Every woman who is expecting a baby in Finland gets something special delivered to their home to help when the baby arrives. Regardless of income or anything else, the mothers get a “maternity box” for free.
The Finnish government began providing mothers with these maternity kits back in 1938 in an attempt to help lower the infant mortality rate and it worked! Today Finland has one of the lowest infant mortality rates in the world.
The box includes everything a newborn baby will need. Even the box itself doubles as a crib, with a mattress on the bottom.
Expectant mother, Felicia, recently got a box and shared with Reshareworthy.com what was inside her box. She explains that every mother in Finland is eligible to get this box after 154 days of pregnancy. All they need to do is visit a doctor, fill out a basic form and submit a certificate of pregnancy from her healthcare provider.
“We picked up the box from the post office, and even Simba [the cat] was excited,” explained Felicia.
“This is the box itself.”
“The box, opened.”
“There is a snow suit, hat, mittens, and another warm body suit…” These clothes help a baby stay warm in the cold Finnish winters.
“Sleeping bag and sheet…”. There’s also a mattress, mattress cover, undersheet, duvet cover and so the baby will stay warm when sleeping.
“Hats, balaclava, pads, socks, tights, and the small bag has a little book, a toy, condoms, and some other small baby hygiene products…” These other items include a hooded bath towel, nail scissors, hairbrush, toothbrush, bath thermometer, nappy cream, and washcloth.
“There’s a cloth diaper, and a towel, but the rest is almost all clothing in various styles and forms, all gender-neutral. The bottom of the box is also a mattress, so the baby is able to use it as a bed at the beginning of her life. All of the clothes are very high quality, and a good chunk of what came in the box was made in Finland or by Finnish companies.”
With such a thoughtful welcoming gift for every baby, no wonder the Save The Children Foundation named Finland the “Best Place To Be A Mother On Earth!”
Thank you Felicia for sharing your story and granting Reshareworthy.com permission to publish it!
What a wonderful way to ensure new mothers have the essentials to care for their newborn baby!
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