Baby Box tradition comes to Waterloo region

The Finnish tradition of giving new parents a box full of starter items for their bundle of joy that doubles as a spot for the baby to nap has come to Waterloo region.

There are 200 baby boxes available through the KW Pregnancy Resource Centre and those boxes are being funded through a provincial initiative.

New parents who have had a baby since Aug. 1 or who are due before Aug. 1, 2017, are eligible for the boxes, the centre's executive director Maureen Dinner said.

Each box comes with a lined mattress as well as items such as a sleeper, diapers and shampoo.

Parents are required to register with Baby Box Co., the company that is providing the boxes to Ontario parents.

They then take a webinar on the BabyBox University website, print off their certificate once they're done and can then go to the resource centre to pick up their box.

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Boxes make travel easier

Dinner said there has been research into the safety of the boxes and information included in the package highlights safe sleep habits.

She added it sounded like a very convenient way for parents to be able to move necessary baby items when they travel.

"Taking and packing up a playpen and things like that to go places, I thought, this is so great to just take a box in the car," Dinner said.

Health Canada does not directly mention baby boxes on its website, but suggests as general rules that babies should sleep on their backs, in a crib, cradle or bassinet and share a room with parents for the first six months of life. The sleeping space should be completely empty except for a mattress and fitted sheet.