.

Teeny Tears is a service organization that has been providing tiny flannel diapers, mini blankets, no-sew hats and layette sets at no charge to hospitals and bereavement support organizations for families that have suffered the loss of a preemie or micropreemie child through stillbirth or NICU loss since November of 2011.  

Our wish is to bless families that suffer the heartache of infant loss, providing their angel with a soft, beautiful diaper  in which to be photographed and laid to rest.  For the smallest of angels, too fragile to dress, we provide mini blankets with pairs of teeny hats.

Grieving parents often feel very lost, alone, and confused. Every special effort to honor their loss goes a long way. It is very difficult for a family to say goodbye to their child before they got to say a decent hello. These items, made with love, tell parents that someone understands that their child existed, that they are special, loved, real, and that they matter. The love that goes into these items tells a grieving parent that someone understands that their loss is tremendous. Because a "person’s a person, no matter how small".  

The need for these items is enormous and endless. Gone are the days when angel babies must be left with naked bums because there is nothing suitable. No longer must nurses try to fashion a “diaper” out of cotton balls and tape. Our items offer dignity and modesty to the tiniest angel babies.  Teeny Tears diapers are soft against delicate skin and can be used to enhance photographic memories as well as offer dignity and modesty for the tiniest angels. For now, our diapers will accommodate infants between approximately 18 and 32 weeks gestation. These flexible flannel diapers will not create "frog legs", nor harm fragile, underdeveloped skin.

As an inexpensive, simple, unique, educational, and meaningful service opportunity, our diapers are being sewn by families, sewing clubs, youth groups, Eagle Projects, Angel Mother grief support organizations, and churches of all religious denominations. We encourage our volunteers to donate within their local communities and we also match volunteers with hospitals all over the country on our growing waiting list. Grandmothers are digging their flannel scraps out of storage, families are repurposing old receiving blankets and shopping yard sales for fabric remnants. And we know when all the best fabric sales are going on!

If you are interested in joining our project, we invite you to participate by donating monetarily for fabric, donating fabric, or by sewing along with us in the comfort of your home and donating to the organization or hospital of your choosing.  If you choose to sew along with us, PLEASE let us know where you are donating, what you are donating and how many of each.  It helps with future coordination of our clothing efforts!!  If you choose to send them to our headquarters in Utah, we can place them in good hands for you with hospitals and organizations on our waiting list. We can also help with coordination for delivery in your local area!

All queries on if your area hospital is participating as well as diaper pattern and bereavement item requests can be submitted on our Getting Started page.

Megan Bradshaw
Founder and President
Teeny Tears