Everything we take off the family's shoulders
- Documents: we contact the hospital or medical facility, obtain the necessary certificate and complete the death registration at the House of Justice, officially named the Public Service Hall, with as little involvement from the family as possible.
- Transport: we carry the child with great care from the maternity ward, the hospital or the family home, often in an ordinary car rather than a large hearse.
- Preparation: our specialist, frequently a woman, prepares the child and dresses them in the outfit the parents picked.
- Coffin: a white or pale child's coffin from 80 to 150 centimetres long, and for a newborn a small ark-shaped casket.
- Cemetery: the plot, the permit and preparation of the grave, or opening of a family grave.
- Ceremony: short and quiet, as the family wishes, with or without a priest.
Prices at a glance
| Item | Details | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Child's coffin | white or pale blue, 80 to 150 centimetres | from 200 GEL |
| Funeral home services | documents, transport, preparation, coordination | agreed with the family separately |
| Small headstone | white marble, heart, book or angel | from 850 GEL |
| Cemetery fee | municipal, paid against a receipt | not charged by us |
We do not sell a "package" for a child's funeral and never push extra services. The coordinator asks the parents only what is essential and sends the written estimate to whichever relative is handling the arrangements, often a grandparent or an uncle, so that the parents do not have to think about figures at all.
When a baby dies in the maternity hospital
After a stillbirth or a death shortly after birth, parents often do not know that they have the right to bury their baby themselves and to hold a farewell. The maternity hospital issues the relevant medical document, and we guide the family through the remaining steps. Many parents are later deeply grateful that they were able to give their baby a name, hold them in their arms and have a grave they can visit. We offer this choice calmly, without any pressure, and respect whatever the parents decide.
Saying goodbye
The farewell for a child is usually brief and held among the closest people: parents, grandparents, godparents and close friends. Some families say goodbye at home, others in our quiet room, and others go straight to the cemetery. Parents often place a favourite toy, a small blanket, a letter or a photograph in the coffin. If the family is religious, we invite a priest; in the Orthodox tradition there is a special service for an infant, performed by the family's confessor.
When parents wish to see their child
Some parents want to see their child once more before the funeral, to hold them or to spend time alone with them. This is a profoundly important moment, and we always make it possible: we prepare and dress the child, set up a quiet room or leave the child at home if the family prefers, and give the parents as much time as they need. Other parents, by contrast, do not want to see the child, and that is entirely their right too. We never judge or question either choice.
Brothers and sisters: should they attend?
Parents often worry about whether older children should be present at the farewell. Psychologists frequently say that children cope better with a loss when they are not shut out and when what is happening is explained in a way suited to their age. Still, every family and every child is different. If a brother or sister does attend, we suggest that a close adult stays beside them, looking after only that child and ready to take them out at any moment. Some children prepare a drawing or a letter to place in the coffin.
Coffin and clothing
A child's coffin is usually white or pale blue, lined with satin or cotton and fitted with a small pillow. For a newborn or a very young child we use an ark-shaped casket that the parents can carry in their arms. The family chooses the clothes: a christening gown, a new outfit bought for the occasion, or the clothes in which the child is best remembered. If the family has no strength to go shopping, we will prepare a simple white set and show it to them first.
A memory box
Many parents, especially after losing a newborn, are left with very few keepsakes. So, if the parents wish, we help preserve memories: a small lock of hair, prints of the hands and feet, a little blanket or first outfit, photographs. All of this goes into a small box that stays with the parents. Some leave it closed on the funeral day itself and come back to it only months later, which is completely normal. We prepare it only with the parents' consent and never press it on anyone.
The role of grandparents
Grandparents, or the parents' brothers and sisters, often take on the arrangements for a child's funeral to shield the parents from that weight. This is a very wise decision, and our coordinator works directly with them: sending them the estimate and agreeing the cemetery and timing, while asking the parents only about what is theirs to decide, such as the clothes, the colour of the coffin or what to place inside it. Grandparents are grieving too, of course, and we take care not to burden them beyond what is necessary.
The grave and the headstone
Many families bury a child in the family grave beside grandparents or ancestors, and they find comfort in knowing the child is "not alone". Others choose a new small plot. A child's headstone is usually small and made of white marble, shaped like a heart, an open book, an angel or a dove, sometimes with a motif taken from a child's drawing. We never rush these orders: the family can think about the headstone when they are ready, even a year later.
If the child died in another city or abroad
Sometimes a child dies while being treated at a clinic in another city or another country, and the parents wish to lay them to rest at home, in Tbilisi or in their native village. In that case we take on the transport and all the paperwork, and a family member can accompany the child on the journey if they wish. For a transfer from abroad we work with the local funeral home and the consulate so that everything goes as quickly and calmly as possible.
Memorial days
A child's 40th-day memorial (ormotsi) and one-year anniversary are usually marked in a small family circle: flowers at the grave, a candle, sometimes the child's favourite toy or a balloon. If the parents do not have the strength to organise these days, we get the grave ready the evening before, cleaning it and decorating it with flowers, so the family arrives to a well-tended resting place.
How our staff work in these days
The people who work at a child's funeral are experienced and especially tactful. They speak softly, never hurry anyone, avoid professional jargon and do not ask the parents unnecessary questions. Often the father or an uncle carries the coffin himself, and our pallbearers help only when they are genuinely needed.
Support for parents
After losing a child, parents' grief is often especially deep and long-lasting, and many find it helps to talk to a professional psychologist or to other parents who have been through the same loss. We are not psychologists, but if the family wishes, we help find a specialist. We often advise parents to give themselves time after the funeral and to hand the organisation of the 40th day or other memorial days to someone else, or to us.
Frequently asked questions
What will a child's funeral cost us?
A child's coffin starts at 200 GEL. We agree the price of our services with the family separately and keep it to a minimum, without imposing anything extra.
Can a newborn or stillborn baby be buried?
Yes. The maternity hospital issues the medical document, and we handle the remaining paperwork, the transport and the grave.
Can a child be buried in the family grave?
Yes, many families choose this. We obtain the permit to open the family grave.
Who prepares the child?
Our specialist, often a woman, with particular tenderness. Parents can join us for the last stage and dress the child themselves if they wish.
Can we spend time alone with our child?
Of course. We prepare a quiet room or leave the child at home, and you can have as much time as you need.
May we put a toy or a letter in the coffin?
Yes, many families do. Parents, siblings or grandparents place a toy, a drawing, a letter or a photo, and we arrange them carefully.
When should we think about a headstone?
Whenever you feel ready. We never hurry these orders, and many families return to the question after a year.
In these days you do not have to decide anything alone. It is enough for one relative, at any hour, to dial +995 568 33 03 18; once that call is made, we quietly take care of everything, one step at a time.