Montrose, COLO.— In an effort to encourage safe sleep practices for newborns and infants, Montrose County Public Health Department has partnered with The Baby Box Co. and is now a distributor of The Baby Box.
The Baby Box is a FREE safe sleep alternative for families who may not have the space or funds for a traditional bassinette, crib, or pack and play. The Baby Box comes complete with a washable mattress and fitted mattress cover, instructions on safe sleep practices, and free samples including soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, and information for parents about child development.
The Baby Box is portable and convenient to travel with, ensuring that infants always have a safe sleep space, even on the go. Once baby outgrows the box around five to six months, the box can be used for storage.
The Baby Box Co. was inspired by a Finnish tradition and offers an innovative program equipping parents with education and resources to give their babies a safe start in life. Baby Boxes can be used as a safe sleep space for a baby’s first five to six months of life.
But it’s not just about the Baby Box. One of the main goals of The Baby Box Co. is to educate parents on safe sleep practices in an effort to help reduce SIDS. They believe the educational component of their efforts is equally if not more important than providing physical resources to improve overall child health care outcomes. Educational resources are available on the Baby Box University website, with videos and tutorials about brain development activities, breastfeeding resources, early father engagement tips, and much more. The educational component empowers parents and equips them with important knowledge about how to best care for their infants.
In order to receive a free Baby Box from Montrose County, visit www.babyboxuniversity.com and create an account. Once an account has been created, participants watch several informational videos and take a simple quiz. When completed, participants receive a certificate of completion which can be presented at the Montrose County Public Health Department in exchange for a free Baby Box.
For additional information, please contact Terry Balet at 970- 252-5015 or Veronica Martinez-Erie at 970- 252-5056.
BECOMING A BABY BOX OWNER
To receive a free Baby Box from Montrose County, follow these steps:
1. Log onto Baby Box University Official Site
2. Once on the site click on “Join Baby Box University” and set up a free account
3. Once you have set up your account, click on “Find Your Course”
4. You will be directed to Colorado Best Start Program
5. Click on Begin Syllabus
6. Watch all the videos on the list. This should take about 20-30 minutes.
7. Once you have watched all the videos, you will need to take a short quiz. Click on TAKE THE QUIZ.
8. Once you pass the quiz, you can print out your certificate that shows you completed the videos and quiz. Click on VIEW CERTIFICATE; then PRINT CERTIFICATE. If you do not have a printer, you can always take a screen shot with your cell phone camera. Your certificate will need to be presented to Montrose County when you come to pick up your baby box.