HUNDREDS of newborn babies born in University Hospital Waterford are to receive 'little baby bundles' as a gift from the State, under an initiative to begin this Autumn.

The 'little baby bundles' with items worth up to 300 euro, are being rolled out to 500 babies specifically born in UHW and in the Rotunda hospital in Dublin.

It's a pilot project which was inspired by similar successful schemes in Scotland and Finland and it was announced by Minister for Children Roderic O'Gorman in recent days.

The gift bundle will include 30 items, including towels, thermometers, bibs, nappies and baby monitors, as well as items to encourage early communication and bonding, household items for help with safe bathing and safe sleep and a poem to mark the occasion.

Paula Curtin is Director of Midwifery at UHW and she told Damien Tiernan all about the scheme on this morning's (Wednesday's) Deise Today.

You can listen to her interview through the link on this podcast.

For all Déise Today podcasts, meanwhile, click here.