Captures for Clark

03/04/2026

The 13th sweet angel of 2026 was in front of my camera today 💙

The most perfect, teeny tiny little 16 week sweetheart I’ve ever seen ❤️

And while this was medically termed a ‘miscarriage’, it was anything but…and this family had the tremendous courage to allow a complete stranger to come in and capture their precious little one in the most vulnerable and emotional time.

I have no gestational cut-off requirements, no rules for if too much time has passed by. If you call me, I will come 💙 because forever and for always, photos are so, so much more important than a time frame or size ✨✌️📸🥹💙

01/24/2026

My good friend Blessings for Barrett showed me how they change out the bow tie on their Barrett Bear for each of the holidays and I was like OMG THAT IS GENIUS so clearly I stole the idea for our Clark Bear 💙💙💙✨

12/31/2025

12/20/2025

Yes. This. 💙

December 27th. I’ll never forget it. To be called for a loss just two days after Christmas. It broke me in ways I didn’t know it would.

I walked in and met a young momma who had lost her full-term son, Kaycen. She had told me how she kept telling the doctor something wasn’t right. She had the headaches, the dizziness, the blurred vision. But she was dismissed.

The day before, momma started bleeding heavily while in the shower. She rushed to the nearest hospital, but it was too late. He was gone.

Sweet Kaycen was born and placed in his mother’s arms. And that was about it. That’s about all that could be done.

Now, just time to recover from giving birth, and time to sit and watch your baby in a bassinet. Maybe you are able to hold him while you cry uncontrollably. Maybe your eyes are burning so much that you want to shut them and never wake up, too.

There are nice nurses who try their best to comfort you and tell you about the changes that your baby may make. They tell you about the delicate skin that may slough off, only making you feel afraid to hold them. They tell you putting them on the cooling cot when you are resting will help preserve them so you have more time.

They mean well. They really do.

You have the ins and outs of following up with you postpartum, the family visitors, the chaplain if you choose. The photographers who want to try and make every memory with you while they can.

And then it’s time to choose a funeral home. How the heck do you decide?

This isn’t what you are supposed to be doing with your baby two days after Christmas. But you do. Because you have to. Because you are the mother, the parents. It’s up to you now.

And then that’s it.

You pack your belongings and your special box with your baby’s “belongings” and your bear, and you walk out of a hospital and get in the car and leave. You drive away from the place where you said hello and goodbye to your baby.

Then there is maybe a funeral or a memorial. Then come the milestone moments. The holidays where you have to tell aunt so-and-so that, oh, you lost the baby, because nobody told her.

Then the first birthday. Then it’s the next milestone. Or the best friend, sister, or sister-in-law who is now pregnant and everything is fine.

Then we hit 2 years, 4 years, and then 5. That 5th year, when we know in our hearts that they are supposed to be preparing for school. They should be running around the house at the top of their lungs, excited because Santa is gonna be coming soon and then your birthday right after!

But it doesn’t happen. You know it’s not gonna happen.

You have your visions and dreams, and then you hold them tight and walk in a cloud of grief and anxiety for a bit. And then you pull it together for a few days and you start sharing some images of your baby online.

Ones that make you remember his soft touch. Ones where you can feel his silky hair across your lips as you gently stroke his head in kisses. The photos that remind you of the heaviness of his lifeless body and the massive hole in your heart that was there when your grief was so raw and new.

You share those photos because you will never not love that baby, and you want to share them with the world.

Then someone comments, “I don’t think people should post photos of deceased babies online.”

Instantly, the anger builds. The wound is ripped open, and that moment of joy from sharing becomes a moment of defense for our child.

It’s ok, momma. I’m here to tell you. Share your baby. Share, share, share.

Because in a world where we are normalizing everything, normalize this. Normalize that perinatal and infant death happen. Normalize that you don’t have to sit in your grief alone.

Know that there are mothers and fathers and, heck, even animals that are grieving.

A post about a whale carrying her deceased calf for weeks goes viral. A chimpanzee gets to keep their dead baby with them until they are finally ready to let the baby rest. A herd of elephants rejoices when a new calf is born and mourns loudly when one passes.

But as humans, we are expected to keep our grief nice and tidy and not speak about it. To hide it away like it didn’t happen. To not talk about it for generations?

Quite frankly… that is bu****it.

Use the ONLY moments you physically have with YOUR baby and make the memories. As hard as it is. Make them. Make them and share them.

I ask families to do things all the time — to bathe their baby or put a different outfit on them. We create these moments to bond with your baby. We give opportunity. We hear, “No, I can’t.”

And then a few minutes later, we watch the tiny curl of a smile on your grief-stricken face turn into joy because you noticed something new about your baby.

We capture that moment because memories fade. Grief becomes a comfortable friend, and we sometimes just can’t remember the details.

Share those moments. Share those memories. Share that photo over and over. I’m sure every time you do, you will see something new or different about your baby.

Share because you can, because you should, and because death and grief are always going to be.

Share because people need to know. Share because you are not alone. Share because that is what you have to share.

12/02/2025

Happy friends 💙 I thought I’d take today to share a little bit about Captures for Clark, how it got started, and what it has done - and continues to do - since 2018 💙💙💙

A little over 7 years ago, we were expecting our 4th baby. We were so excited to add another kiddo to our crew, and February 2019 couldn’t get here fast enough so we could welcome this kiddo into our family.

That time never came.

In October of 2018, at 19 weeks along, we got the most devastating news we could have ever gotten at our anatomy scan: our sweet boy, who we named Clark, had a host of issues that his teeny, tiny little body was battling…and unfortunately, a fatal prognosis. We were offered different options, but we wanted to give our little guy a chance to fight, so we continued on with his pregnancy…savoring each and every day his little heart continued to beat in my belly.

At just 22 weeks along, we got the news we’d been anticipating but hoping we’d never hear: his heart had stopped beating. We were completely heartbroken - no little brother would be coming home with us. Since I had had 3 prior c-sections, and Clark’s massive size, it was agreed that another c-section would be the safest way to welcome our sleeping boy into this world…and on October 29th, 2018, that happened.

My amazing, wonderful, incredible photographer and dear friend Victoria came and captured Clark’s arrival, his first sleeping moments with us, meeting his family and big siblings, being blessed upon by a family member priest, and, welp all of those very, very fleeting moments that happened in the moments after his arrival the night of October 29th.

I can never, ever thank Victoria enough for the gift she gave us - the gift of photos. Something that at the time I really didn’t even want to think about having, but reluctantly agreed upon because deep down inside I knew I’d want these photos to look back upon someday.

And look back upon I did…each and every single day since October 29th, 2018. 2591 days. I have looked at Clark’s photos - the only photos we have of our sweet boy - every single day of those 2591 days that have passed since he came into this world.

After Clark was born, so much had changed within me…my outlook on life, my career, my purpose for living. Sparing you the details of most of that, one of the things that stuck out to me the most was how deeply important photos are. I had been a photographer for half a decade at this point, and I realized that I wanted nothing more than to be that for the rest of my life…including stepping into some of the most difficult, trying, emotional spaces I could. I wanted to pay it forward, return the gift we had been given with our sweet boy, to other families facing the same trying times that we had faced back in 2018.

So Captures for Clark was born. I set out to donate my time, skills, energy and soul to families that were in similar circumstances that we were with Clark. As hard as it was to step into these spaces, I knew it was worth it - that these photos I was capturing on my camera meant infinitely more to this family than any emotions I was feeling in capturing them. These photos were important. These photos were needed. And these photos were truly irreplaceable - whether they were looked at today, tomorrow, a month from now, or years from now - they were so, SO important to have.

And so I snapped on - I battled through COVID restrictions, PPE-clad sessions, very, VERY wanted babies who were {technically} aborted, babies with fatal prognoses, families who wanted all of the pics and families who wanted minimal…but no matter what the situation: it was worth it. Every single picture I clicked was important…even if it was just a few. These photographs were making a difference, even if it was a difference that wouldn’t be seen anytime soon. These families had these memories captured, and I was so, so grateful that they invited me into their sacred space to do so.

With all of this, nearly 7 years later, I will continue to do so. I will continue to document these sweet, precious little angels every single time I am called. And with that, I will continue to do all that I can to not only raise awareness for pregnancy and infant loss, but also support these families the best way I can: through forever-lasting memories on camera. In addition to this, I’ve also committed to providing these families I serve not only with these photographic memories, but tangible ones too in the form of cooling cradles, memory boxes, weighted bears (that are the same exact weight as their sweet babe), fluffy blankets, comfy clothes, and oh so many more things, too 💙

While I do all of this completely free of charge to every single family that I meet, I don’t turn away any support that may come my way to help me continue to serve these families day after day, month after month, and year after year 💙💙💙

Thanks for reading my story, friends 💙 And thank you for being here to support and follow along with my life after loss journey 💙

https://www.alexandriamooneyphotography.com/donate-to-captures-for-clark

10/16/2025

Lighting a candle for you, sweet boy, today and every one to come 💙💙💙💙

And for all of those other tiny angels out there, oh so many who I’ve had the honor of meeting, this is for you, too. Always remembered, always loved, always celebrated.

10/01/2025

💙💙💙💙💙

https://www.alexandriamooneyphotography.com/store/clarks7thbirthdayspecialsessions

It's October 1st, which means it's Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness month, but it's also our sweet Clark's birthday month too 💙 He would be 7 years old on the 29th, and not a day goes by that I don't think about him and what could have been.

A big part of this business I’ve grown and my successes is thanks to Clark. Seven years ago he gave me the push I needed to quit teaching and pursue photography full time…and I’ve never ever looked back. I thank him daily for that push, because without him, I don’t know if I’d ever have taken that leap.

And as many of you know, another thing that Clark has done for me is to help me give back, to pay it forward the best way I know how: with my camera. I've had the honor of capturing so many tiny little angels and cannot thank these wonderful families for allowing me into one of the most sacred places they have to capture their precious little babe.

Over the years, working with bereaved families has taught me that grief has no script—and we never stop learning how to serve more gently, more meaningfully. Two years ago, my friend Haley (an RN) and I launched a “weighted bear” program at Missouri Baptist Medical Center (the very hospital where we welcomed Clark), so that every family can leave the hospital with a tiny gift: a bear matching their baby’s weight. It doesn’t fill the space of empty arms—but we hope it offers a bit of comfort in one of the hardest moments. Last year, we also stocked the hospital’s bereavement room with memory‑making and comfort items (cozy blankets, shadow boxes, instant cameras, flowers, etc.) so families could bring home tangible reminders of their little one.

In the seven years since we lost Clark, I’ve noticed more funeral homes no longer offer complimentary services to families who’ve lost infants—services that once were more common and ones we were able to benefit from. Many families simply cannot afford these end-of-life costs, and their options become painfully limited.

Thankfully, beautiful change is happening through Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum. They’ve generously committed to providing free burials and markers to bereaved families of children from newborn to age two. The burials will provide dignified closure for families who have suffered the ultimate loss. Angels Rest at the Cemetery offers an ongoing place for families to visit.

So, this year for Clark’s birthday, I’ll be offering special commemorative photography sessions, with the proceeds donated to Bellefontaine Cemetery’s effort. In doing so, I hope to help ensure these families can lay their babies to rest with dignity and support, even when it feels like the world has nothing left to give them. If you’d like to book a session, share this message, or simply support in any way, I would be so honored—and Clark would, too.

https://www.alexandriamooneyphotography.com/store/clarks7thbirthdayspecialsessions

08/21/2025

🤍💙🤍💙

07/24/2025

A big, huge thank you so much to my mom and her sewing club (Stitch n’ B✨tch is their club's name 😆) for making the most perfect blankets for the teeny tiny babes that are born at BJC HealthCare / Missouri Baptist Medical Center - both in L&D and the emergency department (ED).

I cannot express how much having these size blankets means - not only to me, but all of the families whose babes will be cuddled up in them.

Tiny babes deserve to have blankets that fit them, period. They don't need ones that overwhelm and consume, but more so fit their teeny, perfect little selves, however big - or small - they are when they enter this world 💙💙💙💙

06/14/2025

Today is June 14th…a very special day because on this date 6 years ago, sweet little Barrett Bone made his speedy debut (and I almost missed snappin’ his birth because mama Katy progressed so fast…thankful for her ‘fake’ pushing that allowed me to get there and capture Barrett’s arrival). What this family didn’t know was that he was born with Alveolar Capillary Dysplasia, a fatal lung condition for newborns. They had 28 wonderful days with their little guy before he gained his angel wings.

The Bone family is so dear to my heart, and I would literally do anything for them! A couple years ago they decided to give back in honor of Barrett, and launched their non-profit Blessings for Barrett, which supports siblings of pregnancy/infant/child loss.

Today is also significant in that not only is it Barrett’s birthday, but it’s the date that Katy’s incredible book “Buzzy the Bee” is available to purchase!!! I am so, so incredibly proud of my friend and all that she’s done for the loss community, and it’s an honor to share today about her brand new book all about sibling love and loss (it’s such an amazing book friends, I promise!). I’m sharing with you all about this book today, and how you can grab a copy for yourself (or donate one!). Loss is such a terribly awful club to be a part of, but having more and more resources available to the community helps families navigate the waters that come after. ��Please help me wish Barrett a very happy birthday, and congratulate his amazingly awesome mama on publishing her first book! ✨💙

📚 Buy the book: https://a.co/d/aTlX8mc
🎁 Donate a copy in honor of a sibling: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3VDM9FEPQB54S?ref_=wl_share
🌐 Learn more & grab free coloring pages: https://blessingsforbarrett.com