The Finnish maternity package äitiysavustus, or baby box, is a tradition that welcomes new children to the world with a gift of life-enhancing baby supplies. Finland is a socially progressive country, and the government started supplying this box to new mothers in the 1930s to combat high infant mortality rates. The box has been a welcome tradition and a successful public health program ever since. The government combated the infant mortality crisis with the Finnish maternity package or baby box. The initiative was wildly successful at decreasing infant mortality and changed the culture of the country to value family and children. The support provided by the government is crucial to developing families and children. Young mothers need to know that the government values every child and wants each child to succeed.
The Finnish baby box has a retail value of around $450 and is updated every year. However, Finnish families receive this box at no charge. To meet the changing needs and advancements in the health of infants, the Finnish government makes adjustments to the box annually, such as taking the bottle out of the box to encourage mothers to breastfeed. All aspects of the infant’s health and family life are taken into consideration when preparing the box. The box contains over 50 items, including various sizes of clothing, a book, scissors, a thermometer, condoms, toothbrush, and nail clippers. Additionally, the box itself transforms into a safe baby crib with a foam mattress, a blanket, and a water-resistant pad.
The supplies in the box started with one goal in mind: to lower infant mortality rates. When the Finnish maternity box program started, infant morality rates in the country were as high as 65 deaths per 1,000 live births in Finland. Due largely to the box, Finland has an infant mortality rate of 2.5 deaths per 1,000 live births.This ranks them in the five lowest infant mortality rates in the world. The success of the program is undeniable in the goal of reducing infant mortality. Even though infant mortality is no longer a problem in Finland, the program has continued, as it is now a valuable part of Finnish culture.
Finnish families share the excitement of the arrival of babies. They’re interested to hear what the latest box contains. Specialists make changes to the box each year. Reija Klemetti, a mother from Helsinki, says, “My mum, friends and relatives were all eager to see what kind of things were inside and what colours they’d chosen for that year.” Clearly, the updates add mystery and excitement to the process.
At the beginning of the program, the box included cloth for mothers to make baby clothes and blankets, and a few premade things. The box slowly progressed to the approximately 50 items families receive today. This includes a year’s worth of progressively sized clothes, warm coat, and medical supplies. Regardless of the financial situation in a Finnish home, new babies will sleep in the box for part of their lives. The box is comforting to families. Parents often say that their child will sleep in the box because generations before did as well.
The baby box started as a way to help support mothers of lower incomes, whose children were especially susceptible to infant mortality, but soon the program expanded to the advantage of every new Finnish baby. The benefits of the box start before the child is born with encouragement for mothers to receive prenatal care.
In order to receive the box, the mother must go to the doctor within the first four months of pregnancy for a free prenatal visit. Some argue that the box is a bribe to get mothers into the doctor’s offices. Still, others express gratitude towards the partnership in the health and welfare of mothers and children. The box contents support the health of the infant.
This complies with the recommendations regarding Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Babies need a safe sleeping area and clothing designed to stay warm without excess blankets. Panu Pulma, a Finnish and Nordic History professor at the University of Helsinki, agrees. He points out that babies used to sleep in their parents’ bed. He says, “including the box as a bed meant people started to let their babies sleep separately from them.” The Finnish government modifies the box according to current recommendations of doctors to help keep a child in good health during crucial developing years.
Finnish families wait in anticipation for the box. This is similar to the anticipation they have for their baby’s arrival. The baby box reduces the stress that new parents feel in providing for their child. They know their basic needs will be met in the first year with the help of the box contents. Heikki Tiitanen, a Finnish father, created a company to share this experience with other families around the world. He states, “It really helped us . . . prepare . . . as we knew most essentials were already waiting for the baby.” Parents learn about basic baby care when reviewing the boxes’ contents. They often discover things they did not previously know. This is an important part of the nesting process for new parents.
Mothers report bonding with other new parents over the content of the boxes. They see the familiar items on other children and know that the children were born in the same year. The boxes are updated with new styles every year. Likewise, the box is modified to anticipate the size of the infant during the coldest and warmest months. Fathers note that the box helps in the preparation for the baby’s arrival. This adds to the excitement of becoming a dad.
Three Finnish fathers in particular understood the value of the box. They felt prepared through the touching memories of opening the box with their wife. They also saw an opportunity to share this Finnish tradition by starting a business. Specifically, they marketed the Finnish Baby Box to new parents in other countries. Receiving a box full of baby supplies is an incredible gift anywhere in the world. Parents everywhere know that the value of the box is more than just the useful contents. It is an investment in the future generations of their country.
The box symbolizes that every Finnish child begins life equally, sleeping in a box in the same clothing, receiving the same medical care and welcome regardless of social class, or family circumstances. Panu Pulma says, “The box is a symbol of the idea of equality, and the importance of children.” Receiving the box is an expression of the value of human life, seeing all Finnish children with equal potential and providing a support to the new mothers and fathers. Mark Bosworth, a father of two children, says, “This felt to me like evidence that someone cared, someone wanted our baby to have a good start in life.”
Bosworth’s first child was born in London and unable to receive an authentic maternity box, so when his second child was born in Finland he was so grateful to see how the government supports families. The maternity box has not only reduced the infant mortality rate, it has provided a sense of national pride in each family that benefited from the program. Knowing the country is excited and supportive of families during this crucial time brings a sense of well being to parents.
As a public health initiative, this project has remained successful for generations. The baby box continues to improve the lives of children and families. It creates a positive and supportive environment to raise children and demonstrates the Finnish commitment to family success. The program has remained essentially the same since the 1930s. Yet it stays relevant through annual updates and modifications. Finnish culture emphasizes this undeniably successful program. The good will Finns provide guarantees that the program will continue to sustain a grand tradition.
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Eleanor Ruth is a Colorado native. She has an interest in public health and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Political Economics, and a minor in Health, Wellness, and Society from Regis University. In her free time she enjoys hiking, cycling, and yoga.
