Baby Box Distributions: Public Health Benefit or Concern?

Middlemiss, Wendy; Brownstein, Naomi C.; Leddy, Miranda; Nelson, Scott; Manchiraju, Srikant; Grzywacz, Joseph G.

doi:10.1177/0033354919847731

Cited by 6 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…5 Our focus group data tends to contradict US research into hypothetical attitudes suggesting that people might feel a degree of stigma, particularly in relation to using the box as a crib. 13,14 Our participants tended to take a counter view that universal provision would be more likely to avoid stigma and that the feeling of social cohesion among a cohort of parents evident in Finland was also a likely outcome in Scotland.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…In the US, some states are experimenting with baby boxes, but there is little evidence of the experiences of parents who have actually received one. A survey of 541 parents focused on the usefulness, safety and attractiveness of the box as a sleep space, and found little evidence it would be acceptable to parents 13 . A qualitative study of 28 parents also found ambivalent attitudes; some parents were happy to consider using it as a sleep space, but others were concerned about the stigma of using a box and feeling like their baby was ‘about to be shipped’, even though they thought it might be ‘good for those who can't afford a crib’.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Baby Box scheme in Scotland: A study of public attitudes and social value

Skea

Kostrzewa

Locock

et al. 2022

Health Expectations

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Background: The Scottish Government introduced a free Baby Box scheme for all new parents in 2017, modelled on the Finnish scheme, to give every baby 'an equal start in life'. There is little evidence that it results in better health outcomes, but there has been limited research into different perspectives and discourses on such schemes.Methods: Four focus groups were conducted with 21 parents in North-East Scotland. Recordings were transcribed verbatim, anonymized and analysed thematically with NVivo 12 software. Our thematic analysis was both inductive and deductive-remaining open to themes identified by participants themselves but also informed by the social policy literature on universalism and social cohesion.Results: Across all the focus groups, we found a high degree of positivity about the principle of the Baby Box scheme, and for the most part the practical value of the contents. This was remarkably consistent across different communities and backgrounds. There was little evidence of the strongly polarized views present in media reporting. Parents seemed considerably less focused than the media on safety and health outcomes, and more focused on practical, material and social impacts.They reported little in the way of feeling patronized or monitored by the government. Conclusion: Our findings have important implications for future economic evaluations of the baby box. Such evaluations should broaden the valuation space beyond health outcomes to allow for the value of feelings of inclusion, solidarity and being part of a community. Patient or Public Contribution: This small project was designed in response to parent views already collected in the early roll-out of the Baby Box scheme in Scotland, about their priorities and responses to the scheme.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Baby Box scheme in Scotland: A study of public attitudes and social value

Skea

Kostrzewa

Locock

et al. 2022

Health Expectations

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“…Finnish women can receive a baby sleep box containing a fi rm mattress and fi lled with baby products to encourage safe separate sleep (Blair et al, 2018;Rosenberg, 2016). Safe sleep baby boxes, based on boxes dispensed in Finland, have been promoted as a valid solution for the U.S. SUID rates (Middlemiss et al, 2019). Finland's infant mortality rate decreased signifi cantly following the baby box program; however, the decreased incidence may not be entirely related to safe sleep baby box use (Ridky, 2016).…”

Section: Review Of the Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Perceptions and Use of Safe Sleep Baby Boxes at Hospital Discharge by New Mothers

Hughes

Gill

Berndt

2023

McN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing

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Background: A large community hospital in South Texas began distributing safe sleep baby boxes to reduce sudden unexplained infant death (SUID) in 2017. Purpose: To describe safe sleep practices among new mothers who received a safe sleep baby box at hospital discharge. Methods: An information sheet containing a link to an online survey was mailed to all women who received a safe sleep baby box prior to discharge from the hospital from January 2018 to January 2019. Results: N = 84 women participated. Most reported using the safe sleep baby box only during nap time (n = 62, 88.6%). Only 70.2% of participants reported that baby always slept their back (n = 59). Most reported their baby did not use a pacifier (n = 62, 73.8%), and many reported they were not breastfeeding their baby (n = 38, 45.2%). Clinical Implications: Many women were not using the safe sleep baby box as intended and were not following many of the other safe sleep guidelines. Nurses should ask their patients about plans for infant safe sleep after discharge to provide individualized education or recommend specific resources to address the family's needs.

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“…Although this guidance is offered under the assumption that all parents will have suitable safe places available for infant sleep, the lived realities of parenting can sometimes make compliance with idealised guidance unlikely or impossible [2][3][4][5][6]. In recognising that babies may sometimes be placed to sleep on unsuitable surfaces, or in hazardous contexts, novel interventions have been devised to provide parents with a safe (or safer) space in which their baby can sleep [7][8][9][10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Two forms of boxes repurposed as infant sleep spaces became popular as infant sleep interventions in recent years. Firstly, small shallow polypropylene boxes (originally underbed storage boxes) fitted with mattresses and bedding were distributed to displaced New Zealand families in the aftermath of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake [8][9][10][11]. The success of this intervention led to the development of a customized box, bedding and distribution approach known as the Pēpi-Pod ® Programme (pēpi being a Maori term for baby).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Box to Put the Baby in: UK Parent Perceptions of Two Baby Box Programmes Promoted for Infant Sleep

Ball

Taylor

Yuill

2021

IJERPH

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Between 2016 and 2019, two different infant sleeping-box interventions were implemented in England: (1) shallow polypropylene baby boxes were distributed via a feasibility study to families with Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) risk factors; and (2) a commercial–health system partnership scheme distributed cardboard baby boxes to new mothers in particular locations. We conducted parent evaluations of both interventions at the time of implementation. The views of 79 parents receiving polypropylene boxes and 77 parents receiving cardboard boxes were captured using online questionnaires and telephone interviews. Participants provided feedback on education received about using the box, their perception of the box design and materials, their experiences of using the box they received, and whether they would recommend it to others. Parents appreciated that both boxes provided a portable space to place their baby near them anywhere in the home, discouraging other riskier practices. The polypropylene box was rated more favourably regarding transparency, hygiene, and portability outside the home. A minority of parents found the idea of putting their baby in any box unappealing; however, younger mothers and smokers particularly appreciated the ability to safely co-sleep with their babies using the shallower box. Overall, the versatility of the polypropylene box scheme was more positively evaluated than the cardboard baby box scheme, which, stripped of its social value as part of a larger welfare provision, had minimal value for parents that received it.

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Baby Box Distributions: Public Health Benefit or Concern?

Cited by 6 publications

References 13 publications

The Baby Box scheme in Scotland: A study of public attitudes and social value

The Baby Box scheme in Scotland: A study of public attitudes and social value

Perceptions and Use of Safe Sleep Baby Boxes at Hospital Discharge by New Mothers

A Box to Put the Baby in: UK Parent Perceptions of Two Baby Box Programmes Promoted for Infant Sleep

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