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Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? - Family - Nairaland

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Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by kokosheen(m): 12:26pm On Jun 04, 2013
Something Our FGN Can Replicate: Why Finnish Babies Sleep In Cardboard Boxes

Why Finnish babies sleep in cardboard boxes
By Helena Lee BBC News

For 75 years, Finland's expectant mothers have been given a box by the state. It's like a starter kit of clothes, sheets and toys that can even be used as a bed. And some say it helped Finland achieve one of the world's lowest infant mortality rates.
It's a tradition that dates back to the 1930s and it's designed to give all children in Finland, no matter what background they're from, an equal start in life.
The maternity package - a gift from the government - is available to all expectant mothers.
It contains bodysuits, a sleeping bag, outdoor gear, bathing products for the baby, as well as nappies, bedding and a small mattress.
With the mattress in the bottom, the box becomes a baby's first bed. Many children, from all social backgrounds, have their first naps within the safety of the box's four cardboard walls.
A 1947 maternity pack
Mothers have a choice between taking the box, or a cash grant, currently set at 140 euros, but 95% opt for the box as it's worth much more.
The tradition dates back to 1938. To begin with, the scheme was only available to families on low incomes, but that changed in 1949.
"Not only was it offered to all mothers-to-be but new legislation meant in order to get the grant, or maternity box, they had to visit a doctor or municipal pre-natal clinic before their fourth month of pregnancy," says Heidi Liesivesi, who works at Kela - the Social Insurance Institution of Finland.
So the box provided mothers with what they needed to look after their baby, but it also helped steer pregnant women into the arms of the doctors and nurses of Finland's nascent welfare state.
In the 1930s Finland was a poor country and infant mortality was high - 65 out of 1,000 babies died. But the figures improved rapidly in the decades that followed.
Mika Gissler, a professor at the National Institute for Health and Welfare in Helsinki, gives several reasons for this - the maternity box and pre-natal care for all women in the 1940s, followed in the 60s by a national health insurance system and the central hospital network.
Contents of the box

· Mattress, mattress cover, undersheet, duvet cover, blanket, sleeping bag/quilt
· Box itself doubles as a crib
· Snowsuit, hat, insulated mittens and booties
· Light hooded suit and knitted overalls
· Socks and mittens, knitted hat and balaclava
· Bodysuits, romper suits and leggings in unisex colours and patterns
· Hooded bath towel, nail scissors, hairbrush, toothbrush, bath thermometer, nappy cream, wash cloth
· Cloth nappy set and muslin squares
· Picture book and teething toy
· Bra pads, condoms

Encouraging good parenting has been part of the maternity box policy all along.
"Babies used to sleep in the same bed as their parents and it was recommended that they stop," says Panu Pulma, professor in Finnish and Nordic History at the University of Helsinki. "Including the box as a bed meant people started to let their babies sleep separately from them."

At a certain point, baby bottles and dummies were removed to promote breastfeeding.
"One of the main goals of the whole system was to get women to breastfeed more," Pulma says. And, he adds, "It's happened."
He also thinks including a picture book has had a positive effect, encouraging children to handle books, and, one day, to read.
And in addition to all this, Pulma says, the box is a symbol. A symbol of the idea of equality, and of the importance of children.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22751415

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Re: Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by kokosheen(m): 12:33pm On Jun 04, 2013
In my opinion, having a program like this by a state or the federal government is a win-win. It reduces infant mortality rates, promotes citizen equality and makes it mandatory that mothers attend pre-natal courses.

I think TEHN should also look into this at a smaller scale. Someone can get an approximate cost of a box and NLers can pay for some boxes, TEHN should now distribute to expectant mothers where they deem fit.
Re: Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by dulphines: 2:16pm On Jun 04, 2013
Supported.
Re: Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by free2ryhme: 2:17pm On Jun 04, 2013
ask dame jonathan
Re: Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by abatajjvii: 2:19pm On Jun 04, 2013
mrs president will have an answer to that
Re: Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by Nobody: 2:27pm On Jun 04, 2013
A project like this is beyond the managerial skills of the government, they can't even manage basic supplies like syringe talk of this.

2 Likes

Re: Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by Nobody: 2:46pm On Jun 04, 2013
Beauriful idea
Re: Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by Mopolchi: 2:46pm On Jun 04, 2013
A good thing if it occurs.
Re: Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by Mopolchi: 2:47pm On Jun 04, 2013
I fully yield my support for this. But would corruption and tribalism allow this to see the light of the day?
Re: Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by kokoye(m): 3:07pm On Jun 04, 2013
Even if this is put in place, will the entire package get to the mothers?

As each box goes down the ladder, a piece is removed..

By the time it gets to the mother...empty box.

1 Like

Re: Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by ichidodo: 3:25pm On Jun 04, 2013
Well it wasnt the F.G that got them into that state, so i dont see why govt should be involved except provision of quality maternal healthcare service delivery system, security, housing and what not.
Re: Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by brownlord: 3:29pm On Jun 04, 2013
no be only maternity package, why e no be paternity, cos na FG give them belle, rubbish

1 Like

Re: Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by kokosheen(m): 4:20pm On Jun 04, 2013
ichidodo: Well it wasnt the F.G that got them into that state, so i dont see why govt should be involved except provision of quality maternal healthcare service delivery system, security, housing and what not.

At the end of the day, the government is responsible for the wellbeing of its citizens. If by offering the maternity package they would get expectant mothers to go for pre-natal care, the battle of eliminating/reducing infant mortality would be half won.

Also, an expectant mother who doesn't have the income to buy basic necessities wouldn't have to use one old dirty wrapper to cover & dry off a new baby.
Re: Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by Originalsly: 6:32pm On Jun 04, 2013
Sounds nice...but what's good for Finland doesn't mean it's good for Nigeria.It's freezing cold for nearly half the year in Finland...would the baby of a poor mother stand a good chance to survive? Finland has a population problem...they hardly make babies and the majority of its citizens are middle aged and older.They are basically encouraging the young people to have children. Nigeria has a majority pretty young population and growing...infact there is a need to slow down the youths from bringing forth more children. Then...the Finns pay hefty taxes to support their social programs...do I have to say more? One man's meat is another man's poison.

3 Likes

Re: Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by baby124: 6:33pm On Jun 04, 2013
hmm, this can backfire. Some people will keep having kids to take advantage of government generosity. Besides, anything fully done by government in Nigeria, never works. They need to focus on spreading the idea of family planning like some years ago. Aggressive campaigns by doctors and advertisements by government agencies in every way possible is very necessary.
Re: Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by kokosheen(m): 10:34pm On Jun 04, 2013
Originalsly: Sounds nice...but what's good for Finland doesn't mean it's good for Nigeria.It's freezing cold for nearly half the year in Finland...would the baby of a poor mother stand a good chance to survive? Finland has a population problem...they hardly make babies and the majority of its citizens are middle aged and older.They are basically encouraging the young people to have children. Nigeria has a majority pretty young population and growing...infact there is a need to slow down the youths from bringing forth more children. Then...the Finns pay hefty taxes to support their social programs...do I have to say more? One man's meat is another man's poison.

What you've just written basically means the government shouldn't do anything to reduce infant-mortality. Do you know what it means to carry another human in a womb for 40 weeks, go through the pain of childbirth and basically lose that baby because basic necessities to give the child a fighting chance doesn't exist?

Mind you, giving maternity packs doesn't equate feeding and clothing the baby for life.

Please, re-read the original write up because the message being passed is very different from what you think.
Re: Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by kokosheen(m): 10:41pm On Jun 04, 2013
baby_123: hmm, this can backfire. Some people will keep having kids to take advantage of government generosity. Besides, anything fully done by government in Nigeria, never works. They need to focus on spreading the idea of family planning like some years ago. Aggressive campaigns by doctors and advertisements by government agencies in every way possible is very necessary.

Maternity packs doesn't equate special funding after child birth. Controlling population growth shouldn't mean you let the conceived babies die at birth.

Education & exposure of the citizens is what is needed. Even in Nigeria you can hardly find graduate couples having more than 4 children. Most stick to two.

By the time university education becomes basic, depopulation would naturally set in.
Re: Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by tpia5: 11:05pm On Jun 04, 2013
Maybe, if they cant afford it.

I think usually the companies manufacturing baby things are the ones who give nursing mothers, small kits with samples of their products to take home.

However, maybe the govt can provide baby food, milk, etc for a while, once the baby stops breastfeeding.
Re: Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by baby124: 11:41pm On Jun 04, 2013
kokosheen:

Maternity packs doesn't equate special funding after child birth. Controlling population growth shouldn't mean you let the conceived babies die at birth.

Education & exposure of the citizens is what is needed. Even in Nigeria you can hardly find graduate couples having more than 4 children. Most stick to two.

By the time university education becomes basic, depopulation would naturally set in.

Some people in the villages have 12children through backward babalawo maternity wards. Throw in free and you get an explosion of population. First bring in family planning, before free birth. If you give free everything, soon when they outdo themselves they will demand government assistance and help in raising the child.

1 Like

Re: Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by Nosyke(m): 6:50am On Jun 05, 2013
I think this policy is already being implemented in some states in the North but by the PPRINN. They are called 'mama-kit'. However, the essence of this is to encourage more women to attend antenatal care and facility delivery upon labour. By so doing reduce maternal mortality.
Also, as part of the SURE-P intervention scheme, there was time a they proposed a stipend for every facility birth. Now the goal of this one isn't necessarily to dash people money for giving birth but to cause a behavioural change amongst expectant women so that by the time, the stipend is withdrawn (which will be after some time maybe 5 years) , facility delivery is now a habit encouraged by all
Re: Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by Nosyke(m): 6:59am On Jun 05, 2013
baby_123:

Some people in the villages have 12children through backward babalawo maternity wards. Throw in free and you get an explosion of population. First bring in family planning, before free birth. If you give free everything, soon when they outdo themselves they will demand government assistance and help in raising the child.

I slightly disagree with you. Like the poster you quoted said, education and awareness can cause a huge behavioural change thereby causing family planning on its own. Some people still believe that children are gifts from God hence the more you have them the more you are blessed as well as a test of the fertility. Some women brag about how many children they have. Of what use will the family planning be if the mothers and children die because of lack of basic post natal kits/attention?
Re: Should FG Provide Maternity Package For Expectant Mothers? by sweetgala(m): 8:12am On Jun 05, 2013
Read it on my Google + feed. All governments should invest in such. It would prove successful

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