Open Door Family Medical Center, a nonprofit, federally qualified health center offering quality healthcare to residents of Westchester and Putnam Counties who have low incomes, has partnered with The Baby Box Co. to provide free Baby Boxes to pregnant women who receive obstetrical care and prenatal education at one of its medical area medical offices.
The cardboard Baby Box, which originated in Finland more than 80 years ago, may not sound very cozy, but it is more than that. It is an alternative to bassinets that are pro-actively tested to meet the same safety standards that are mandated for bassinets, and are designed to be a safe sleep space for infants up to 5 to 6 months old or weighing up to 15 pounds.
Open Door’s Baby Box is basically a starter kit for newborns (Open Door delivers 450 babies each year), and is filled with essential supplies including a sleep sack, onesies, socks, mittens, a newborn cap, baby toy, organic burp cloth, tote bag, terrycloth bib, washcloths, a hygiene kit, a baby book, and seasonal clothes.
Of course, keeping infants safe requires that parents have access to educational resources and information. As part of the Baby Box Experience, new online resources about newborn safety and parenting skills are available in English and Spanish. For more information, go to to www.opendoormedical.org.
