From this week ‘baby bundles’- a gift of essential supplies – will begin to be delivered to expectant families in Flying Start areas of Wales.
Mum-to-be Mollie Young from Newport will be the first to receive a bundle which will be hand-delivered on Monday by Dawn Bowden, the Minister for Children and Social Care.
The baby bundles, funded by the Welsh Government, contain essential items to support new parents and their babies. This includes: 0-6 months clothing, blankets, bibs, muslin cloths, a thermometer, a bilingual book and a playmat. The boxes also include useful information and advice about parenting and support programmes.
Mollie said……
“I was surprised when my midwife told me I could get a parcel of baby clothes and other items before the baby arrives. It’s a fantastic idea and a real practical help.”
Dawn Bowden, Minister for Children and Social Care added…..
“Baby bundles are a tangible and meaningful support for families at an important – but often expensive – time in their lives.
The contents have been chosen based on what parents told us in the initial pilot about which items would make the biggest difference to them. So, I’m sure Mollie, and the thousands of other parents who will receive baby bundles, will be delighted with them.
I’m immensely proud that the work that has gone into producing, packing and fulfilling the bundles also supports jobs and businesses here in Wales.”
Eligible families register for a bundle through their midwife and the bundles are delivered between 32 and 34 weeks of pregnancy. Midwives can also register a limited number of families, who live outside Flying Start areas, but are particularly in need of support.
In addition to supporting families in Flying Start communities, the programme is helping create and sustain jobs and apprenticeships by using Welsh-based suppliers and social enterprises to produce and assemble the boxes and their contents.
Bibs, hats, hooded towels and reuseable breast pads for the bundles are produced by Elite Clothing, a social enterprise based in Ebbw Vale, while the packages are assembled by the Merthyr Tydfil Institute for the Blind. Customer support is handled by Case-UK, also based in Merthyr, who have been able to create 5 new jobs (including 2 apprenticeship opportunities) thanks to the scheme.
Petra Kennedy, Deputy CEO, Merthyr Tydfil Institute for the Blind (MTIB) told us….
“We’re delighted to be working with local charities and supplier partners to deliver the Welsh Baby Bundle programme to eligible parents, creating sustainable job opportunities and supporting the local economy in Wales.”
Find out more about Baby Bundles HERE.
Contents of the bundle
Your first Baby Bundle will include the following items:
0 to 3 months
- cotton hat
- 2 jersey trousers
- 2 pairs of socks
- 2 long sleeved body suits
- 2 short sleeved body suits
- long sleeved sleep suit
3 to 6 months
- all in one day suit
- 2 jersey trousers
- 2 pairs of socks
- 2 short sleeved body suits
- long sleeved sleep suit
Additional items
- maternity pads
- reusable nursing pads
- 2 cellular blankets
- hooded bath towel
- teether
- 2 bibs
- 3 muslin cloths
- book*
- thermometer*
- bath and room thermometer*
- play mat*
*these items will not be included in the smaller bundles.
If you are having a multiple birth or twins, triplets, then you will receive 1 full Baby Bundle and smaller Baby Bundles for the other baby or babies you are expecting.
If you are having another baby within 3 years of receiving your first Baby Bundle, you will receive a smaller Baby Bundle.
