‘If America offered these they would probably charge us $5,000’: Woman posts the free stuff Scotland gives expecting mothers. Then Americans pop off

A Scottish baby box video on TikTok is stirring feelings of jealousy in Americans after a mom showed off all the supplies she got for free. According to the pregnant TikToker, the Scottish government sends future parents who apply a comprehensive kit of baby items including a built-in crib at no charge.

U.S. residents are contrasting this service to everything their government does to help new parents, which is practically nothing compared to nations like Scotland, Australia, and Finland.

What's in a Scottish baby box?

According to TikTok user Maisie Elliot, every resident of Scotland can apply to receive a baby box if they're expecting. All they have to do is fill out some paperwork, including the signature of their midwife, and the Scottish government will deliver the gift as soon as four weeks before the due date.

@maisiebellex9 SCOTTISH BABY BOX ???????????????????????????????????? #pregnancy #babylove #babytiktok #mumsoftiktok #pregnant #breechbaby ♬ original sound - MAISIE ELLIOTT | UGC ????

The baby box contains blankets and towels, bath and medical thermometers, breast and maternity pads, a baby sling, clothing ranging in sizes from newborn to six months, changing and play mats, baby books, a teething ring, bibs, and some condoms in case you want fewer babies.

To top it all off, the Scottish baby box itself doubles as a crib, containing a little mattress, a mattress protector, and two sheets.

The American baby box

As always happens when people in other countries talk about their government benefits, U.S. residents poured into Elliot's comments to express jealousy and make dark jokes about how our nation gifts us thousands of dollars in medical bills for every baby. Some comments managed to be even grimmer.

"In America our baby box’s [sic] are for your unwanted or you can’t afford newborn," said one TikTok user. "Triggers an alarm to let the workers inside know a baby has been placed."

One TikToker took the jokes one step further, making an American baby box video and lifting an invisible package onto her lap to unpack things like a lack of universal healthcare, zero government-funded childcare, high maternal mortality rates, and no mandated parental leave.

@ileana.justine I love how much the U.S. government supports new parents ???? Original post from @MAISIE ELLIOTT | UGC ???? #scottishbabybox #babybox #freebabybox #americanmom #satire ♬ original sound - Ileana

"First thing things first, we have a lack of universal healthcare," says user @ileana.justine, holding up nothing. "This is super important in the U.S. because they wanna make you pay for every single aspect of your labor and delivery. Oh, and your pregnancy, and your postpartum recovery."

Who else does a baby box?

One of the most famous versions of the baby box is the Finnish maternity package. They started giving these out to low-income expecting parents in 1938 and expanded the program to all parents-to-be in 1949. Their box contains many of the same items that Elliot found in hers, including the mattress, or recipients can opt for 170 euros to buy their own supplies.

Similar programs have been started in parts of Argentina, Australia, Canada, Ireland, and Sweden. Even three U.S. states—Ohio, New Jersey, and Alabama—offer baby boxes if parents complete an online education course on safe sleep.

Infant mortality rates: America vs. Scotland

Scotland and other nations designed their baby boxes to help low-income families take care of their infants, hopefully leading to better health outcomes for the child. Those who offer these benefits often extend them to everyone to combat stigma and shame that might prevent those who need help from asking for it.

Studies done over the decades have repeatedly concluded that poverty is associated with higher infant mortality rates. Government programs and benefits like universal healthcare can and do alleviate this problem, allowing pregnant people to see doctors without fear of the bill. It's therefore no surprise to find that the U.S. has disturbingly elevated rates of infant death.

According to the World Population Review, the U.S. infant mortality rate in 2021 was 5.36 per every 1,000 births. This ranks us at 57th out of 195 countries. The U.K., which includes Scotland, had a 2021 rate of 3.65 per 1,000.

A BBC report found that Scotland specifically had 3.9 infant deaths per 1,000 births in 2021, which represented a high point for the decade. The outlet framed this as an appalling jump from 2020 when the mortality rate was just 3.1.

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