New maternity package features a fresh design and comes with a selection of new items
This year's version of the maternity package has a new design. While the product selection is largely the same as in previous years, there are some items that are all new. The fabric colours and patterns are new as well.
Distribution of the new maternity package will begin later this spring once existing stocks have run out. There are 54 items in the box. The exact date of the switchover depends on the number of applications received for the maternity grant.
The box has a new look
The maternity box can also be used as a bed for the baby. This year’s box is designed by Reeta Ek, a student at Aalto University's School of Arts, Design and Architecture. Titled Jonossa mars (Forward, march!), the design features a cute duck family making its way through summer and winter landscapes.
The baby clothes selected for the maternity package come in neutral shades of green and turquoise as well as in grey and white. The fun animal-themed patterns feature such creatures of the forest as owls and hares. Some of the more exotic animals include cute giraffes, crocodiles, monkeys and elephants.
Customer preferences are taken into account
Every year, customers give a lot of feedback on the maternity package. In rethinking the contents of the package, the emphasis is on promoting the health and well-being of the mother and the child.
Based on the feedback, the package now includes a thermometer, nipple cream, a versatile drool bib, additional convenient wrap bodysuits, and a bigger mattress protector.
The maternity package has been offered to Finnish families for more than 75 years. At first, it was made available to indigent families only but soon became a gift of the government to all families.
Parents have the choice between the maternity package and a tax-free cash benefit of 140 euros. Nearly all first-time parents choose the maternity package.
For media inquiries, contact:
Kela’s Pension and Income Security Department,
Suvi Onninen, Benefits Manager, tel. +358 20 6343942, +358 40 5124281
firstname.surname@kela.fi
Images of the maternity package for media use
• Pictures of a baby wearing items included in the maternity package, https://www.flickr.com/photos/131345140@N02/
• Royalty free photos of the products included in the 2015 maternity package: www.kela.fi/maternitypackage
• Please mention the source of the image (Kela & Annika Söderblom/Nana Uitto).
Additional information for customers:
http://www.kela.fi/web/en/maternity-grant_history-of-the-maternity-grant