Baby Boxes

There is a lot of disagreement about space. Do you need it? Should you give someone else more? Are you giving too much?

What about space when sleeping? I saw a report on the news about “baby boxes” that hospitals are giving out for newborns in my state. Remembering that they do this in Finland, I checked out the story. The reporter mentioned co-sleeping and the need for the boxes to help decrease infant mortality in combination with sleep safety training. The baby boxes were such a success in Finland that the idea moved to the US and currently at least 2 other cities participate in the program.

Never realizing co-sleeping was such a risk that new programs were being implemented to keep babies safe, I looked into it more. Medical and research based sites provide information about the risks and recommend room sharing rather than bed sharing during those first few months with a baby due to the reported increase in infant death if a baby sleeps in the parents’ bed. Other sites I reviewed mentioned that while there IS some risk to the baby, bed sharing with an infant assists in forming the parent-child bond and helps the parent to quickly respond to baby’s cues. Some sites were more informational while others were more editorial. There were some strong opinions out there!

As with nearly every choice we make as parents, there are pros and cons, and this one comes down to choice. Parents determine what is best for their children and their own families. It is great to be able to read about both sides of the story. We educate ourselves by reading books, reviewing online sources, talking to friends, and asking pediatricians. Then, we decide.

So, it was interesting learning about baby boxes, and sounds like a helpful program that will likely grow in our country too!

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