Kela says it dispatched the first 2025 maternity packages this week.
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Image: Terhi Liimu / Yle
Finland’s benefits agency Kela on Wednesday said it had sent out the first 2025 editions of the maternity package.
Until now, new parents have been receiving the 2024 package, as fewer babies were born than expected.
According to Kela, the switch to the new package varies each year, depending on how long supplies of the previous year’s edition last.
The agency is considering dropping the year designation from the package altogether in order to avoid disappointment. Earlier this month, Kela said it was considering removing the year label from the maternity package while continuing annual updates, aiming to encourage families to accept whichever version is available.
This year’s maternity package includes 38 items. While the contents remain broadly consistent from year to year, the colours of the textiles and the number of products may vary.
Recipients of the maternity grant can choose between a package or a tax-free cash benefit of 170 euros. Around two-thirds opt for the package.
The birth rate in Finland dropped for the third consecutive year in 2024, reaching the lowest level in the country’s recorded history, according to Statistics Finland.
The Finnish maternity package has a long tradition, with baby boxes first introduced in 1938.
Contents of Kela’s 2025 baby box.