
I know what you’re thinking! Why any parent would let their baby sleep in a cardboard box is nuts, but this country’s tradition is far from lacking in purpose. Finland has made “baby in the box” a rite of passage for every child and expecting mother. The reasons are surprising, inspiring and heartwarming.
For 75 years, Finland has been looking after the well-being of its expectant mothers and newborn babies. Even during the hardship of wartime in the 1940s, with country wide shortage in materials and supplies, these baby boxes were still made a nation-wide priority. The unified effort and love of this country’s mothers and children, as well as some inspired creative thinkers, has made Finland amongst the lowest infant mortality rates in the world with only 2 deaths of 1000 live births in 2014. For perspective to my fellow American natives, the United States averaged 6 deaths in…