The kraampakket and Stichting Baby Hope

 One of the most shocking things for me, as a Mexican, was to find out how, culturally, giving birth at home is the norm in The Netherlands. The whole midwifery system in Holland is based on a low-intervention, conservative approach to birth, when possible. But, when an emergency situation arises, the system does not hesitate to provide the best care that modern science can provide nowadays, as we attested personally. I was a bit afraid of all of this, as I find comfort in being surrounded by nurses, doctors and machines. But, it all went well. And yes, if it is not your wish, no one forces you to give birth at home, you can still choose to give birth at a hospital, where most labor wards are led by midwives, but gynaecologists, neonatologists and other specialists are always very close.

 Well, when you find yourself pregnant in The Netherlands, your insurance company will send you a "kraampakket", a box filled with goodies in preparation for the baby's arrival. I was very curious of the contents of this box. As it turns out, it comes with everything you need for a birth at home: a plastic mattress protector, sterile gloves, alcohol, gauze, a clamp for the umbilical cord, a teddy bear seal, pads for the glamorous post-partum period, mesh panties, puppy-pads... It was quite the surprise, how deeply ingrained home-births are. I just can' get my head around that fact, but that is just because modern medicine makes me feel safe.

An important piece of information is that if you give birth at a hospital in The Netherlands, you can choose to donate your 'kraampakket' to Baby Hope, a foundation that collects and delivers medical material for birth in sanitary conditions in different countries. Childbirth is still a matter of life and death in countries where access to universal health care and hygienic conditions are not a given, and so, this organization collects unused material to send it to their projects supporting mothers and their children in countries like Gambia, Guatemala, Senegal, Birma, India, Albania, Ukrania or Tanzania.


 On a related note, did you know that Finland's government also has the tradition of gifting pregnant women with a box?

Except the Finnish's box is full of pretty much everything your baby will need on those immediate first months:  things like a mattress, mattress cover, undersheet, duvet cover, blanket, sleeping bag/quilt, a snowsuit, hat, insulated mittens and booties, light hooded suit and knitted overalls, socks and mittens,a knitted hat, bodysuits, leggings, a hooded bath towel, nail scissors, hairbrush, toothbrush, bath thermometer, nappy cream, wash clothes, cloth diaper set and muslin squares, a picture book and teething toy, bra pads and condoms.

Moreover, the box itself is often used as a crib for the baby too? Amazing! I wouldn't mind a box like that one!

Last two images via this BBC article.