Since the 1930s, expectant mothers in Finland have been given a box of gifts by the government. It’s like a starter kit of clothes, sheets and toys that can even be used as a bed.
The box is designed to give all children in Finland, no matter what background they’re from, an equal start in life.
Every mother in Finland, regardless of income, is eligible to get this box after 154 days of pregnancy. It costs nothing, and to get it all an expectant mother needs to do is fill out a basic form and submit a certificate of pregnancy from her healthcare provider.
Reddit user GrumpyFinn uploaded pictures of her maternity box on Imgur to show Redditors some of what was offered in the box.
This is the box itself.
The box, opened.
There is a snow suit, hat, mittens, and another warm body suit.
Sleeping bag and sheet
Hats, balaclava, pads, socks, tights, and the small bag has a little book, a toy, condoms, and some other small baby hygiene products.
There’s a cloth diaper, and a towel, but the rest is almost all clothing in various styles and forms, all gender-neutral. 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.
Here are the full contents of the box, which are refreshed yearly.
- Mattress, mattress cover, undersheet, duvet cover, blanket, sleeping bag/quilt
- Box itself doubles as a crib
- Snowsuit, hat, insulated mittens and booties
- Light hooded suit and knitted overalls
- Socks and mittens, knitted hat and balaclava
- Bodysuits, romper suits and leggings in unisex colours and patterns
- Hooded bath towel, nail scissors, hairbrush, toothbrush, bath thermometer, nappy cream, wash cloth
- Cloth nappy set and muslin squares
- Picture book and teething toy
- Bra pads, condoms
The beautiful box has a mattress at the bottom and makes a perfect bed for all newborn babies.
Some say that this box has helped Finland achieve one of the world’s lowest infant mortality rates. This should be given out by all governments to expectant mothers. All babies deserve an equal start in life. Share this story with others if you want to see it happen in more countries.