What Is A Baby Box?

Last updated on August 3rd, 2023 at 11:48 pm

What is a baby box? It is simply a cardboard box filled with the essentials for your newborn baby. Finland’s expectant mothers are given this box by the state. It’s a starter kit of clothes, sheets, and toys that can even be used as a bed. And some say it helped Finland achieve one of the world’s lowest infant mortality rates. Finland began its baby box program nearly 80 years ago when nearly one out of every 10 children in the country died before the age of one.

It’s a tradition that dates back to the 1930s and it’s designed to give all children in Finland, no matter what background they’re from, an equal start in life. Beautiful, right?

The maternity package – a gift from the government – is available to all expectant mothers who have received a medical exam within the first four months of their pregnancy. That is the only requirement.

It contains bodysuits, a sleeping bag (it gets quite cold in Finland), outdoor gear, bath products, as well as diapers, bedding, and a small mattress. Families can opt out and receive a cash gift instead if they don’t need these items. Overall, Finland gifts about 40,000 baby boxes a year.

With the mattress in the bottom, the box becomes a baby’s first bed. Many children have their first naps within the safety of the box’s four cardboard walls. Researchers believe the box itself is what has contributed to the decline of infant deaths in Finland.

The baby box may be coming to your state soon. A few states have already started distributing them to new parents with a small twist on the popular program in Finland. Instead of promoting prenatal care, the US version focuses on safe sleep practices.

New parents watch online videos about SIDS and safe sleep from Baby Box University. Next, they have to complete a short quiz. After that, they can simply pick up a box at a local distribution center or have it mailed to them. The sturdy, portable box comes with a firm foam mattress and tight-fitting sheet, as well as, breastfeeding accessories, a onesie, diapers, and wipes.

There are about 3,500 sudden unexpected infant deaths a year in the U.S. The rate dropped significantly after the launch of 1994’s Back to Sleep campaign, which urged parents to put their babies to sleep on their back. But after a plateau, the rate has seen a slight uptick in recent years. In most cases, a baby box can be used for the first six months of life. The risk of SIDS is greatest between two and four months.

Baby Box University is a platform established by The Baby Box Co. to provide expecting and new parents with universal access to educational resources and a support system. Developed in conjunction with medical experts, Baby Box University includes short-form videos, articles, an ‘ask an expert’ feature, e-books and more.

The Baby Box Co. says on its website that their boxes “meet or exceed all applicable tenets” of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. But the CPSC does not have standards for baby boxes yet. Currently, three states participate in this program with The Baby Box Co., Ohio, New Jersey and Alabama. New Jersey estimates to distribute 105,000 boxes; Ohio, 140,000; Alabama, 60,000.

“The whole premise is that people like free things,” says Dr. Kathryn McCans, chair of New Jersey’s Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Board, which is partnering with the Baby Box Co. for the New Jersey program. “It’s about getting the information out there.”

“Through education and awareness, people can make better choices and hopefully we can see fewer children dying,” she says.

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