Free Baby Boxes for every baby born in South Tipperary General Hospital

On Monday 24th July South Tipperary General Hospital is to launch a free Baby Box programme aimed at reducing and raising awareness around infant mortality. Educating parents on how to care for newborn is at the centre of the Baby Box initiative.

The distribution of Baby Boxes in conjunction with prenatal education has contributed to the reduction of infant deaths (cot deaths) in Finland, where they have been in use for 80 years. The tradition has contributed to reducing the infant mortality rate in Finland from 65 infant deaths per 1,000 births in 1938 to 2.26 per 1,000 births in 2015. Ireland’s infant mortality rate is currently 3.7 per 1,000 births.

The Baby Boxes, which are made from a durable cardboard and come with a firm mattress, waterproof mattress cover, and fitted cotton sheet, are traditionally used in Finland as a baby’s bed for the first months of life, replacing the need for a traditional Moses basket or cot.

Most importantly, families receiving a Baby Box will have access to the Baby Box University, a comprehensive maternal and childcare education platform, available from pregnancy onwards. Developed with leading medical experts around the world, Baby Box University enables each of its healthcare partners to customise the educational content to suit local need.

The Baby Box programme will see parents who complete e-learning modules provided with a free Baby Box for their infant to sleep in. The online education element is inclusive and accessible; easy to follow and available in multiple languages, reflecting the growing diversity of Irish labour wards. Women can sign up for the Baby Box University e-learning at their ante-natal clinic.

Mary O'Donnell, Clinical Midwifery Manager said, “South Tipperary General Hospital Maternity Unit is delighted to be part of the Baby Box  global initiative which supports new parents on their journey to parenthood.”

Jennifer Clary, the founder and CEO of The Baby Box Co., which is supplying the Baby Boxes and Baby Box University memberships for participating parents said, “We are delighted to continue the expansion of the Baby Box University programme in Ireland.”