"Why Finnish babies sleep in cardboard boxes"

[handmade34]

"For 75 years, Finland's expectant mothers have been given a box by the state. It's like a starter kit of clothes, sheets and toys that can even be used as a bed. And some say it helped Finland achieve one of the world's lowest infant mortality rates....And in addition to all this, Pulma says, the box is a symbol. A symbol of the idea of equality, and of the importance of children."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22751415

[Le Taz Hot]

1. So, where's all the right to lifers?

Here's something to keep them busy -- they can box up baby starter kits and hand them out to all expectant mothers. I know I've done my share of buying said starter kits for expectant (mostly teen) mothers who had nothing and whose families were in no position to help.

[telclaven]

9. M wife is involved in an organization that does just that

Here in central Alabama, there's a group that gives a box (forget the name) of supplies to every child going into the NICU after birth. There's another group gives a box to surviving parents (Faith's Baskets) for parents who lose their child either pre- or post-birth.

[marble falls]

13. My wife helps a group that collects old makeup cases, refurbishes them and lines them with silk...

for caskets for infants who weren't able to survive. It started when a lab tech saw a nurse from natal gingerly carrying a shoebox and he asked what was in it. Its a program that is active around here in the Hill Country. Its very hard to find these cases anymore.

I wish the right to lifers went past the sentiment and actively promoted a little of the life they mouth about. Maybe there'd be more cosmetic cases gathering dust. I'd rather these poor families have a cardboard crib than a memory of a silk lined cosmetic case casket.

"Right to Life" should be more than a placard sentiment and a campaign slogan. How about the right to live after birth?

[Mr.Bill]

42. My wife is a retired OB RN

She works with the volunteers at the hospital. Some of the many things they do is to provide a baby starter kit to every family that leaves the birth center. Stillborn babies are wrapped in handmade quilts made by my wife and given to the parents as a keepsake.

[marble falls]

43. We quilt, too. Quilters are just plain old nice people, if I do say so myself.

[Mr.Bill]

44. I am helping my wife with a quilt now.

She is making a quilt out of Crown Royal bags. I am helping by providing the material.

[marble falls]

45. After you get bagged, you get quilted? The block has to be 'drunkard's path', right?

[Heathen57]

63. Yup, quilters come in all

sizes, shapes, and ages. As to nice, we are unless you try and grab the last bolt of that blue flowered fabric. Then you take you life in your hands.

I've personally done several flannel quilts that are just the right size for the premies. The local hospital is not allowed to give out these, but the nurses tell the parents they can take one if they wish. Weird laws I know.

[Contrary1]

47. A big hug of gratitude for your wife and the other volunteers...

My daughter and son-in-law were not able to bring their precious baby girls home.

Volunteers at the hospital had made quilts, tiny gowns, and bonnets for them. Just beautiful. It meant so much to us.

Tell your lovely lady thank you from us.

[Mr.Bill]

48. Will do. n/t

[AnneD]

56. Knitters....

are always good for hats and booties. We have charity knits all the time. Quilts for the stillborns is such a bitter sweet gift that I am sure parents will cherish.

[Skittles]

59. what a lovely lady!!!

awww

[Historic NY]

65. My niece a former medic army/ er nurse...

now works Ped's ICU , she has had some rough days. Its good to see people are thinking about the parents..

[Contrary1]

49. That is a lovely idea...

Would your wife happen to have a picture of a finished case? Maybe I could get something like that started here.

[Kablooie]

68. Problem is they are really right to birthers. After birth the life has no value to them.

[fasttense]

84. When my daughter was born, the hospital gave me a box with baby stuff in it.

There were 3 kinds of formula and coupons for buying more formulas, there was a small box of disposable diapers (2 diapers) and coupons for buying even more diapers, there were 3 bottles of baby food and coupons for buying more baby food. But I was breast feeding and using washable diapers and wouldn't use baby food for about a year. Then there were simplistic pamphlets from all sorts of corporations and churches with all sorts of instructions on how to care for your baby along with more coupons and ads for insurance, baby seats and blankets. There was one free issue of a baby magazine. I later found the exact same coupons only with better deals.

At least I got something. She was my second child and with my first they missed the opportunity to advertise their baby crap.

Capitalism never lets an opportunity to make a profit go by.

[Solly Mack]

2. That's awesome.

[Orrex]

3. Now there's a policy that's good to the Finnish!

Really highlights the difference between "right to life" versus the corrupted American campaign for the "right to birth."

[ReRe]

5. DUZY! :-)

Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding

[Orrex]

11. No, no. You're very kind, but I missed an opportunity.

Since I had to go back to edit it for more funny, it shouldn't be a DUzy.

[Arugula Latte]

34. A DUzy purist, eh?

[Starry Messenger]

4. k&r

[ReRe]

6. Now that's cool!

Reminds of PBSs "Call the Midwife".

[lunasun]

7. Nice to know it is like that somewhere in the world.............

They have one of the highesr ratings for
"quality of life be it babies or adults

[zeemike]

8. But but but....that is socialism.

We can't let that happen here...let the babies die, just don't give us socialism.
It seems that Finland is not burdened with that meme.

[xtraxritical]

15. SOCIALISM

[handmade34]

30. ...

[HughBeaumont]

16. Live with early-to-mid 1980s thinking, get late 1980s results!

UHMercia never ceases to fail.

[Arugula Latte]

36. At least when the babies die they die as good capitalists who lived (however briefly) in a system

of brutish Darwinian culling. So we have that to be proud of!

[SamKnause]

10. Babies

If the Republicans and Christians in the U.S. can figure out how to get that box into the womb and present it to the fetus they will participate.

After the birth, they need to pull themselves up by their own bootie laces.

There are no free rides in the U.S., unless you are a politician, corporation, CEO, banker, or Wall Street thief.

[CrispyQ]

57. "...their own bootie laces."

Ditto on the free rides comment.

[idwiyo]

12. Sure, I can see that being implemented in US. Or even in UK. Hell will freeze over 10 times first.

[valerief]

14. Bravo to the Finns! nt

[Jerry442]

17. It would be a piece of cake to implement this policy in the US....

...if we could plant the idea in politicians' heads that the parents that got the boxes would slip a $10K donation into their campaign funds on the kid's first birthday.

[OneGrassRoot]

18. Huge K&R! n/t

[Pharaoh]

19. socialist bastards!

(sarcasm)

[handmade34]

29. ...

[happyslug]

20. Interesting graph

Introduced in 1936, steady almost flat till the 1939-1940 Winter War between Russia and Finland (when the numbers spiked), rapid decline in 1940 and 1941, till Finland joined Hitler in attacking Russia, then as the Fins stopped at their old border the number dropped again, till the crisis of 1944, when the Fins switched sides, kicking out all German Troops with the aid of the Red Army in exchange for a peace treaty. During that crisis the the number spiked again, , then went into a steady decline. A little spike about 1946, another about 1953 and a third minor spike in 1957.

1946 was the year the Cold War harden up, 1953 was the year Stalin died and the big question was who was going to succeed him AND what would Russia due during that crisis of succession. 1957 was the year of the first huge world wide recession since WWII, it was the deepest recession between the Great Depression AND Reagan (It is now #3 since the Great Depression, beat out by Reagan Recession and the "Great recession" of 2008 which in many ways we are still in).

The rest of the spikes seems to be more the result statistical anomalies, i,e, some months are worse then others when it comes to babies.

The overall view, is except for times of National Crisis, the infant mortality rate has steadily dropped.

[Common Sense Party]

24. "What's all this talk about infant morality? Infants are perfect! They're not immoral!"

"What? Oh...Never mind."



It's been declining in the U.S. as well. But we used to be lower than peer countries. Not anymore.

[progressivejazzredux]

21. My Finnish wife tells me

they used to package all this in a laundry basket that could be used as a sleeping place and also as, well, a laundry basket. I guess they're saving money now.
The beauty of the plan is that ALL get this, not just the poor. My wife's mother got one, and they weren't poor.

[BrotherIvan]

50. You have a good point

Many of the social programs proposed are only for low income like WIC. But the middle class is struggling, and it's hard, when you work two jobs and have no benefits and still can't make ends meet, to care about only the poor. That's how the politicians have been creating class warfare. That is much of the problem with the ACA, in that now buying insurance is mandatory, but if you are low income, you qualify for subsidies. If you are working-poor, forget it. Public education was founded on this idea and sadly, it is being eroded in favor of a two-tiered system.

[bluedeathray]

22. What a great post

And an uplifting governmental policy. Thanks! I needed that.

[handmade34]

25. the article

really delighted me... all my babies are grown up but I find this concept so wonderful for people to do for each other...

[bluedeathray]

28. Right on...

And the cost can't be that much.

Couple of fighter jets maybe?

[Diclotican]

23. handmade34

handmade34

Thats make sense - specially in low-income families, where supplies to a baby can be rather expensive the first couple of years.. In fact I believe even Norway could learn something from the finns when it come to this things... I think it was the original idea behind it all - to help low-income families, who elsewhere could have troubles getting together what is needed for a baby.. Finland was a poor country in the 1930s - as most of scandinavia was it - but even by the standard of the day, Finland was a poor country...

And if it have been a program there 1935, it could be said, it works well to..

Diclotican

[Silent3]

26. Add a gun and a Bible to the box, issue at conception, and maybe Republicans would support this. n/t

[Ikonoklast]

27. But at birth, take everything else away from the baby except the gun and bible.

Food, clothes, blankets?

You're on your own, kid, get a job.

[thecrow]

31. Here's a graph for a whole lotta countries

http://www.indexmundi.com/g/g.aspx?v=29&c=ja&l=en

Have fun!

[handmade34]

32. interesting...

[Tikki]

33. That's amazing with the baby snow suit...neither of my boys ever had a baby snow suit...

being from SoCal and all. Babies in snow suits look so cute, all bundled up.


Tikki

[handmade34]

35. :-)

one of the joys of living in a cold climate... bundling the kids to go outside

[hunter]

39. I remember my kids would poop as soon as I got them bundled up.

It seemed like I always had to dress them twice to go out in the winter.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

52. Could give GD's kittens a run for their money...

snow babies!

[Tikki]

53. That's what I'm talking about...aaawwww

Thanks for the pix


Tikki

[WorseBeforeBetter]

62. You're welcome.

Sometimes you gotta take a break from crap news and focus on... the cute.

[handmade34]

75. Ahhhh

cute babies!!

[cbdo2007]

37. This would never work in the USA....

everyone here is too picky and would just complain.

"They can't put anything cute in here??" "Where's all the pink stuff??" "How am I supposed to get by with just one bib??" "What about a teether, there's no teether in here??"

Having these basic items, valued at about $20, isn't the problem. It is that everyone here thinks you need MORE than these items and if someone else has more for their kid, they will never be happy.

[LanternWaste]

54. I imagine the complaints and indictments against such a program in the U.S. would be heavily outnumb

I imagine the complaints and indictments against such a program in the U.S. would be heavily outnumbered by those applauding and commending it.

[kestrel91316]

38. But, but, but........THAT'S COMMUNIST!!!!1!!1!11!!!

[LeftInTX]

40. This is really cool!

I love the box!
I didn't much use the crib for my infants and chose to put their infant seat in my bed.

[SunSeeker]

41. How utterly civilized. We have a long way to go. nt

[handmade34]

46. "How utterly civilized"

just what I think

[Ilsa]

51. But but but, they're stealing from Babies R Us!!!

I wonder if the baby-junk corporations can or will sue over this based on some treaty?

I love what they've done, BTW.

[AnneD]

55. Matthew 6:21

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. King James Cambridge.

Look at our budget and see what this government/country values.

[CrispyQ]

58. A baby sleep in a box? Are you kidding me?

Not in America!

Years ago there was a local case involving a working poor family. I don't recall the details, but I do remember an interview in the paper, where the mother explained that they didn't have the money or room for a crib, so they used an empty dresser drawer, with a pillow as a pad, for their baby's bed. They could close it when it wasn't being used & it was a safe sleeping place for the baby. She commented that she felt that that left a bad impression with the cops & social workers & that it cast a negative affect over the entire investigation, which was not about the baby.

In recent DU threads about privilege, that story came to mind.

[xmas74]

64. I knew someone else who used a dresser drawer.

I used a Moses basket which was later used for laundry and even later used for toys. It's now used as a catch-all in my child's room.

Not as cheap as the dresser but still much cheaper than a crib.

[indepat]

60. The right-wingers in the Congress and the Administration will hop all over this

concept of "pro-life" because a word to the wise is sufficient. Wonder what the infant mortality rate is in this land of the free and home of the brave, but whatever it is, our present and recent infant mortality rates are the by-product of mostly right-wing governance since the days of the gipper wherein giant corporations are gorged with Federal largess, all the while WIC payments are being cut.

[Enrique]

61. right-wing reaction if they tried that here

Obama is conditioning people to live in hobbit homes!

[bluemarkers]

66. the box contains condoms!

Great idea!!

[Butterbean]

67. I love this idea. Here's my question, though:

how can this be pulled off in a country that has roughly 58 x the population of Finland?

I think about this every time someone says, "well, they do xyz in this country and it's AWESOME." Great. How big is that country? How spread out? How accessible is public transit? Our country is huge. Finland's population as of 5/2013 was 5,432,305. America's was approximately 315 million. In other words, Finland's population is equivalent to that of Wisconsin.

What I want to know, really genuinely want to know, because I am stumped every time I try to come up with an answer, is how in the hell we are supposed to come up with something like this in a country as huge as this, where public transit is NOT ubiquitous or reliable, and where in some places we are so geographically spread out that you don't see another living soul for miles?

I think this is wonderful, and it warms my heart, but I swear every time I look at our country and think of trying to do something like this, I just get mentally exhausted.

ETA: if this comes off as snark, it is not meant to be that way. I really want to know if someone thinks about this stuff and what to do about it here, because I just have no clue. None. This is why I don't bitch about the problem, because I have no solution.

[leftstreet]

69. Hand them out at hospitals?

Isn't that where most kids in the US are born?

[Butterbean]

70. Good idea.

I work in L&D at a hospital, so yeah, that's an excellent idea (see, this is why I ask other people...because I just get brain lock...). We could hand those out instead of the similac "diaper bags" that the mothers get on postpartum before they go home. Now, where would the funding come from? 'Cause those formula reps pay for the formula bags. They are essentially pharmaceutical reps. Without trudging into those murky depths (oy vey), where does the money come from? Hospitals are always hunting for the next nickel and breathing down our necks about costs costs costs. It gets so old.

[leftstreet]

71. Where does the funding come from for an aircraft carrier? n/t

[Butterbean]

72. Amen to that. I wonder how much money we could "save" if

we pulled out of all the various wars and other global entanglements in which we are currently involved?

I admit I am poorly educated about the military. I am educated about some things. Not all things. I am trying to get educated about politics and history as fast as I can. It's difficult and slow going, so please bear with me. I'm not trying to be deliberately obtuse.

[leftstreet]

73. The USS George HW Bush cost 6.2 billion

I wonder how many of these baby box thingies could be put together with that

[Butterbean]

74. HOLY SHIT. n/t

[LittleBlue]

76. It can be done

They don't waste countless billions on useless military hardware, so there's that.

[Butterbean]

77. I did not know that about Finland. Thank you, I appreciate the helpful info.

Every small bit helps.

[LittleBlue]

78. Ignore me

I was thinking Norway.

[Butterbean]

89. LOL, I plead senility at times like this. ;) n/t

[eridani]

79. I thought it was Norway with the oil reserves? n/t

[LeftyMom]

80. Presumably that means we have 58x as many taxpayers.

And even people in the back of beyond can get packages in the mail. Very rural areas might not get mail every day, and it may be delivered to the nearest store or by private vehicle, but they still get mail. Distribution wouldn't be an enormous logistical hurdle.

[Butterbean]

88. MAIL. Duh. See, again, this is why I ask other people.

When I'm looking at something like this that seems so huge, the obvious stuff just goes *Poof* and I can't see the forest for the trees.

[tex-wyo-dem]

81. A lot of politically minded folks, when trying...

To think of solutions to problems, improve existing programs, implenent programs such as this, etc, tend to think only in terms of Washington and the Federal Government. Sometimes we need to think smaller scale, like your local government. Something like this could very easily be started at the town or city level. If it's successful then maybe expand it out to your county/parish level. If that works then maybe the state could be convinced to support the initiative. Other states may then adopt the program, and so on.

My simple point: start small...think grassroots

[handmade34]

85. yes!

when I have a difficult task I compartmentalize...

I think of this idea as a nationwide baby shower

[Butterbean]

87. I would love to do something like this for my community.

I have a soft spot especially for teen moms. Food for thought, thank you.

[tex-wyo-dem]

82. And the baby and parents in Finland can rest...

Comfortably at night knowing that not only will they be helped and supported through the child's birth and as an infant, but the baby and his/her parents will have full access to single payer healthcare, the child will attend some of the best public schools in the world and, if the kid wants to and has the aptitude, can complete college all the way to a Master's level 100% on the state. The parents don't have to worry about owning a car due to ample public transportation, bike/walking paths, etc. Homelessness is basically nonexistent and their equivalent of Social Security is not just a safety net against abject poverty, but provides a very comfortable retirement. Working people are afforded some of the most generous vacation time compared to anywhere in the world (most get an entire month off in the summer), which results in a happy and healthy people as well as helps strengthen families.

The down side? They do pay really high taxes, but most were very happy with the arrangement...they get a lot of return on their tax dollars (or I should say, Euros).

How do I know all this? I lived and worked in Finland for almost a year back in the early 2000s and saw this first-hand. When I first arrived in Finland I couldn't help but notice a travel agency on almost every block. I asked one of my Finnish friends why this was and he said that people don't have to save for health insurance or school or retirement, so most save up for vacation to escape the cold

[handmade34]

86. unfortunately

we (in the US) have developed an irrational fear of taxes...

[midnight]

83. Congress will say that this hand out will cause staggering deficits...