A free baby box in Sweden is something most parents to be, are very familiar with. Shopping for your new baby is an exciting and a fun part of being pregnant. Imagine yourself go to a baby shop and see all those cute Scandinavian designs, how can you resist the temptation? Well…
Wait until you realize that there are only three price categories in Sweden:
- Expensive
- Even more expensive, and
- ”You got to be kidding me” expensive 😀
It goes without saying that as with any other things, baby stuff is not cheap in this country.
Fear not, thanks to its lagom way of life and its relation to the 3Rs: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle, there are ways to cut your shopping budget here.
Get your free baby box
Baby boxes are an old concept that was provided by the government in Finland since 1938 and were adopted by Sweden in 1937. The idea was to make sure that all babies born in these countries would have a similar start regardless of the family’s financial situation.
Nowadays the baby box in Sweden has a more commercial touch. Some shops and pharmacies in Sweden offer free (or nearly free) boxes for pregnant parents in return for them becoming members at the particular shop or pharmacy. Baby boxes are a good way to test different products to find which one is best for you and your baby.
What is in a Swedish baby box?
The content of the boxes are sometimes a secret and never guaranteed. But their contents usually is geared towards small babies and their mothers, so you can expect items such as diapers, a bottle, wipes, creams and oils and lady products you may need when you have recently given birth or are breast feeding.
How do I get a free baby box in Sweden?
It’s not very complicated at all. All you need to do is sign up for a membership and fill in your baby’s due-date. Then, you will receive unique codes in your email and use them to claim your boxes in the nearest store or pharmacy.
Here are the links for some baby boxes: Baby Box, Libero Startbox and Babypaket.
Buy second-hand or borrow
The very best source to get second-hand items are friends and family because you know the person who used them before. Ask friends and family if they have any baby stuff that is no longer in use. If no one around you can help you, shop pre-loved items on Facebook marketplace, Blocket, loppis or any other second-hand shops. This will save you quite a lot of money. Especially for the items that your baby will outgrow soon. If you’re lucky, you can even get unused items there.
Cheaper shopping online
Shopping online will also give you a cheaper price. Some online shops have really good deals and you can get an extra discount if you become a member. There are also some websites that you can use to compare one store from another such as PriceRunner and Prisjakt. However, be careful when shop things that you need to test first like stroller or car seat. Make sure you research on how to assemble the parts and read about the product guarantee terms and conditions. Some brands won’t cover any faulty if you buy the products online and assemble them by yourself.
Look around before shopping
Give yourself enough time to shop. Don’t buy everything at once. Instead, take a stroll from one store to another. Buy baby items that are currently on sale. If you spot something you love but don’t like the price, look around. This will usually give you good deals.
Stick to your plan
I know that avoiding cute baby stuff is really hard. But, the baby will grow up quickly. There’s no point in stocking up on too many items for the first months. Make a list of the items that you really need and stick to it when you shop. Here are some lists you can use as a guide:


Happy shopping!
Written by Hayu Hamemayu
Hayu Hamemayu is a Lund-based freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Jakarta Post, Media Indonesia, Kompas, Majalah Kartini, and Indonesia Travel Magazine among others. A traveller mommy by nature and random thinker by inclination, she keeps memories in her Instagram @hayuhamemayu and writes her everyday stories in her blog.
Beautirful but missing the Baby Buddy for crawling babies!