Beginning Life with British Baby Box

For the last year or so

We have been made aware

Of the Finnish Baby Box tradition

Through traditional and social media

Since 1938, expectant parents in Finland

Have been given a Baby Box by the state

Preparing them for the arrival of their baby.

Much like a starter kit

The box is bursting full of clothes, bedding, toys and information for new parents

Perhaps more importantly

The sturdy Baby Boxes can be used as baby’s first bed

Experts say that this element has been responsible for

Helping Finland achieve one of the world’s lowest infant mortality rates

Now baby’s sadly die for many reasons

Not all related to how or where they sleep

But we all know that too many babies

Are still dying around the world

Whose lives might be saved

Through safer sleep

Here in the UK

The Lullaby Trust promote the ABC of safer sleep

Baby should sleep alone

On their back

In a clean, clear cot

The Baby Box provides a simple

Affordable way

To meet those guidelines and more

British Baby Box are one of a number of companies

Bringing the Finnish tradition to the UK

And I was honoured to be asked to take a look at their box

And write a post about it here on my blog

british-baby-box-products-adorable-box

British Baby Box is run by two mummies

Two mummies who want to make a difference

Susan Purse and Sarah Simons

Are at the forefront of pushing the Baby Box concept

Here in the UK

Susan said: “It might sound odd to tell new mums to put their precious bundle to bed in what is essentially a cardboard box but studies have shown that putting a baby to sleep in a baby box rather than a cot or Moses’ basket can help reduce the causes associated with sudden infant death syndrome. We want to inform and educate British parents on the idea and our company has created a range of options to make the concept affordable and accessible to all.”

Susan has a very personal reason for wanting the product to succeed in the UK

Her fourth child was stillborn and she believes that protecting babies is something that should begin at conception

This is why their company supports not only The Lullaby Trust but also Kicks Count

Two charities very close to my own heart

Who have helped me enormously since losing Matilda Mae in 2013

They have also formed a number of partnerships with other charities and organisations to reach more vulnerable women and children

Among these was a scheme with Save The Children and another with Barnardos.

They were also involved in sending boxes to Syrian refugees in Greece and delivered them to a women’s charity in Iraq

There is no doubting the companies good intentions and credentials

But what about their product?

What about the actual British Baby Box?

The British Baby Box is made of sturdy cardboard

The box comes with a fitted mattress

With attached waterproof mattress cover

And one 100% organic cotton fitted sheet

Made here in Britain

The box comes fully assembled and ready to use

Inside the box there are leaflets for The Lullaby Trust and Kicks Count

The idea is that instead of a moses basket

You buy a baby box for your baby to sleep in

It is actually not as crazy as it sounds

A sturdy cardboard box provides a clear sleeping space for a baby

At least for a short while

I would be a bit worried after spending £50 on the box

That baby would be sick on it or have an explosive nappy

And in that situation you would not be able to use the box anymore

As you cannot clean cardboard in the way that you would clean a wooden cot

Or plastic moses basket

However assuming that no illness, accident or spillage happens

And no family pets take up residence in the box

Then it does provide a clean clear space where a small baby can sleep safely

The bespoke fit mattress has a wipe clean cover

Is fully air permeable and reversible

It can be used for placing baby in the “feet to foot” position

The quilted microfibre mattress cover has huge benefits

Which include being anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-dust mite and air permeable

The box itself is larger than a traditional moses basket

And has a recommended upper age limit of 6 – 8 months

Which makes it great value for money at a little over £50

british-baby-box

I also like the idea of using the lid as a space to change baby

Though you would need to place a changing mat in it to protect the cardboard

british-box

I worried that seeing a white box for a baby

Would be a trigger point for me

I worried that I would not feel able to lay my baby to sleep in a white box

Having seen one daughter laid in a white casket

But it was okay

I understand the purpose of the box

The practicalities of it

And I think it is actually a neat idea

A cardboard moses basket

Travel cot

A portable place to sleep

A portable space to play

British Baby Box would make a wonderful baby shower gift

Or a going on maternity leave gift

You could pack the box with useful goodies

Ready for the new baby’s arrival

British Baby Box sell their boxes empty

So that you can choose gifts

Especially for your mum to be

But they also sell filled boxes

And wonderful filled boxes they are

Filled to bursting with products made in Britain

Featuring some lovely brands

Molly and Monty

Cheeky Chompers

Love Boo

British Baby Box filled boxes

Are not cheap

But the British products are of excellent quality

British Baby Box can be used before a new baby arrives

To keep new baby clothes in

Or to store essential items

The boxes can also be used as precious memory boxes

Once baby is too big to sleep in them anymore

Or as a toy box in a nursery, bedroom or playroom

The concept of the baby box is an excellent one

To be able to provide families in need

With all they need for bringing a new life into the world

Including a safe space in which the baby can sleep

British Baby Box support that concept

And until it is in place for all parents in the UK

As it is for all parents in Finland

Provide a quality alternative

That parents can buy or be bought

By family in friends

To welcome their new arrival

For more information about British Baby Box

Their story and their products

Please visit their website

And follow their journey on

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

We were sent one Adorable Box in exchange for an honest review

NB – It is important to know that the introduction of a baby box alone does not guarantee that a baby will not die. There is an interesting article here about baby boxes and infant mortality rates around the world.

4 thoughts on “Beginning Life with British Baby Box

  1. Oh gosh, I hadn’t ever thought of the issue with the cardboard. I wonder whether they could make it easier to wipe clean without increasing the cost. I do like the idea but I read the article you linked to and it does seem that people are perhaps putting too much store by the boxes when there are a lot of other factors we can do nothing about.
    Nat.x

    • Can I just reply to this…. I’ve got one of these boxes and the cardboard is coated, smooth and very, very easy to wipe-clean. In fact, it’s a lot easier than my moses basket was where, without wanting to make anyone feel sick, little bits of spit up got wedged between the wicker.
      I also liked the Baby Box because its larger than a moses basket but not as big as a cot, so fit nicely in my bedroom so I could keep an eye on the baby. It was also lighter and more portable and so much more aesthetically pleasing. It fits with the rest of my contemporary decor. So many baby products are twee.
      This ticks more boxes (excuse the pun) for me than anything else on the market.

      • I will look again at the box I have here for coating. It is definitely smooth but I am not certain it would cope well with being cleaned. I am happy to stand corrected though if I have that detail wrong. I agree the box is smooth and a small spillage could be wiped with a wipe. I also agree that I would choose the box over an older style, more traditional wicker moses basket for hygiene and a quieter sleep x

  2. I’ve loved the idea of the Finnish baby boxes since hearing about them when I first found out I was pregnant and have been looking for a British equivalent. Definitely going to check out the British Baby Box website now.

    I hadn’t considered the err sick/spillages issue but they look fairly wipe downable!

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