COURTESY PHOTO
Thanks to Lynn-based Aspire Developmental Services, Erin Drakes has a way to keep the baby she is expecting in September sleeping safely.
BY PAUL HALLORAN
LYNN — When Kamal and Erin Drakes, who is due in September, bring their new baby home from the hospital they will be well versed in safe-sleep practices, with the baby sleeping in a Baby Box.
The Baby Box is similar to a bassinet, without legs. Made of cardboard, it measures 26¾ x 16¾ x 11½ inches and it is designed to include only a thin, firm mattress and sheet: no pillows, blankets or stuffed animals. Babies are to sleep only on their backs.
The Drakes received their Baby Box from Aspire Developmental Services, a Lynn social-service agency that primarily provides Early Intervention Services for children from birth to age 3.
Aspire provided services to more than 1,950 children in 10 local communities in 2016.
Aspire is providing the Baby Boxes to 60 families to start, targeting those who may not have the resources to purchase a traditional bassinet as well as those families unfamiliar with safe sleep practices.
The Baby Box is specifically designed as a safe sleep space with the goal of reducing the risk of SIDS — Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. The relatively small size of the boxes is by design, intended to ease the transition from the very tight space the baby is accustomed to in utero.
Aspire Early Support program director Ariel Wallen said the Baby Box idea originated in Finland, where the government provides the boxes to all expectant mothers. Entrepreneurs Michelle Vick and Jennifer Clary brought the idea to the U.S., starting The Baby Box Co. in 2016.
“It’s a safe space for a baby to sleep,” said Wallen, the case manager for the Drakes, who also have a 9-month-old daughter, Gretta. “The boxes meet all safety regulations.”
The Baby Box can be used for up to six months, depending on how fast the baby grows. Aspire is also providing diapers, wipes, towels and other supplies to the families receiving a Baby Box.
“I’m excited about it,” Erin Drakes said. “I didn’t have many guidelines with Gretta. As a first-time mom, I would have appreciated having this. I feel very confident with this child I will have all the safety information I need.”
There is an educational component to the Baby Boxes as expectant parents watch a video and receive a pamphlet detailing causes of SIDS and the importance of safe sleep practices.
Founded in 1951, Aspire serves children who are considered at risk for a variety of issues, including Down syndrome, autism, hearing and vision loss, speech and motor delays, mental health and socio-economic risk. Aspire has a multi-disciplinary team that includes Early Intervention specialists, occupational, physical and speech therapists, and social workers.
Aspire Early Support is a prenatal support program, run by Wallen, that includes home-based emotional support, community resource finding and breastfeeding consultation to pregnant women and their families.
Aspire is in the process of a $4.3 million renovation of the former O’Keefe School building on Franklin Street. The new headquarters will provide 15,000 square feet of space — triple what it has now on Johnson Street. The additional space will allow Aspire to double the play group opportunities for children receiving Early Intervention Services. Aspire will also increase its capacity for child care from 20 to 49 toddlers and preschool students.