What's In a Kela Maternity Box?

Finland is the only country in the world (as far as I know) that has something called a "Maternity Box".
A Maternity Box is free to a parent who is having a baby (or adopting) in Finland and is a permanent resident or citizen of Finland.  To qualify for this, you have to provide a document from your Neuvola nurse confirming that yes, you are expecting (not sure how it works with adoption) and fill out the proper paperwork.  When you fill out this form, you have the choice of the Maternity Box or 140� (which I believe is tax-free).
I did not qualify for this when I came to Finland at 26 weeks pregnant with my first born, because you have to have spent a certain amount of days of your pregnancy in Finland and have visited your Neuvola for so many appointments (I believe as early as your 4 month prenatal appointment).

If you're having a multiples pregnancy (i.e. twins, triplets etc.)  you can have more than 1 box.  Or choose how many boxes or how many monetary compensation you'd like.
The box is worth more than 140� and because it's free  - if you can sell any of these items when you are done- you're guaranteed profit.  I see lots of these items at the second hand store all the time!

It was all super great quality - bear in mind, Finns pay a lot in taxes to get their benefits and/or this box!
Most parents I've spoken to get the Maternity Box for their first born and then the money for the 2nd child, and re-use their Mat. Box items for the second child.  You don't have to buy as much and they do try and keep it gender neutral.
This year their aim was more organic cotton...:)  I believe you can buy a box through Kela's site- especially handy if you do not qualify for one!

(Sizes are in cm - about 51cm is newborn/premie and 74cm is about 6 months)
Clothes
8 onesies 50-70cm
5 romper suits 50-60cm
4 leggings (pants) 50-70cm
3 stretch suits 50-70cm
1 wool-mix suit 70cm
1 light quilted suit (like for fall) 70 cm
1 play suit 70cm
4 hats (one winter, one balaclava thing and 2 hat-hats)
1 pair of socks
1 pair of mittens/scratch mittens
5 cloth diapers (the gauze sheets you can fold like freaking origami) - but are also commonly used as burping cloths or receiving blankets - as they DON'T SELL THOSE HERE!
2 sets of reusable nappies (one pocket diaper with liner and the other is "all in one")
1 hooded towel
1 undersheet
1 duvet cover
1 blanket
1 sleeping bag/quilt
1 snow suit (it's so thick and soft!) 68-74cm
1 pair of insulated bootees and mittens to match snow suit

"Other products"
bib
mattress (aka a piece of thick foam lines the bottom of the inside of the box - which can act as a make-shift crib until you choose to purchase one)
mattress cover
toy (I didn't see one - however I did see a chewing teething ring - perhaps that is what they mean?)
tooth brush
Hair brush (wooden handle!)
nail scissors
bath thermometer
body lotion
condoms (6 pack...ha)
nursing pads
flannel wash cloth (they're big on hosing the kid down in the shower/sink instead of using wipes)
hard covered book of Finnish songs/rhymes

Here's some photos - unfortunately I can't put them all on here...but you can find every item on the Kela website every year!  Every year it's updated with the exact things that will be in your Maternity Box!

It is very large and has a blue carry string on the outside...not overly heavy - but just awkward to carry.

It's packed!

Fall suit

Teething toy

Thick foam lines the bottom so you can use this as a make-shift crib!

Cloth diapers, changing sheet, bib, and all-in-one diaper..oh and socks.

Flannel cloth, hooded towel, bed sheet and gauze-like material for inside the diaper.  Some parents use those tied up cloths (far left) for burping cloths as opposed to using them as diapers (then you would put wool or fleece pants on the outside or a plastic cover).

Winter suit with insulated boots and mittens!

The non-clothing items

Re-usable nursing pads, bath thermometer, tooth brush, 6-pack condoms, cream, children's book, nail scissors and some information...and the hair brush!

The list (which I had typed up above)

Day 2.5 in Estonia (a pretty funny post)

This morning, I swear - we were going to go to the Open Air Museum...I really mean it! Oh and the Tallinn Zoo!
So guess what stopped us?  My camera.  I took so many photos yesterday and forgot to charge the battery last night...and no it's not a digital camera that takes double A batteries...it has a rechargeable lithium...so it can't be used without this battery! Argh!
Well, we went to various churches and explored and it was nice.  Many churches request you do not take photos - fair enough.

We also enjoyed some elk soup at the Town Hall in the Town Square of Tallinn which was very tasty (as the sign suggests it is "Full of taste") and only 1� for a bowl of soup.  They sold buns for a Euro as well and drinks were 2� - but I didn't know what they sold for beverages and thought the soup would be satisfying enough.
They have outdoor benches and long dark wooden tables to sit at in shade from the sun.  At the very top of the Town Hall (look wayyyyyyyyyyyy up) you can see "Old Thomas" who is the mascot of Tallinn.  I got a couple magnets of him - so I'll take photos of that and perhaps create a Picasa Album online and link it here on the blog...much easier than individual photos!
When I paid for the soup - the lady asked if I needed anything else and I said no.  I remembered when sitting down that oh, I forgot spoons.
I sent the darling husband in to get spoons and she asked him, "What will you do for me, for your spoons?"
My husband was kind of stunned at first (I'm sure but he wouldn't admit it) and said, "Well, what do you want me to do for you, for my spoons?"
She requested that he brings the dishes in after he was done eating his soup.  It was  an old fashioned way of doing an exchange...we thought it was pretty neat but yes I thought it was quite dirty from an outsider's point of view!

As we went walking around, my son overloaded his diaper and ended up peeing his pants (thankfully he was walking around and not on my husband's back in the kid carrier!)...so while the husband ran home, I snuck into a hostel entrance, changed his diaper, then V�in� fell off the little rocky pillar he was standing on- landed on his back and I'm pretty sure the tour group that was JUST outside the hostel entrance have labelled me as "Bad - no wait WORST Mother of the Year"....great.  (He's fine by the way - no bruises either shockingly).
Note to self - bring extra pants...socks...more diapers...

Well after all that trauma....we found a bakery.  And not just any bakery but a REALLY cheap but delicious one!  For 70 Euro cents, we got a fresh, warm loaf of bread....it had a crisp but not crunchy crust...and it was a little sweet on the inside...yum.  We ate the whole thing while walking about today....oh and we got 2 pretzels as well...oh they were good...THEY WERE ONLY 45 EURO CENTS EACH!!!  We'll be back I'm sure.

We hiked a ridiculously long way to Kadriork Park (hope I spelled that right - don't have my glasses on and I can't find the tour guide book)...it's the summer home of a Russian Czar from a long time ago.  Unfortunately it was closed (opened Wednesday to Sunday) - but we had fun walking the grounds and taking some photos (while my camera still could).  There was a huge playground across the way - so that was lovely to let V�in� run and enjoy himself.
But as fun goes for a toddler - he was interested in eating sand (dip the shovel in the sand and lick it...licking it of course encouraged the sand to stick!) and not giving the shovel back....so we left after a quick 10 seconds diaper change!

On our way back to the flat - we stopped at McDonald's because they don't charge for using the bathroom, they are relatively clean and we decided on getting some Rotten Ronnies to get us enough energy to drag ourselves back home.  Yesterday I was there to take V�in� in for a quick diaper change and it was PACKED.
Why was it packed? Because it's �ber cheap!  Any kind of everyday McDonald's meal (we got a Big Mac and 6-piece nuggets) was only 3,20�!!! And if you wanted to upsize it - it was �3,80! (In Finland, it's 5,80� for a Big Mac Meal and the meals are a variety of prices)...I opted for a Happy Meal too, because neither my husband or I felt like sharing our fries - we were so exhausted from hiking around Tallin....(I know - bad mother rule #2...salt is a no-no - we gave him lots of fluids to flush it out after!) and it was 2,80� for a Happy Meal (it didn't cost extra to get a juice box! - I think it does in Canada) and if you wanted to make the meal bigger (i.e. granola bar or yoghurt container) - then it was 3,30�....my son was also highly entertained by his toy...a yellow bird from the movie "Rio".

I managed to get some souveniors today - just post cards and some magnets of Tallinn - I may have to go back because despite the guy's shop lacking any heat or air-conditioning (he doesn't even have a door - it's a shop in a wall really) and he only accepts cash....his stuff is cheap!  Post cards are 35 Euro cents each (some shops were selling them for 70 E.Cents-1�...) and he had some nice magnets for 2�...the hilarious thing about his little shop...he also sold magnets with images of Michael Jackson, Oprah Winfrey and Barrack Obama them.  No idea why - as I'm pretttttty sure that neither of the above mentioned people (along with other "famous faces" I didn't know of) have been to Estonia.  Anyway!  I seriously considered buying a couple of those- just to give as prank gifts and saying "Oh I got these in Estonia..." I'm sure they say "Made in China" on the back - or something like that in Estonian.

I still didn't get any almonds today - but that's my goal for tomorrow, along with going to the zoo and Open Air museum - because we leave the day after for Paris.