Last August, as the late summer breeze lingered in Finland, we had just marked our first full year living in this new country—when we received a piece of joyful news: our family was expecting a second child.
It was our first time experiencing Finland’s healthcare and social welfare system firsthand. After the pregnancy was confirmed, we smoothly completed the maternity check-up registration and officially stepped into the gentle framework this country has built to welcome new life. Among all the benefits, the most anticipated one was undoubtedly the legendary maternity package.
Around the sixth month of pregnancy, we received a notification. Following the instructions, I went to a nearby supermarket and picked up a giant cardboard box. It wasn’t a delivery, nor a surprise box from Taobao, but Finland’s official welcome gift for every newborn: the Äitiyspakkaus (Maternity Package).
🖼️ Turning into a Delivery Guy
You can think of it as a “baby starter mystery box” from the state — but it's far more thoughtful than you'd expect.
The box itself looks plain from the outside, but open it up and you'll find it packed with care: baby onesies, blankets, a thermometer, nail clippers, maternity pads, even condoms — and a multilingual booklet that begins with a simple message:
"Welcome to the world."
You might think it’s some kind of limited-edition gift set from a Nordic design brand.
But no — this is Finland’s official welcome gift for every newborn.
The maternity package dates back to 1938, originally created to address the country’s high infant mortality rate. In 1949, it became part of Finland’s universal welfare system — a “national welcome ritual” for every child born here.
To this day, nearly all expectant parents still choose the box (there’s a 170-euro cash option, but over 95% choose the package).
Not just because it’s practical,
but because it carries the warmth of a system that says:
You are welcomed.
You are cared for.
And it’s only right.
Back home, our whole family gathered around the box and couldn’t wait to open it —
honestly, it felt like unboxing a brand-new iPhone.
Except this time, we were opening a “baby starter kit” — straight from the government.
📦 The outer box comes in a deep blue forest-themed design,
featuring a few chubby, adorable squirrels.
It really does look like something from a limited-edition Nordic brand collaboration.
📘 The Front Booklet
Inside the box is a small booklet printed with two cartoon bunnies,
set against Finland’s signature dark blue color palette.
In the center of the cover, the words “Maternity Package” are printed in six languages —
including English, Swedish, Finnish, and Sámi —
as if saying to every newborn, in multiple voices:
“Welcome to the world.”
📋 The box contains over 50 items, including:
Every single item is a practical necessity — not symbolic filler —
and the quality is genuinely great.
To be honest, this entire box is far more useful and thoughtful
than many paid “newborn starter sets” I’ve seen elsewhere.
There’s one more detail I really loved:
📦 The box itself isn’t just for packaging.
There’s a foam mattress built into the bottom —
specifically designed so the box can serve as your baby’s first bed at home.
For a newborn, it’s safe, simple, and surprisingly practical.
Back in China, preparing for the arrival of a baby often means
writing checklists, doing research, going to hospitals, and hauling supplies.
Just the hospital bag alone can take up half a suitcase.
But in Finland, our experience followed a completely different — and minimal — path:
👉 Other than attending the regular checkups,
the only real thing we had to “do” was pick up the maternity package from the supermarket.
This one box basically covered everything our baby would need
for the first few months after birth.
And on the day of delivery, we walked into the hospital with just three things:
Yes, you read that right:
❌ No hospital bag
❌ No change of clothes
❌ No formula
We brought nothing else.
The hospital provides everything — you just take what you need.
No stress.
No over-preparation.
No extra spending.
Everything had already been taken care of.
This isn’t to say one system is better than another.
But:
This system truly lightens the load for families —
not just financially, but emotionally —
so you can focus on what really matters:
welcoming new life.
🍼 A simple cardboard box, filled with the warmth of public care,
also carried our sense of peace about this new beginning.
In Finland, you naturally feel:
New life is never alone.
