A Muscovite’s starter kit: Over 40,000 newborns get layettes from the city

The Moscow Department of Healthcare has distributed over 40,000 starter kits for newborn babies at maternity clinics so far, Sergei Sobyanin posted on his Twitter page.

The Vinogradov Hospital’s maternity clinic set a record for handing out the most packages (nearly 2,700 boxes), followed by the maternity clinic at Bauman Hospital No. 29 (2,600 boxes) and the Family Planning and Reproduction Centre (2,500 boxes).

“Parents of newborn Muscovites receive maternity packages upon leaving the birthing centre. In all, over 40,000 boxes have been handed out this year. This help from the Moscow Government will allow parents to give their newborns more time and attention. The layette comprises different essentials the baby will need over the first few months, including care products, clothing and bathing and feeding supplies – 44 items overall,” noted Moscow Government Minister and Head of the Moscow Department of Healthcare Alexei Khripun.

The preparation and distribution of gift packages for newborns among maternity clinics is the responsibility of the Moscow Department of Labour and Social Protection.

On Sergei Sobyanin’s initiative, since 2018 the baby starter kits have been given out to all Muscovites whose children were born at any of the city’s maternity clinics. The package includes the most vital items – a mattress, a blanket, baby linens, coveralls, a bathing towel with a washing mitt, nappies, footed trousers, an infant bodysuit, hats with and without strings, booties, a dummy, scissors, a teether, feeding and hygiene supplies, an electronic thermometer and many more.