I recently posted a photo of the baby box bassinet that I picked up from a local distribution centre. Since that photo triggered numerous questions about what it was and how to get one, I decided I should write a post!

{What Is A Baby Box Bassinet?}

SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is probably the most feared acronym for any new parent. In Finland, the child mortality rate is the lowest in the world with credit going to their 75 year baby box tradition for expectant parents. The baby box bassinet itself provides a safe sleeping environment for babies and The Baby Box Company has rolled it out in Canada, starting with Ontario.

Where is it available and how do I get one?

The baby box bassinet became available in August for Ontario parents who are expecting or who have had a baby between August 1, 2016 and August 1, 2017. You can receive your FREE baby box bassinet and its contents in 3 easy steps:

1. Register at Baby Box University
2. Get your completion certificate by logging into Baby Box University, watching the informative videos and taking a short quiz.
3. Pick up your Baby Box at one of the distribution centres. New centres are being added all the time.

It should be noted that when I signed up the certificate of completion wasn’t emailed to me. I printed it out and I took a screen shot of the certificate. I would recommend calling ahead to the distribution centre closest to you to make sure they have the baby boxes on site. I was able to email my certificate to my centre; yours may require you to show the printed copy.

Is the baby box bassinet safe?

When I first heard about the baby box I was skeptical about the baby actually being able to sleep in the box! As I did my research, I found out that both the box and the mattress are certified and meet a number of relevant standards and numerous safety inspections. Safe sleep practices still need to be followed though! Best safe sleep practices include:

• Placing baby on their back to sleep
• Using a fitted sheet for the mattress
• Keeping the sleeping environment void of any loose items such as blankets or toys

What’s Included?

The baby box bassinet comes full of samples and information to help a new parent get started. A few of the items included are:

• Newborn diapers
• Wipes
• Newborn body suit
• Teether
• Reusable nursing pads
• Information about safe sleeping practices

If you live in Ontario and have just given birth, or are expecting, I would definitely recommend taking the 3 easy steps to get yours. I recently read that the program it will be launching in Alberta soon!

One thing to note; there is also an organization called Baby Box Canada which is NOT the same as The Baby Box Company. Early on in my pregnancy I registered for the baby box Canada (as did many of my friends) with the promise of being contacted. As far as I know I don’t know of anyone that has heard back from them!

The process of signing up, doing the quiz and picking up my baby box bassinet and all of its contents was very easy.

I’m VERY glad I did so in the first week it was available as my son decided to surprise us and arrive 5 weeks early! Since we were still unprepared (I still don’t have a crib or bassinet purchased!) this was the perfect solution for him.

He sleeps in his baby box bassinet exclusively and when he outgrows it and moves to a crib we can use it for storage.

The Baby Box Company also sells their baby boxes online and they can be filled with a variety of items; I think a baby box bassinet filled with necessities for a new parent would make the perfect gift!

Have you heard about The Baby Box Company and the baby box bassinet? I’d love to know if you picked yours up too!