The maternity package (Finnish: äitiyspakkaus, Swedish: moderskapsförpackning), known internationally as the Finnish "baby box," is a kit first granted by the Finnish social security institution Kela, to all expectant or adoptive parents who live in Finland or are covered by the Finnish social security system. The package contained children's clothes and other necessary items, such as diapers (nappies), bedding, cloth, gauze towels and child-care products. It was first issued in 1938 to parents with a low income, and contained a blanket, crib sheets, diapers, and fabric that parents could use to make clothing for the baby. Since 1949 it has been given to all Finnish mothers-to-be, provided they visited a doctor or municipal pre-natal clinic before the end of their fourth month of pregnancy, and the pregnancy has lasted at least 154 days. The contents of the package are updated approximately every year. A mother may choose to take the maternity package, or a cash grant of 170 euros; 87% of Finnish mothers choose the box because it is worth significantly more. Between 2006 and 2019, the total maternity grant program cost an average of 10.3 million euros per year, with 7 million euros being spent on maternity packages and 3.3 million euros given out as cash benefits or adoption grants. The maternity packages each year cost between 183 euros and 223 euros, averaging 190 euros each over the full 14-year period; an average of 37,000 boxes are given out each year. Following a BBC story in June 2013, the baby box began to receive international attention. Similar packages, commercial or state-sponsored, are being supported in other countries. Private companies have started selling packages purporting to be the "Finnish baby box" or similar to it, but the original boxes are not sold commercially.
History The history of the Finnish maternity package begins at a time when Finnish maternal-infant mortality rates were remarkably elevated, even for the time period, with deaths being attributed to issues such as starvation, infection, poor sanitation, exposure to the harsh climate, and poverty. In 1904, the "Drop of Milk Association" (Maitopisarayhdistys in Finnish) offered donated breastmilk to mothers who were not able to breastfeed their babies. To receive the donated breastmilk, mothers were required to bring their baby to regular medical check-ups. In 1922, relatively soon after Finland gained independence in 1917, a volunteer of the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare (founded by Sophie Mannerheim, a prominent Finnish nurse) by the name of Mrs. Ilmi Hallstén conceived the idea for the baby box. Dr. Arvo Ylppö, an eminent Finnish pediatrician, obtained donated textiles from Germany. Local volunteers sewed baby clothes out of the donated textiles. These clothes were included with linens and hygiene items into "rotating baskets" (kiertokorit in Finnish) and were loaned to local mothers who needed them. After a baby grew out of the clothes, the baskets were returned to the volunteers, who repaired and laundered the contents, then passed them on to the next family. One year later, 28 chapters of the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare were circulating similar rotating baskets. Five years later, over 180 chapters had sewing circles of volunteer women who were eager to support families in need across Finland. Meeting the need for baby clothing during the 1930's and wartime (1939-45) was a clear and tangible effort that was readily supported. While the maternity package was valued in the 1930s primarily because many poor Finnish women would otherwise have been unable to afford its contents, nowadays working parents especially appreciate the time saved by not having to buy many things. The maternity package is considered part of Finnish culture. Panu Pulma, Professor of Finnish and Nordic History in Helsinki, describes it as a symbol of equality and the importance of children, and of the fact that children are a priority for the government and taxpayers. In 1937, the Maternity Grants Act was enacted, which provided mothers with baby clothes and care items. In 1938, the Finnish government began to provide "maternity grants" for low-income mothers in the form of either an in-kind goods "baby box" or an alternative cash benefit. As Finland had recently gained independence in 1917 and the Finnish government lacked monetary funds, providing a "baby box" with in-kind benefits as a possible alternative to cash benefits was practical. In addition, many Finns were in need and the grant in either form was intended to provide some compensation for wages lost during the time of childbirth. In 1938, two-thirds of new mothers in Finland received a maternity grant, which was valued at more than one-third of an industrial worker's average monthly wages. Initially, municipal social welfare boards assessed eligibility for the grant among mothers in their municipality. However, due to many complaints from mothers who were not deemed eligible, in 1949 parliament approved the amended maternity grant in which 1) the maternity grant became a universal benefit to anyone living in Finland, or those working on Finnish ships (whether citizens or asylum seekers) regardless of income and 2) an expectant mother must have a check-up and receive advice at a doctor, midwife, or municipal healthcare center appointment before receiving the maternity grant. Expanding the knowledge of mothers and families about health during pregnancy and infancy was an important goal of the second condition, in particular. In 1944, additional legislation was passed and municipalities became responsible for ensuring that maternal and child health clinics were available, free of charge, to all families. Although other European countries introduced maternal benefits during the world wars to improve the health of mothers and children and thereby increase birth rates, only in Finland did the maternity grant evolve into a permanent, universal, in-kind grant with the unique focus of not only increasing the birth rate, but also of improving public health.
Modern-day package
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