Even More States Are Getting In On The Free ‘Baby Box’ Trend

For years, Finland has been hailed as a kind of promised land for parenting, thanks to its generous leave policies, subsidized daycare and famed free “baby boxes,” that can double as safe, simple infant beds. Now the practice of giving new parents cardboard boxes is picking up steam in this country. Alabama announced this week that it will become the third state to offer free baby boxes to all new parents, with the goal of providing a safe sleep space and helping to lower that state’s high infant mortality rate through education. The boxes ― distributed by the California-based company, The Baby Box Co. ― will be filled with free newborn essentials, like diapers and baby wipes, and will include a firm mattress in the bottom. They are essentially a small, cardboard bassinet. “The Baby Box program is essential to establishing a strong understanding of proper infant care during their most vulnerable time in life,” Alabama Governor Robert Bentley said in a press release announcing the new program. Boxes will be given to any expecting or new parents who watch a 10-minute online video about safe sleep and complete a brief quiz, and can be delivered to them directly or picked up at a designated location. “The boxes themselves aren’t inherently magic,” The Baby Box Co.’s co-founder and CEO Jennifer Clary told The Huffington Post. “With families being required to view their community’s online curriculum thr...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news