Baby Boxes were developed as a way to combat the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) by providing a safe sleeping space for infants.
On a recent afternoon, a group of students from St. John Paul High School in Hyannis came to volunteer, assembling Baby Boxes for the second day in a row. The first afternoon a group of seven students assembled 23 boxes in an hour and a half, and the second day, with eight students, they were hoping to top that.
Robin Hayward, director of the nonprofit A Baby Center, said the boxes are modeled after those used in Finland, which has had the lowest rate of SIDS for decades. “It provides the perfect sleep space for an infant,” she said. “It’s extremely safe.”
The sturdy box, done in a pastel print, is fitted with a breathable mattress that tucks in with no gaps that can cause smothering.