Trust trials Finnish- style baby boxes

Parents at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, will be the first in the country to receive Baby Boxes for their newborn to sleep in as part of the first UK trial.

The Baby Box tradition, which originates from Finland, has been credited with reducing infant mortality rate in the country from 65 infant deaths per 1,000 births in 1938 to 2.26 per 1,000 births in 2015. The UK ranks 22nd out of the 50 European countries with 4.19 deaths per 1,000 births.

Made from a very thick cardboard, it is thought the small size of the Baby Box compared to a moses basket or cot prevents infants from rolling onto their tummies, which may contribute to sudden infant death syndrome. The trust will distribute 800 Baby Boxes, which come with a firm foam mattress, waterproof mattress cover, cotton sheet and education materials. Babies who use the boxes will be monitored until they are eight months old and their parents asked to fill in a questionnaire.