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Why Finnish babies sleep in cardboard boxes (2013)

bbc.com

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Re: Why Finnish babies sleep in cardboard boxes (2013)

#51

Post by pomian »

Swizec wrote: post #35
songzme wrote: post #30

My baby is due in 4 weeks. My wife and I shopped for weeks trying to buy a 2nd hand crib that was affordable (We ended up getting one for free from a neighbor on nextdoor). Never did it cross my mind that I could just use a cardboard box! I will definitely make a cardboard box for my upcoming baby, use it as much as I can, and see if I could get by without a crib! Perfect DIY project for a stay home dad, cribs always…

As a non parent surrounded by friends having kids I often wonder how much money and faff is wasted on things kids won’t even remember.

As with most gifts, the giving of presents is often more meaningful for the person giving. The save with kids toys. The parents are really buying it for themselves, perhaps to express their feelings. As an aside, the parents are also learning. No one is born with experience, so experimenting witj things until you get it right, happens with kids stuff too.

Re: Why Finnish babies sleep in cardboard boxes (2013)

#52

Post by learc83 »

danielheath wrote: post #45
songzme wrote: post #30

My baby is due in 4 weeks. My wife and I shopped for weeks trying to buy a 2nd hand crib that was affordable (We ended up getting one for free from a neighbor on nextdoor). Never did it cross my mind that I could just use a cardboard box! I will definitely make a cardboard box for my upcoming baby, use it as much as I can, and see if I could get by without a crib! Perfect DIY project for a stay home dad, cribs always…

Bear in mind: * Mass manufactured Finnish ones have a base-mat that fits snugly. A very slight gap is a suffocation risk. * When your first baby arrives, you spend a lot more time than you're used to on your knees. Cribs, being raised, are far easier on your knees than a box on the floor.

Very true. I have a 2 month old and I’m tall enough that the bassinet we bought was uncomfortably low. I ended up building a platform to raise it.

Re: Why Finnish babies sleep in cardboard boxes (2013)

#53

Post by reidjs »

copo233 wrote: post #24
reidjs wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh I meant suggesting it in the United States. I feel like it would not go over well, unless of course you or your SO are from Finland!

Define "go over well."

I suspect they might take it as endangering the baby’s wellbeing to save a few bucks. The baby industry has got quite the stranglehold on some people.

Re: Why Finnish babies sleep in cardboard boxes (2013)

#54

Post by wutwutwutwut »

daenz wrote: post #47

>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. That's like saying that because we have public school, all kids have an equal education. It's plain wrong. It doesn't work unless you force everyone to use the box and force everyone to go to public schools.

If the box is designed for that purpose then it's designed for that purpose. Then it's not plain wrong. The article is not saying that all the kids have an equal start in life so not sure where you got that from.

Your reasoning is like saying Red Cross isn't designed to reduce the suffering of people because there are still suffering people. It's an odd claim to make.

Re: Why Finnish babies sleep in cardboard boxes (2013)

#55

Post by bobsmooth »

daenz wrote: post #47

>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. That's like saying that because we have public school, all kids have an equal education. It's plain wrong. It doesn't work unless you force everyone to use the box and force everyone to go to public schools.

Read "equal start" as "guaranteed minimum".

Re: Why Finnish babies sleep in cardboard boxes (2013)

#56

Post by andi999 »

daenz wrote: post #47

>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. That's like saying that because we have public school, all kids have an equal education. It's plain wrong. It doesn't work unless you force everyone to use the box and force everyone to go to public schools.

Public schools are very good in Finland.

Re: Why Finnish babies sleep in cardboard boxes (2013)

#57

Post by satyrnein »

JasonFruit wrote: post #41
Swizec wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a non parent surrounded by friends having kids I often wonder how much money and faff is wasted on things kids won’t even remember.

As a parent, I look back and think how much time and money I've wasted on things and actions my kids neither wanted nor remember. I look at my current life and wonder what I'll feel that way about in the future. Unfortunately, it's hard to tell what is worthwhile and what is not at the time.

As another parent, I completely agree. Of course, I also look back at all the time and money I wasted in my early thirties before I had kids, and also in my twenties, and also in college...

Re: Why Finnish babies sleep in cardboard boxes (2013)

#58

Post by seibelj »

geoduck14 wrote: post #42
songzme wrote: post #30

My baby is due in 4 weeks. My wife and I shopped for weeks trying to buy a 2nd hand crib that was affordable (We ended up getting one for free from a neighbor on nextdoor). Never did it cross my mind that I could just use a cardboard box! I will definitely make a cardboard box for my upcoming baby, use it as much as I can, and see if I could get by without a crib! Perfect DIY project for a stay home dad, cribs always…

I have several kids. Let me share some experiences with you: A card board box is probably fine starting out, but your baby will out grow it. The sleeping container should have walls high enough to prevent him/her from climbing out - this might take 9 months, but younwill want it You NEED to remove all fluf and excess padding in your DIY "crib". Babies can suffocate on cute "fluffy" blankets If you build a wooden crib…

Not worth DIYing anything that can potentially kill your baby. All of the stuff sold is engineered to prevent this from happening. Zero percent chance I'm hammering some 2 x 4's together to save $80.

Re: Why Finnish babies sleep in cardboard boxes (2013)

#59

Post by qwertox »

songzme wrote: post #30

My baby is due in 4 weeks. My wife and I shopped for weeks trying to buy a 2nd hand crib that was affordable (We ended up getting one for free from a neighbor on nextdoor). Never did it cross my mind that I could just use a cardboard box! I will definitely make a cardboard box for my upcoming baby, use it as much as I can, and see if I could get by without a crib! Perfect DIY project for a stay home dad, cribs always…

Not sure if an Amazon box would be equal, they have a smell to them. It looks like the Finnish boxes are wrapped in some material and I'd guess that some kind of checks would be made to ensure safety.

I wish your family all the best.

Re: Why Finnish babies sleep in cardboard boxes (2013)

#60

Post by raptorraver »

andi999 wrote: post #56
daenz wrote: post #47

>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. That's like saying that because we have public school, all kids have an equal education. It's plain wrong. It doesn't work unless you force everyone to use the box and force everyone to go to public schools.

Public schools are very good in Finland.

Yes, also (at least) 95% of kids go to public school in Finland.
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