Why should your babies sleep in cardboard boxes? Experts find that they lower infant mortality rates and prevent cot deaths. Currently, hospitals are giving parents such products to help their babies sleep.
In Finland, the boxes have been reported to have brought down infant mortality rates from 65 per 1,000 babies in 1938 to just 2.3 per 1,000 infants in 2015. Taking the cue, West London's Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital is giving out boxes along with foam mattresses to fight infant mortality.
There was a successful response in the US to cardboard boxes, though initially there was some scepticism. "In the first US-based survey we conducted, 40% of parents said they wouldn't put their child to sleep in a box," Jennifer Clary, CEO of The Baby Box Co. said. "When we followed up with those parents 3 months later, approximately 80% were utilizing the Baby Box as a primary sleep space for their child."
The Baby Box Co. was launched in 2014 with headquarters in California, US. Its offices spread out to UK, Australia, Canada, and Singapore. The company ships its boxes to 52 countries.
Three years ago, a study in 2013 discovered that babies of three months who breastfeed and sleep with their parents in their beds can be exposed to greater risks of cot death. Cardboard boxes help to prevent the deaths. Made of thick cardboard, these boxes can be used till the babies are eight months old.
What exactly does the box do? It helps to keep the baby from rolling over onto its tummy, which might raise the risks of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). It can be used till the baby gets strong enough to pull itself up on its own.
In the UK, the Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital is planning to dish out 800 baby boxes to parents "on a first-come, first-served basis." Babies using the Finnish cardboard boxes will be overseen by the National Health Service (NHS) Trust till they touch eight months. The parents will then be told to share their feedback.
Dr Karen Joash, a consultant obstetrician at the NHS Trust who is leading the baby box trial, said: "For too many years the UK has fallen behind its European counterparts when it comes to reducing infant mortality. These boxes and the education resources that sit alongside them have been proven to help reduce the infant mortality rate in Finland and we hope that these results could be replicated in the UK."
Interestingly, the NHS Trust's baby box team is composed of "breastfeeding consultants, specialist midwives, obstetricians and psychologists." The team is expected to coordinate with health visitors and other professionals from diverse fields to increase its educational message.
This is the first time the trial is being tried out in the UK. It is organized by the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, collaborating with The Baby Box Co., the California-based company.
The Baby Box Co. CEO Jennifer Clary clarified that they are happy to offer baby boxes to the NHS Trust.
