Baby Box

For the first time, boxes for babies were offered only to low-income mothers in 1938, after the adoption of a relevant law in 1937. Thus, the government tried to solve the problems of reducing the birth rate and high infant mortality ^[4] . So, in Finland in the 1930s, there were 65 deaths per 1,000 babies, in 2015 this figure dropped to 2.3 deaths and was the lowest in the world ^[5] .

In 1949, it was decided that each woman could receive the box, for this it was only necessary to visit a doctor in the first four months of pregnancy. Thus, the question of medical observation of pregnant women and babies was also resolved ^[1] .

Over the past decades, the box for the Finns has become not only a tradition, but also a kind of motherhood initiation ceremony ^[1] .

Over time, the composition of the items in the box changed, as experts select the most relevant and modern items. For example, at first, fabric was placed in boxes, since in the first half of the 20th century it was customary for women to sew children's clothing, but in the 1950s ready-made clothes began to appear in the box. Fabric material with the development of the textile industry has also changed. Specialists responsible for the development of the contents of the box, pay attention to environmental issues: for example, taking into account environmental assessments of the negative impact of disposable diapers on the environment, since 2000, reusable diapers have been put in the boxes instead of them ^{[1] [4]} .

Special attention when picking the box is given to the issues of child health. Experts noticed that parents usually sleep in the same bed with babies, while for babies it is recommended to sleep on a hard flat waterproof mattress in their own bed. To change the practice, the box design was developed in such a way that it could also serve as the first sleeping place for a baby, and a specially designed mattress was put on the bottom of the box ^{[1] [6]} . Now Finnish children sleep in the box for the first 3-4 months of their lives ^[2] .

In order for women to choose breastfeeding, at a certain stage it was decided not to put baby bottles and nipples in the box ^[1] .

In addition to the composition, in different years the color range of fabrics in the box also changes. Until the mid-1970s, everything was predominantly white, now every year a new shade of neutral color is selected, which would be suitable for both boys and girls ^{[1] [4]} .

In spite of the fact that future mothers are given a choice, take the box - or get a payment instead, which is 140 euros for 2016 ^[7] , two-thirds choose the box ^[4] .

Finnish experience is beginning to be used in other countries. In this case, the composition of the box takes into account local features. So, in South Africa, the boxes are made of plastic so that they can bathe the child. In India , an additional mosquito net and a set of linen and medicines for childbirth and the postpartum period are put in the box ^[5] . In Canada, in addition to the box, an online video program is expected from experts who will talk about caring for babies ^[3] .