What you need to know if you live in NSW
This initiative started from 1 January 2019 with funding allocated as part of the Parents Package which included 9 other improvements to services aimed at supporting expectant mums, new parents and newborns. Read about the announcement here.
According to the government’s website, the Baby Bundle is a bag filled with baby products and a selection of information to support the health, development and well-being of babies born in NSW.
It is offered to every new parent and caregivers when they are discharged from the hospital (provided they live in NSW). If the birth isn’t hospital-based, it will be offered after registering the child with NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages.
Above: NSW Baby Bundle image from https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/kidsfamilies/MCFhealth/child/Pages/baby-bundle.aspx
Baby Bundle contents
The bag has a pocket to fit your baby's Blue Book.
Inside, you'll find useful things to help care for your baby and support their health and development:
- 0 – 6 months sleeping bag
- change mat
- muslin wrap
- two Australian books
- bath book
- first aid kit
- baby hat
- breast pads
- baby toothbrush
- Love Talk Sing Read Play flipbook
- milestone cards
- Raising Children's Passport to Parenting
- COPE and PANDA postcards (LINK)
- Free online CPR training
- healthdirect magnet.
Each bag has about $329 worth of items. All items meet Australian safety standards, so you can feel confident using them. Most items come from small and medium Australian-owned businesses, so it also supports local companies.
What's in the bundle might change from time to time.
More information on the Baby Bundle is available here on the NSW Health Website
What you need to know if you live in Victoria
The initiative started in July 2019 as part of the Labor Government’s $213.7 million plan to give new parents the information, support and care their family needs. The baby bundle was announced along with new parenting centres, more maternal and child health nurses and round-the-clock specialist sleep advice. You can read about the announcement here
According to the government’s announcement, the free Baby Bundles are for first-time parents to help guide them through the first few months and years of their child’s life as well as build safe sleeping practices and support their child’s learning and development through regular reading and playtime. The bundles are provided in hospitals at the time of birth or can be requested from the Maternal and Child Nurses if the baby was born interstate. For more information on eligibility go to the Vic health website here.
The bundle is contained in a nappy bag which contains a selection of baby products and a booklet developed in collaboration with the Raising Children Network providing vital information on child health, safety and learning and emergency contacts.
The four picture books contained in the bundle were selected by a panel of experts from a selection of 332 books nominated by the public.
With a total retail value of approximately $150, the contents contained in a nappy bag include:
- four picture books by Victorian authors
- a nappy bag to hold the products
- a growsuit
- a safe sleeping bag
- cotton wrap
- a teething toy
- a first-aid kit
- a baby sun hat
- a toothbrush
- emergency contacts and information on safe sleeping and wrapping
- parenting information from the Raising Children Network and Kidsafe.
The final word
Before you go out shopping, make sure you tick these items off your list first to save some time and money. You can go ahead and let everyone know what you don’t need thanks to the free baby bundles you will be expecting when bub arrives.
Also, it’s a good idea to go and have a look around the raisingchildren.net.au, the Better Health Channel and the Maternal and Child Health app for free, reliable, up to date and independent information.
Please note: Above all, any information on this website aims to provide general ideas for informational and educational purposes only. We encourage users to investigate several information sources, including, where necessary, independent individualised medical advice before making any decisions that could affect you or your child’s health or wellbeing.
* BabyPeg participates in various affiliate programs and may earn a commission for referring our users through the links provided. This is at no additional cost to our users. We take great care in choosing products and services which align with the mission of promoting better health and wellness for our BabyPeg community. Where possible, products are tried and tested by us. To continue to provide BabyPeg as a free service and reach as many parents as possible, we appreciate your support in using the link provided to purchase if you decide the product is right for you.
