第1430期:Would you let your baby sleep in a box?

Having a newborn can be daunting. What do you need to buy? 

生一个新生儿可能会令人生畏。你需要买什么？

How will you get the baby to sleep? And how will you pay for everything?

怎么哄宝宝睡觉？你将如何支付所有费用？

Could the answers to these worries lie in a ‘baby box’?

这些担忧的答案是否存在于“婴儿箱”中？

The baby box has taken the world by storm, but what is it?

 婴儿箱风靡全球，但它是什么？

Well, it originated in Finland in the 1930s as a kind of maternity kit for expectant parents. 

嗯，它起源于 1930 年代的芬兰，是一种为准父母准备的孕妇用品。

The box, provided by the government, contains supplies, such as bibs, nappies, and teething toys. 

这个盒子由政府提供，里面装着围兜、尿布和出牙玩具等用品。

It also comes with a small mattress, which is placed in the bottom of the box to create the baby’s first cot. 

它还配有一个小床垫，放置在盒子的底部，以创建婴儿的第一张婴儿床。

Now, the idea of putting a child to sleep in a box may shock some.

现在，让孩子睡在盒子里的想法可能会让一些人感到震惊。

  But, experts say this could reduce the risks that come with babies sleeping in the same bed as their parents.

但是，专家表示，这可以降低婴儿与父母睡在同一张床上的风险。 

The box has been a huge success and is said to be one of the main reasons why the rate of infant mortality in Finland is so low.

这个盒子取得了巨大的成功，据说这是芬兰婴儿死亡率如此低的主要原因之一。

A few years ago, stories of the Finnish baby box went viral.

几年前，芬兰婴儿箱的故事在网上疯传。 

Other countries around the world have since caught onto the idea and adapted it to suit local needs. 

此后，世界其他国家也开始接受这一想法并对其进行调整以适应当地需求。

For example, in South Africa, the box is made of plastic and can be used as a bath rather than a bed. 

例如，在南非，盒子由塑料制成，可以用作浴缸而不是床。

The main objective, however, is to encourage mothers to attend antenatal classes during their pregnancy. 

然而，主要目标是鼓励母亲在怀孕期间参加产前课程。 

The version trialled in India includes other appropriate supplies, such as a mosquito net to protect babies from malaria.

在印度试用的版本包括其他适当的用品，例如用于保护婴儿免受疟疾侵害的蚊帐。

In Canada, additions to the baby box include a “crib-side assistance booklet” to help fathers bond with their baby.

在加拿大，婴儿箱的附加物包括一本“婴儿床辅助手册”，以帮助父亲与婴儿建立联系。 

Written in the style of a car-repair manual, the booklet offers first-time dads helpful advice on matters such as how to burp their child.

这本小册子以汽车维修手册的形式写成，就如何给孩子打嗝等问题提供了第一次做爸爸的有用建议。

Of course, the baby box can only do so much. 

当然，婴儿箱只能做这么多。

Many believe governments should focus on providing parents with adequate maternity and paternity leave and improving health care and education. 

许多人认为，政府应该专注于为父母提供充足的产假和陪产假，并改善医疗保健和教育。

Good things come in small packages though, and for such a simple idea the baby box really does tick a lot of boxes! 

不过好东西都是小包装的，对于这么简单的想法，婴儿盒确实可以打很多盒子！

词汇表

newborn 新生儿
maternity 母性的，产妇的
expectant parents 准父母
a bib 围嘴儿
a nappy 尿布
teething 出牙
a cot 小床
infant mortality 婴儿死亡率
antenatal classes 产前培训班
pregnancy 怀孕
a crib 婴儿床
bond (verb) 培养（感情）
to burp 打嗝
paternity leave 父亲产假