British Baby Box & Baby Annabell Newborn | Mum to be gifts

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I was recently contacted to be involved in the British Baby Box and Baby Annabell Newborn campaign for mums to be and new mummies. Of course, I’ve heard about baby boxes and the initiative to bring the British Baby Box to Britain, but not in much detail.

First off, I guess you might not have heard of a Baby Box, and what it is… here’s a bit of info:

What is a Baby Box?

A baby box is a large box baby can sleep in, that sounds a bit weird, but it’s incredibly safe and has been reported to be a significant reason as to why Finland’s infant mortality rate is so low, it’s actually the 5th lowest in the world. Baby boxes have been gifted to new mothers in Finland since 1938  and in the 80 years that project has run in Finland, it’s been shown that baby sleeping in a box instead of a cot or Moses basket, can help reduce the cases associated with SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).

The basic British Baby Box comes with a mattress and organic sheet. So everything you need for baby to sleep in when you bring your newborn home.

Who has brought it to Britain?

Two ladies who’s children went to the same pre-school, Sarah Simons and Susan Purse.

They were taken by the product and it’s safety record and neither were sure why such a brilliant product and concept wasn’t already in the UK market.

Supporting mum-to-be and charity

They also wanted their Baby Box company to support all new mothers and offer a range of packages to make the Baby Box affordable to everyone and to inform and support new mums and mums-to-be. They provide that support by that including leaflets for Kicks Count and the Lullaby Trust in their baby boxes. Both, incredibly useful charities for every mum-to-be.

 

So how can we get a British Baby Box?

If you’re in Scotland you’ll be given one from the Scottish Government. Nicola Sturgeon wanted to replicate the successes of Finland and so all newborn babies born from this summer will be gifted a Baby Box.

Obviously there has been a bit of media coverage both of Scotland’s move and the Finnish success meaning British Baby Box has been quite successful in the last year, both in the UK and across the world. They’ve also got deals with Barnardos and Save The Children providing boxes to Iraq and Syrian refugees in Greece, respectively. Again supporting more charities and new mums.

In England, I have heard some trusts might also be gifting baby boxes to new mums, but in other areas, you can buy one for yourself or your friends on the British Baby Box website. Not only that but they will be hitting a British supermarket for a trial this May.

 

Buying a British Baby Box… 

A British Baby Box costs £50, including mattress (with attached waterproof cover) and an organic cot sheet. Not only that, the lid of the box can be used for a changing mat.

The mattress seems just as comfy, if not more so than the one we had in Toddler H’s old crib. It’s lovely they supply an organic sheet, I’ve written before about why I give organic products the big thumbs up.

The British Baby Box company also offer boxes which include 100% organic cotton gifts –

• Cherish Baby Box (£100)

Molly and Monty 100% cotton scratch mits, hat, bib, 2 body suits, sleep suit, British Baby Box shopper bag and gift box.

• Treasure Baby Box (£150)

As cherish with one extra bodysuit, one extra sleep suit and a Molly and Monty blanket

• Luxury Baby Box  (£450)

Contains soooo much! From multiples of the items listed in the boxes above, to a Merino wool shawl, Neom Organics candle, bubble bath and top to toe wash, and various Cheeky Chompers products,

• Bespoke Baby Box

An option I love, you can buy gifts to go inside the box separately, picking and choosing what you like.

Obviously check the Baby Box shop for a full list Baby Box products.

 

Like the Baby Box itself, which is created by British designers, the gifts are also source from the UK – from sleep suits to mittens, hats to blankets and bedsheets, they’re all made using the “finest British materials and the finest British craftsmanship”

 

Verdict: 

I’m very taken by this concept and wonder the difference it will make to SIDS in this country, and particularly in Scotland. I think it may take a bit of time to see the impact especially if people already have a cot from an older sibling. I think the concept and all the advice and support that is provided with the box is fantastic.

I also think it is lovely you can buy a baby box as a gift and also choose some gifts to add to it, making it really unique and personal. When you go to the British Baby Box site you can pick the gifts you’d like to go with your basic box. I also love that they’re keeping it British and and all gifts are British sourced/made.

Baby Annabell – a perfect newborn gift

We were also sent a Baby Annabelle Newborn, who is a perfect gift for a newborn. She just looks so perfect for a tiny baby, with her soft body and cute face. Bag Annabell is the UK’s number one nurturing doll, authentic and lifelike. Toddler H actually started saying “baby’s here” when she saw Baby Annabell!

I think this is a lovely first gift as we know our dolls last year’s and provide untold cuddles, imaginative play, social bonding and social skills that create a childhood of memories.

Baby Annabell Newborn is easy to clean and her face wipe able, and also has a rattle inside to sooth babies.
As our new baby hasn’t yet arrived (I’m currently 35+ weeks pregnant) H loves putting her dolls to sleep in the Baby Box, and has actually tried it out herself, she does love to sleep scrunched up! We’ll have to see how the Baby Box works for us once baby arrives, but I think it’s very versatile, it’s so light I see us being able to use it a lot downstairs too, moving from room to room, throughout those sleepy newborn days.

 

Have you been given a Baby Box? Do you think you’ll use one with your new baby?

Lynne X
PS. We were very kindly sent a British Baby Box and Baby Annabell to review. All opinions are my own!