New mums at London’s Queen Charlotte and Chelsea Hospitals are to be given boxes that double as cribs in a pilot scheme aimed at reducing cot death.
The idea was inspired by antenatal care in Finland, where the state gives mothers a package shortly before their baby is born. It’s a cardboard box filled with really useful things like a snowsuit, hat and mittens, a thermometer, a bath towel, nail scissors, a teething toy and muslin squares.
For many babies, this cardboard box is also their first bed because some parents find a full-sized cot too big for a newborn to sleep in and think it’s unnecessary to buy a smaller one that will only be used for a short time. Once it’s all padded out, it’s nice and cosy for a tiny baby, and, just in case you’re wondering, there are mattresses that fit into the box too.
The packages have been distributed to new parents for more than 75 years, so it’s not exactly breaking news but it is an intriguing concept. You can even buy your very own one here, but it’s about much more than free stuff; in fact, it is thought the small size of the baby box prevents babies from rolling onto their tummies which experts think can contribute to sudden infant death syndrome.
The baby box tradition in Finland is thought to have contributed to reducing the infant mortality rate in the country from 65 infant deaths per 1,000 births in 1938 to 2.26 per 1,000 births in 2015. Now experts in the UK hope the introduction of the boxes could help reduce the UK’s infant mortality rate, which is currently 22nd highest in Europe, with 4.19 deaths per 1,000 births.
The British baby box, 800 of which will be distributed on a ‘first come, first served’ basis, contains a baby grow, teething ring, a hat and booties, a wash cloth, a thermometer, nappies, baby wash and wipes.
Do you think Ireland should introduce a baby box for new mums? Let us know on Twitter @HerFamilydotie.
