In a pioneering initiative, mothers whose babies are born in the University Maternity Hospital Limerick (UMHL) will receive a ‘baby box’ when they are discharged from hospital.
The Baby Box programme, which stems from a similar initiative in Finland, aims to provide new mothers with the knowledge and support they need during the critical first few weeks of motherhood.
The box includes e-learning modules providing ‘baby training’ tips, baby items, and information on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The box itself can double up as a cot for the baby to sleep in.
Baby Boxes have been credited with helping reduce infant mortality rates in Finland, where they have been in use for over seven decades.