‘Baby bundle’ pilot scheme to begin at two hospitals

Under a pilot scheme starting in Dublin and Waterford, hundreds of expectant parents will get a variety of items for their child.

The so-called “baby bundle” will include toys to promote early communication, baby bathing aids, and a variety of home care products to assist new parents following the delivery.

150 families from Waterford University Hospital and 300 families from the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin were asked to participate in the experiment.

The items will be delivered to the homes of participating parents at a time of their choosing.

Following their participation, parents will be invited to express their opinions and experiences with the newborn package and its components.

According to the government, this input will help build plans for a larger national roll-out of the programme.

Roderic O’Gorman, the minister for children, has stated that he expects this would give a “real sense.. of how well the scheme works.”

The government has observed “how well this scheme works in other jurisdictions,” he added.

Scotland already has a comparable programme in place.