Finnish tradition of starter kits for mothers caught eye of the whole world few years back. Some countries or even some hospitals included Baby Boxes to their social program. For many babies around the world this Box is their first crib. And they love sleeping in it!
Tradition of starter kits for mothers started in 1930 when Finnish government begin to distribute these boxes with essentials for babies to less privileged parents and from 1949 all parents are eligible to get one. The Boxes are so popular in Finland that only small percentage of parents choose financial allowance instead of the Box. By the way Finnish people every year change their boxes a bit and therefore according to the clothes you can guess which year was the baby born.
Many consider the Baby Box as one of the reasons why Finland has one of the lowest infant mortality rates in the world. While in 1930s 65 babies out of 1000 didn’t survive their 1st year of life, today it is only 2.5. From 1949 any mother who visit doctor before reaching 4th month of pregnancy is eligible to get one Box. All the Finnish babies have therefore equal life start possibility.
What will you find in the Baby Boxes?
Traditional Finnish Baby Boxes consist of around 50 essentials that parents need for the first months of their baby’s life. In the Boxes you will find mattress, bed sheet, hat, mittens, shoes, clothes, baby towel, diapers, baby toiletries, toy and so on. Simply the starter pack for your baby.
The boxes provided by Finnish government cannot be bought. But the great interest from parents around the world inspired creation of such boxes that can be bought by the parents. Essentials for our Slovak Baby Box were handpicked with the care of our Slovak mothers’ needs. You will find in the Box products of Slovak and foreign brands. Products chosen are of high quality and design. No matter of the sex of your baby. Colors of clothes, toys and the Boxes are neutral so that they can also be inherited by siblings.
What to do with the Box?
Finnish Boxes were used as cribs from the very beginning. In the less privileged families babies were often sleeping in the bed together with their parents what was considered as high risk factor for infant mortality. The Box for babies created safe heaven for sleeping and personal space. Even today it is used as portable crib by many mothers.
You simply insert mattress into the box, put it in your living room or kitchen or carry it with you for your visits. And you can even use the cover as a changing mat. But what to do with the box when your baby grows up? Leave that on the fantasy of your kids. Maybe they will find storage for their toys inside or transform it into a plane or a boat.
How the baby box came to Slovakia.
The idea of Slovak Baby Box comes from Eva and Tomáš, parents of Kristína and Jakub. Tomáš bumped into one box during his business trip in Finland and brought it home. Mother Eva liked it as well because of its practicality and the fact that Jakub could sleep in safe nearby place. Jakub loved it because he could sleep in the box just as peacefully and comfortably as in the crib
And then the question came: ‘What about offering the Baby Box to other Slovak parents as well?’ Eva and Tomáš started planning and their hunt for suppliers. With the time they created product that is practical, useful a beautifully designed. Slovak Baby Box was created for the needs of babies and their parents.
