I just spent the last week in Finland, and loved learning about their way of life. One thing that’s brilliant about their culture (and helped decrease their infant mortality rates) are the Finnish baby boxes…
Every new mother in Finland is gifted a maternity baby box. It contains essentials for the first year: clothing, diapers, blankets, towels, baby products, bedding, a snow suit, nursing pads, toys, even a small mattress. Many Finnish babies even sleep in the box! New parents can choose between having the box or cash, but many choose the box because the value is a lot higher than the cash over. “Not only was it offered to all mothers-to-be but new legislation meant in order to get the grant, or maternity box, they had to visit a doctor or municipal pre-natal clinic before their fourth month of pregnancy,” says Heidi Liesivesi, who works at Kela – the Social Insurance Institution of Finland. So it helps guide women to good prenatal health as well (from this BBC story).
Finland didn’t always have one of the lowest infant mortality rates in the world. Before the 1930s, babies weren’t doing well. 65 out of 1000 babies were dying and the government made this simple change. First they offered the box to just low income mothers, and then to all expecting moms starting in the 1940s.
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I moved to Finland when I was 6 months pregnant and we qualified for a box! It was pretty much the best thing ever and it really did take the pressure off of me (especially having just moved to a new country). The box is so thoughtful that they even give you a range of sizes, so our daughter was wearing box clothes for quite a long time. And she definitely slept in the box. It comes with a little foam mattress, so of course we had to do the full Finnish experience. The box was perfect in every single detail and every time I think about it, it makes me so sad that this isn’t offered in every country. .
Surely not 65 out of 100 babies dying?
Oops, forgot a 0 in there! 65/1000
I read about the Finnish Baby Boxes years ago and think they’re such an awesome concept! I wish more states would get on board with it in the US!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
The baby boxes sound great! It’s definitely a smart idea like you said! 🙂 ❤️
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com