Maternity package

I have been really anxiously waiting for the maternity package to arrive and now it's here!! Yay!

For anyone Finnish this will be a very boring post, since everyone here knows the contents of the package. I'm not sure why I have been so eagerly waiting for the package, maybe because that somehow makes the whole waiting of the baby more real.

So the state of Finland gives every mother a maternity package and according to the Kela website the package is quite a unique thing worldwide to receive. The package contains all the basic clothing and gear for the child for his/her first few months. There are jumpsuits, romper suits, overalls, sleeping bag, bath thermometer, lotion, towel, all the things one could ever think a child would require. The package has been quite similar for years, only the colours and fabrics change a bit yearly. When I was a baby my mother got a similar package and when my sister was born she again received the package. I remember that the year I was born the sleeping bag was brown and when my sister was born the sleeping bag was light coloured and had yellow and light blue and light pink circles on it. 

Because of the package all babies from certain years dress very uniformly and some people dislike the package because of it. But that is not an issue for me, I think you can show your personality with other things. And besides, the package is never enough to fully clothe a baby, you still need to get some stuff on your own.

From all the things in the package I have been most eagerly waiting for the box itself. I know that sounds funny, but the size of the box has been the same for at least 30 years. It is sized so that it can be used as a crib and many people do use it as such for the first few months when the regular crib seems so huge. My mom had a cover for the box when I was a baby and for 30 years she and then I have been saving that cover. Now I'm able to put that same cover on the box for my kid. That makes me feel quite emotional.

If you are interested in seeing all the stuff that is in the maternity package, please check Kela webpage, they have a very good listing there. Also if you are expecting a baby, but do not have maternity package available you can check that site to see what are the most essential baby gear you might need.