Baby boxes

Clare Simpson, manager, Parenting across Scotland

From mid August 2017, all new parents in Scotland will be eligible to receive a baby box; the box will provide a safe place for the new baby to sleep and will contain bedding, clothes and other essential items that baby and the new parents will need in the first six months. The baby box is inspired by a longstanding Finnish model that has been running since 1938.

So how will this work?

At the 20 -24 week antenatal appointment, parents will either have to sign up for/sign out of receiving box. (If parents feel they don’t need or want a baby box, there is the option to sign out and not get one) The midwife will fill in a Baby Box registration card with the parents. The baby box will then be delivered to the parent’s home at least four weeks before the baby is due. The baby box scheme will be linked into existing ante and post natal pathways to ensure that health message are reinforced.

The box will provide a safe and comfortable place for babies to sleep – it provides a place for babies to sleep near their parents at night (current health advice is that babies should sleep in their parents’ room until they’re at least six months and preferably a year old) and close to their parents for daytime naps. The baby box comes with a mattress, protector, fitted sheet and blanket. It can be used as the baby’s main sleeping place, or perhaps used at a family member’s house for overnight stays. There is a leaflet on sleep advice in the baby box for parents.

The contents include a large assortment of clothing which will be gender neutral and ethically sourced. The clothes are for new borns, 0-3 months and 3-6 months.

For more information