Maternity pack The wild baby boom took maternity packs out of hand – Here’s a new pack that Kela will release months in advance

Coil released the contents of next year’s maternity package on Thursday. The 2022 maternity pack was now announced exceptionally early. The reason is the baby boom of the Corona era.

More babies have now been born in Finland than in recent years, so this year’s maternity packs are running out.

Usually next year’s maternity pack will be announced in the spring and winter. New packages will be distributed to families at the stage when the previous year’s packages run out. The previous year’s packaging is usually enough for the spring.

During the corona period The birth rate in Finland has risen so that the distribution of maternity packages in 2022 will start at the beginning of the year.

According to Statistics Finland’s preliminary data, by the end of October, almost 42,000 babies had been born in Finland. For example, just over 39,000 babies were born at the same time last year, and just over 46,000 babies were born throughout the year.

“In Finland The corona period raised the birth rate to exceptional growth, although the other Nordic countries did otherwise. There is a lot of pressure from parenting, and Finnish parents are also often exhausted compared to other European countries. Kela’s maternity kit is one way to help families get started and focus on unique baby time, ”says Kela’s Benefits Manager Johanna Aholainen In Kela’s press release.

“The package is very popular, with about two-thirds of families still choosing it instead of a financial grant.”

Coil says in its press release that it has paid a lot of attention to responsibility in the new maternity package.

Responsibility issues related to maternity packaging have been discussed in particular in the 2019 report published by the NGO Finnwatch. statement after. At the time, Finnwatch stated that most of the maternity packaging products are ordered in countries with cheap labor, and the backgrounds of many products are associated with serious problems in working life.

In recent years, Kela has modified the competition criteria for maternity packaging so that responsibility issues can also be better taken into account. Kela says that it has chosen the products of the 2022 maternity package by looking at their materials, quality and responsibility.

“Most of the products made from cotton are organic cotton. A few products use partially recycled material. Of course, all products must meet the safety requirements of Finnish and EU legislation, ”says Aholainen.

Next this year’s packaging contains 43 products, seven products less than this year’s packaging.

According to Kela, we try to choose products that are versatile, durable and easily recyclable. Thanks to the long elastic and body extensions on the legs of the trousers, the clothes are suitable for the baby for longer, for example.

New the patterns of the sleeping bag and outer cover of the package are the winners of the public vote organized by Kela. The white sleeping bag has ring patterns and the pattern of the dark blue coverall is Moomin-themed.

There is more gauze in the new maternity package, and there is also a blanket in the package.

“Kela is constantly developing its content to be more responsible, and the public will continue to be involved in product design choices. However, the basic function of packaging is public health. It is intended to secure the baby’s basic needs and help the baby’s family get started, ”says Aholainen.