# Is having a baby really that expensive?



## LunaFleur

I don't want to sound naive but I keep reading posts by people who are worried they will never be able to afford a baby. We are not rich by any means but we are in the process of buying our first home, we have a joint income of around £50,000 after tax a year and I will have a small lump sum coming in of approx £30,000 before the year is out so we will have back up money if necessary to use. We live a comfortable enough life, going out to dinner or cinemas when we please etc although we do not like to waste money so are not frivolous and love a good bargain.
I am just wondering why people think it costs so much money, I am not talking about the initial costs of the one off things you need, buggy, cot etc but the day to day things, if you breastfeed (which I am planning on doing) just what costs so much that people think they cannot afford a child? Clothes are not extortionate and if you make baby food at home which I also intend on doing then once they are weaned your costs still won't really go up? Not having a dig but just wondering if there is something I have missed here lol, what are your experiences with how to keep costs down or how much per month a baby from new born up to 3-4 years varies, thanks :)


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## littlesteph

the bigger things can cost a fair bit even more so if you go with whats in trend or have a massive hype about them.
my and hubbys income is a little over £17,000 before tax at the moment and we manage. it's just a case of looking round and seeing what is on offer. i travel sytem i have i got for £150, it was reduced from £200 plus i had a voucher to get another £10 off. 
so it is all a case of looking round. with what you've said your income is you'll be fine


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## Elpis_x

I don't have any children, so I suppose I can't really comment too much. But generally, I think babies cost however much you make them cost. Obviously, they get more expensive as children, but really babies can cost hardly anything. You have a great joint income, I don't really see any reason why you'd struggle on that much!


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## LunaFleur

littlesteph said:


> the bigger things can cost a fair bit even more so if you go with whats in trend or have a massive hype about them.
> my and hubbys income is a little over £17,000 before tax at the moment and we manage. it's just a case of looking round and seeing what is on offer. i travel sytem i have i got for £150, it was reduced from £200 plus i had a voucher to get another £10 off.
> so it is all a case of looking round. with what you've said your income is you'll be fine

Thanks that is very reassuring to know, I can stop panicking a bit :) some people make out you will struggle financially even if you are a millionaire lol. FH and I are serious bargain hunters, we love it, I found my wedding dress in a boutique reduced from £1000 to £50 because the shop had been bought by someone else and they wanted all new stock! I think that was one of my finest moments in life :winkwink: 
I have already started comparing buggies etc as I know some people spend alot of money on them, I am not into getting ripped off just because some people want to exploit new mums!


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## Button#

I've found that my grocery bill has gone up a fair bit with nappies and wipes. Also once you get onto weaning you are feeding another (although smaller) person and so you will have additional food costs, especially if you end up buying a lot more fresh fruit and veg like I have to make healthy meals and finding low salt alternatives.

I've had to buy a lot of clothes for LO as weaning is messy so we have 2 or 3 outfits a day. I have saved money by buying them on eBay and my LO is dinky so he stays in one size for quite a while. We are also now into shoes which need the size checking regularly.

Our income is less than yours though and we manage fine.


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## LunaFleur

Elpis_x said:


> I don't have any children, so I suppose I can't really comment too much. But generally, I think babies cost however much you make them cost. Obviously, they get more expensive as children, but really babies can cost hardly anything. You have a great joint income, I don't really see any reason why you'd struggle on that much!


That is what I think, there are many ways to cut down on some of the costs, thanks :)


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## Solstyce

The biggest expense is day care. It can be around $200 a week for a baby. If you are a stay-at-home-mom, it's not that bad to have a baby.

The start up costs (crib, car seats, baby carriers, high chairs, etc) are a lot. You will probably spend $200 a month on diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream and those types of things. I breastfed my daughters exclusively, but still bought a breast pump that cost about $300 and special bottles/bags to store my milk (for when I was at work, or if someone else is going to do feedings). Plus I had to buy pads for my breasts when I would leak milk! 

Also for me I am going to have to add the baby to my medical insurance which will cost about $180 a month. Plus I have to pay for 20% of the delivery up to $3000!!!

So for me, I will spend $180/mo on insurance, $800/mo on day care, and about $200/mo on diapers, wipes, and other baby necessities. All together that is $1200/mo. I'd say that is pretty darn expensive!!!


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## LunaFleur

Solstyce said:


> The biggest expense is day care. It can be around $200 a week for a baby. If you are a stay-at-home-mom, it's not that bad to have a baby.
> 
> The start up costs (crib, car seats, baby carriers, high chairs, etc) are a lot. You will probably spend $200 a month on diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream and those types of things. I breastfed my daughters exclusively, but still bought a breast pump that cost about $300 and special bottles/bags to store my milk (for when I was at work, or if someone else is going to do feedings). Plus I had to buy pads for my breasts when I would leak milk!
> 
> Also for me I am going to have to add the baby to my medical insurance which will cost about $180 a month. Plus I have to pay for 20% of the delivery up to $3000!!!
> 
> So for me, I will spend $180/mo on insurance, $800/mo on day care, and about $200/mo on diapers, wipes, and other baby necessities. All together that is $1200/mo. I'd say that is pretty darn expensive!!!

Wow that is alot! Luckily I work from home and in the UK we don't pay medical fees, I cannot begin to imagine paying for necessary things regarding my babies health, and I always feel terrible when I hear how you all have to fork out:(
FH's Grandma will be helping 3-4 days a week and I will be having a cleaner one day a week anyway just so if I do struggle at first juggling it all I will have alot of support. After having a real low point thinking I would have no emotional support from my own family it is lovely to know FH Grandma will be there for me and is very much looking forward to it :)


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## Rachie004

I don't have children yet but I can see alot of truth in people saying that is it expensive as you make it. I'm hoping to use an independent midwife which is £3500 for the maternity care package, another £1000 for postnatal care and £800 for breastfeeding support. As for set up costs, I was having a look at things to get an idea of costs and I quickly came up with a large sum but be truthful that was purely based on the things I liked the look of the most so I could easily make it cheaper!

I'm hoping to breastfeed exclusively, use cloth nappies, be a stay at home mum so no childcare costs and intend to puree my own baby food so hopefully the day to day costs won't be too much for us


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## Solstyce

LunaFleur said:


> Solstyce said:
> 
> 
> The biggest expense is day care. It can be around $200 a week for a baby. If you are a stay-at-home-mom, it's not that bad to have a baby.
> 
> The start up costs (crib, car seats, baby carriers, high chairs, etc) are a lot. You will probably spend $200 a month on diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream and those types of things. I breastfed my daughters exclusively, but still bought a breast pump that cost about $300 and special bottles/bags to store my milk (for when I was at work, or if someone else is going to do feedings). Plus I had to buy pads for my breasts when I would leak milk!
> 
> Also for me I am going to have to add the baby to my medical insurance which will cost about $180 a month. Plus I have to pay for 20% of the delivery up to $3000!!!
> 
> So for me, I will spend $180/mo on insurance, $800/mo on day care, and about $200/mo on diapers, wipes, and other baby necessities. All together that is $1200/mo. I'd say that is pretty darn expensive!!!
> 
> Wow that is alot! Luckily I work from home and in the UK we don't pay medical fees, I cannot begin to imagine paying for necessary things regarding my babies health, and I always feel terrible when I hear how you all have to fork out:(
> FH's Grandma will be helping 3-4 days a week and I will be having a cleaner one day a week anyway just so if I do struggle at first juggling it all I will have alot of support. After having a real low point thinking I would have no emotional support from my own family it is lovely to know FH Grandma will be there for me and is very much looking forward to it :)Click to expand...

My DH is from Canada, so the insurance is shocking to him too. Plus with the insurance changes it has gotten MORE expensive. A few years ago I would have only had to pay $900 maximum for the delivery and hospital stay, but now it is up to $3000. I work for the school system, so you'd think I would have good coverage as I am a State employee. But no, the coverage has only gotten worse with the ecomony over here. 

My mom is retired and lives on the same street as us. She says she will watch the baby for us, but I am not counting on it because if she changed her mind we would have to pay $800 of daycare a month. Hopefully she will do it, but we'll see!


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## LunaFleur

Rachie004 said:


> I don't have children yet but I can see alot of truth in people saying that is it expensive as you make it. I'm hoping to use an independent midwife which is £3500 for the maternity care package, another £1000 for postnatal care and £800 for breastfeeding support. As for set up costs, I was having a look at things to get an idea of costs and I quickly came up with a large sum but be truthful that was purely based on the things I liked the look of the most so I could easily make it cheaper!
> 
> I'm hoping to breastfeed exclusively, use cloth nappies, be a stay at home mum so no childcare costs and intend to puree my own baby food so hopefully the day to day costs won't be too much for us

I have just been looking at cloth nappies lol, the only issue I have with them is that they are so bulky and look like they would be uncomfortable under their clothing :s 
And same here,every so often I see something I really want but I always find cheaper alternatives :)


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## LunaFleur

Solstyce said:


> LunaFleur said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Solstyce said:
> 
> 
> The biggest expense is day care. It can be around $200 a week for a baby. If you are a stay-at-home-mom, it's not that bad to have a baby.
> 
> The start up costs (crib, car seats, baby carriers, high chairs, etc) are a lot. You will probably spend $200 a month on diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream and those types of things. I breastfed my daughters exclusively, but still bought a breast pump that cost about $300 and special bottles/bags to store my milk (for when I was at work, or if someone else is going to do feedings). Plus I had to buy pads for my breasts when I would leak milk!
> 
> Also for me I am going to have to add the baby to my medical insurance which will cost about $180 a month. Plus I have to pay for 20% of the delivery up to $3000!!!
> 
> So for me, I will spend $180/mo on insurance, $800/mo on day care, and about $200/mo on diapers, wipes, and other baby necessities. All together that is $1200/mo. I'd say that is pretty darn expensive!!!
> 
> Wow that is alot! Luckily I work from home and in the UK we don't pay medical fees, I cannot begin to imagine paying for necessary things regarding my babies health, and I always feel terrible when I hear how you all have to fork out:(
> FH's Grandma will be helping 3-4 days a week and I will be having a cleaner one day a week anyway just so if I do struggle at first juggling it all I will have alot of support. After having a real low point thinking I would have no emotional support from my own family it is lovely to know FH Grandma will be there for me and is very much looking forward to it :)Click to expand...
> 
> My DH is from Canada, so the insurance is shocking to him too. Plus with the insurance changes it has gotten MORE expensive. A few years ago I would have only had to pay $900 maximum for the delivery and hospital stay, but now it is up to $3000. I work for the school system, so you'd think I would have good coverage as I am a State employee. But no, the coverage has only gotten worse with the ecomony over here.
> 
> My mom is retired and lives on the same street as us. She says she will watch the baby for us, but I am not counting on it because if she changed her mind we would have to pay $800 of daycare a month. Hopefully she will do it, but we'll see!Click to expand...


That is disgusting, it would literally be cheaper for you to book flights and give birth in the UK! That would be a big help to you wouldn't it, my own mother isn't interested in me at al and I am lucky to get a phone call let alone when I have a baby!


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## Pearls18

Babies aren't expensive, children are! The initial costs are what you make of them, however, childcare can be very expensive, for only 4 days a week we pay £724 a month. Your income sounds fine, but you won't get help with childcare, so you have to think of the pay cut. We want a certain standard of living, day trips, big enough home, holidays etc and for this reason we won't have more than 2. But yeah we don't ave a joint income like yours and we manage just fine (although we don't really pay much for rent etc, otherwise it would be much more of a sacrifice for us).


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## Itsychik

I agree with what everyone else said!

Our 'start up' costs were relatively low compared to friends of ours... the bedroom set we have for DS we got for free from friends, and the only things we bought new were the travel system (buggy, car seat, etc), the crib mattress, and the sheets, etc for the bed, changing mat, etc. I think we spent a total of &#8364;800 before DS was born, but we could have made it even cheaper by getting the travel system second hand. 90% of DS's clothes were given to us as gifts by friends/family.

I also wanted to breastfeed but as a PP said, I still spent around &#8364;200 on breastfeeding supplies (bought 3 pumps before I found one that really worked), then I had a low supply so had to supplement anyway, so spent another &#8364;100 on bottles, plus formula, diapers, wipes, etc. (not to mention the enormous amount of time that takes, we combi-fed for 8 months and I'm still wondering how I ever managed).

I made my own food for LO but as someone else pointed out, I spent extra on fresh fruits/veggies...

The biggest monthly expense for us is daycare (where we live, we pay just under &#8364;400 per month for 3 days a week) but this is still much cheaper than most places in the U.S.

All in all, yes, there are costs involved but as several others already mentioned, you can make it as expensive as you want in the beginning, but then you just adjust to the extra costs per month and for us it wasn't a 'big deal'. We'd like 2 or 3 kids but the cost of this isn't going to be a deciding factor at all. For the most part I feel like once you already have 1 child, the costs for each additional won't be as bad (i.e. at least not in the beginning, since we already have all the baby stuff)


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## emsiee

It's not as expensive as some people make out, but it depends on your income.Your biggest costs are childcare and the initial outlay, pram, nursery furniture, etc.... Grocery bills add up though with nappies and wipes. 

We're debating if to have no. 3 and we have a similar income to yours. We manage fine with a teenager and nearly 3 year old. We don't get any benefits, but then again, we don't pay for nursery either. My mum has our daughter and I pay £32 per month so she can go to playgroup one day a week.

What killed us was the years mat leave I had. Reduced wages was a killer, but well worth it. I didn't get paid at all for the last 3 months but luckily, we had savings.


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## Solstyce

Don't even get me started on Maternity leave! I get NOTHING in the US! I use up my sick leave and then get no pay. I've been with my employer 9 years (I work for a public school as a school counselor). I will take 8 weeks off for my c-section (it's 6 weeks for natural delivery) but my sick leave will run out after 4 weeks so I'll have 1 month without pay.


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## brunette&bubs

I agree with others.
If you have a baby shower and you get most of your items off your registry including a few boxes of diapers and wipes then immediately it is almost nothing...especially if you are breastfeeding.

Like others are said, children are more expensive. Childcare, clothes, toys, food, etc.

This is the main reason I won't be able to go back to work after #2 as it would be cheaper to stay at home than go back to work and send two kids to day care


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## Staceysparkle

They are as expensive as you make them in my experience I was working full time when I was pregnant the first time so bought lots of nice baby clothes that were hardly ever worn and we got a lovley cot and furniture set then when LO arrived I had him in sleepsuits all the time and we coslept for the first year. Now I'm a SAHM and my partner earns £18,000 but we manage and are planning to TTC in December. Next time I will be breastfeeding for at least the first 2 years, using cloth nappies again which save a fortune, cosleeping so we won't need a moses basket/crib and if we have a girl next time I won't be going mad on clothes like last time so I think we will manage fine. The only thing we spend slightly more on now we have LO is our food as we buy a lot more fresh fruit and veg but we don't drink anymore or go on nights out etc. so it balances out. I would really recommend cloth nappies too, they do look quite bulky at first but most people fall in love with the big bum baby look after they try them and they are so soft and comfy (I know I'd rather a soft snuggly cloth nappy than a pair of chemical filled paper pants on my bum) and save a fortune.


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## Kallie3000

Solstyce said:


> Don't even get me started on Maternity leave! I get NOTHING in the US! I use up my sick leave and then get no pay. I've been with my employer 9 years (I work for a public school as a school counselor). I will take 8 weeks off for my c-section (it's 6 weeks for natural delivery) but my sick leave will run out after 4 weeks so I'll have 1 month without pay.

This makes me feel ill. In Canada maternity leave is like 8 weeks, then parental leave (either gender) makes up the rest up to a year. We receive 60% of our average wage.


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## AC1987

depends on where you live... here in the US its insane. We dont have maternity insurance so the hospital bills are killing us. We use clothe diapers though, and I mostly breastfeed.


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## babybaker2011

Solstyce said:


> Don't even get me started on Maternity leave! I get NOTHING in the US! I use up my sick leave and then get no pay. I've been with my employer 9 years (I work for a public school as a school counselor). I will take 8 weeks off for my c-section (it's 6 weeks for natural delivery) but my sick leave will run out after 4 weeks so I'll have 1 month without pay.

Can you get short term disability? I'm not really sure how it works nor have I done it myself, but I've heard of others who have gotten this during their maternity leave.


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## Solstyce

babybaker2011 said:


> Solstyce said:
> 
> 
> Don't even get me started on Maternity leave! I get NOTHING in the US! I use up my sick leave and then get no pay. I've been with my employer 9 years (I work for a public school as a school counselor). I will take 8 weeks off for my c-section (it's 6 weeks for natural delivery) but my sick leave will run out after 4 weeks so I'll have 1 month without pay.
> 
> Can you get short term disability? I'm not really sure how it works nor have I done it myself, but I've heard of others who have gotten this during their maternity leave.Click to expand...

I have it. It pays 60% of my salary for 6 weeks. I've actually paid more in premiums over the past 9 years than I will get back once I file a claim. But it's something!


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## thestarsfall

Yeah, babies aren't that much money (barring any insurance/premiums/hospital fees in the US or for private clinics elsewhere), but children will get more pricey as they get older. However, it's not as if they go from being a breastfed/cloth diapered practically free baby to being a teenager who eats half their weight in food daily overnight or something...thought it probably seems like it to the parents. So, in my opinion you'll either a) be in a better place financially in a few years (paying down debts or moving into bigger houses) or b) be more accustomed to having an extra mouth to feed. 

Like with my situation, we mostly are existing on my hubby's income, but he's in a min-wage job without any prospects of promotions...but he's looking for greener pastures and basically anything would be better than what he has now, so it's only going to get better financially for us no matter what he has. Then with what I make (which isn't much, but it's alright) I am going to just try to save the majority of it for the next few months to buy the basics when we fall pregnant. My job is very flexible, so once baby comes I could easily work around my husband's schedule (or get MIL or some of his siblings) to watch baby while I work (I only work an hour or two at a time usually). 

I lost my train of thought....haha. I forget what I was going to say next. Oh well.


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## hopefulfor1st

My bub is 11 weeks old and is about to go into his 4th size in clothes ( 00000, 0000, 000, almost 00) but we still had to buy plenty as he vomited through about 7 outfits a day! And u can't just buy the next size up its a SIDS risk if its loose around face.
And I planned on bfing but alot of women who plan on it cannot. 
So u just need to think how much a tin of formula, about 70 nappies (10 a day) a pack of wipes and a bit extra for clothes costs a week wherever u live= do u have that much to spare weekly? (I'm in aus so can't quote you) plus things like this week my bub is sick so had to buy baby Panadol, fess nose spray, etc. 
add the fact you'll be at home all day= increase in electric bill, extra washing, probably use clothes drier.


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## lucy_smith

I didn't think it would be very expensive. I live in the UK, but looking at peoples figures has scared me a little!! I earn 1000 a month after tax etc, and bf earns 1430 a month after tax and insurance, we are hoping to buy a house too which where we Live the cheapest you can get is a house which is going to be a 700 a month. If I lost my income and didn't return to work, it would give us 730 a Monthto put towards bills and living and council tax. And as where we are living we are spending 400 a month in bills, so it will leave us 330 a month in food and baby costs and living etc.:/ and 2 cars to run!

Is it really possible.....:/


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## hopefulfor1st

lucy_smith said:


> I didn't think it would be very expensive. I live in the UK, but looking at peoples figures has scared me a little!! I earn 1000 a month after tax etc, and bf earns 1430 a month after tax and insurance, we are hoping to buy a house too which where we Live the cheapest you can get is a house which is going to be a 700 a month. If I lost my income and didn't return to work, it would give us 730 a Monthto put towards bills and living and council tax. And as where we are living we are spending 400 a month in bills, so it will leave us 330 a month in food and baby costs and living etc.:/ and 2 cars to run!
> 
> Is it really possible.....:/

Somehow, u just make do= cos u have to!


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## Mrs Eleflump

Our big thing will be childcare. I am the main earner so I will need to go back full time, most likely after 6 months or so. It may be possible for hubby to take the last 3 months of my mat. leave, and/or go part time (we'd love it if we could afford for him to take a career break for a few years, but unless we win the lottery, it's not happening), but we don't know this yet. It is also possible that I could do 4 long days rather than 5 shorter ones, but this may not actually make any difference to the monthly bill, given that the bills are calculated hourly in all the nurseries I've checked out.

Cloth nappies make sense for us, but not sure if I'll be able to breastfeed - I want to but if I have a flare in pregnancy or just after the birth (which is very common with lupus pregnancies, though less likely if well-controlled), I may need medication that crosses into the milk and therefore makes bf-ing unsafe. So we will need to budget for formula just in case. I like the idea of BLW, so if LO takes to that, hopefully food costs will not be too bad, as we eat a ton of fresh fruit/veg anyway so wouldn't be buying much different. It'd just be the extra stuff we'd need specifically for LO like full-fat milk etc but that would obviously be quite a way down the line.

Our first LO will be the first grandchild on hubby's side and the first on my side that my parents will have any real involvement with (not their choice, long story), so it's quite likely that we will get help with some of the more expensive start-up items.

So, we are saving up every penny possible now to cover the earnings deficit while I'm on mat. leave and hopefully the first little while of nursery.


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## littlesteph

LunaFleur said:


> littlesteph said:
> 
> 
> the bigger things can cost a fair bit even more so if you go with whats in trend or have a massive hype about them.
> my and hubbys income is a little over £17,000 before tax at the moment and we manage. it's just a case of looking round and seeing what is on offer. i travel sytem i have i got for £150, it was reduced from £200 plus i had a voucher to get another £10 off.
> so it is all a case of looking round. with what you've said your income is you'll be fine
> 
> Thanks that is very reassuring to know, I can stop panicking a bit :) some people make out you will struggle financially even if you are a millionaire lol. FH and I are serious bargain hunters, we love it, I found my wedding dress in a boutique reduced from £1000 to £50 because the shop had been bought by someone else and they wanted all new stock! I think that was one of my finest moments in life :winkwink:
> I have already started comparing buggies etc as I know some people spend alot of money on them, I am not into getting ripped off just because some people want to exploit new mums!Click to expand...

wow that is a bargin. 
i always look round first see if i can find it cheaper else where, theres no point spending loads on something thats hardly going to be used. :)


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## Buttercup84

I think the biggest cost for most families is the income drop of one parent either giving up work or going part-time and/or the amount of money you have to pay out for childcare. As far as baby equipment/clothes etc I think you can spend very little or spend loads and baby will be fine either way but costs do tend to increase as children get older.


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## michmash

In my case, my son had some complications and doctors visit weren't cheap. Had to buy him special formulae since he was spitting a lot of milk and had to by him medicine for quite a while. also I opted to get a year off from work on unpaid leave to stay with the baby, which I ended up spending most of it at the hospital since I got gallstones from my pregnancy. So we were pretty miserable at the time, trying to get by with just my hubbys wage. It's hard but not impossible.


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## babyzoe

I didn't read all the responses so I apologize if I'm repeating. My friend recently had a baby and it was eye-opening to see the change in their lifestyle. The couple that use to go out all the time no rarely do and almost exclusive does "house parties" because it's cheaper. The biggest cost for them (and for us when the time comes) is childcare. In our area, childcare can cost you upwards of $1500 US a month! That's more than what some earn pre-tax a month...so you can see where the panick comes in. Honestly, we may not even be able to afford childcare, so we are looking at alternative options.


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## littlesteph

i've had to give up work because my wages don't cover the cost of childcare, for the hours i do would cost over £200 a week i only get £120. luckly i get smp and with hubby's wages we can get by, hubby is also due a pay rise soon which covers the wages i lose from not going back to work


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## LunaFleur

wow that is a bargin. 
i always look round first see if i can find it cheaper else where, theres no point spending loads on something thats hardly going to be used. :)[/QUOTE]

I was really pleased lol, and that is how I feel too, it was a good thing I found this dress as I sure as heck was not going to pay £1000 for something I intend on only wearing for the 10 minute ceremony and hour of photos after!


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## LunaFleur

After reading all your posts it has made me so grateful that firstly I work from home so will not miss out on any wages and secondly that I will have the help from FH Nan with childcare when we do need it anyway. I am also SO thankful that we have savings and earn a half decent wage,I will never again complain about things after hearing how much some of you have to pay out especially regarding medical fees which I still cannot get my head around :( Thanks for all your advice I will take it all on board!


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## Kallie3000

I keep telling my mom she needs to retire NOW so I can use her for childcare!! She probably won't want to anyways, haha. 

Luckily for me, my maternity benefits get topped up by the company I work for. After that, my husband and I work different hours, so I'll only need childcare for the five hour overlap. I buy a lot of used and sale items, and I'm hoping for hand-me-downs and gifts for the rest!


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## MariposaTam

The daycare I work for charges 1500 US monthly for a full time infant enrollment- up to 10 hour days I believe, and five days a week. I love my center, and would love to have our baby full time there, but even with my discount I know we can't afford it while paying for rent and utilities etc. At this point we are hoping my mom and dad will be willing to help with childcare but they are both working full time at the moment and I don't expect them to retire-not to mention they aren't old enough to do so despite having worked many many years in their fields. I am also counting on our work schedules to help us, ATM we could have the baby at daycare for 6 hour days which is cheaper than a full day. I'm counting on 6 hour days maybe 3 days a week to save us some cash. This is our biggest concern with having a baby!!


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## LunaFleur

Kallie3000 said:


> I keep telling my mom she needs to retire NOW so I can use her for childcare!! She probably won't want to anyways, haha.
> 
> Luckily for me, my maternity benefits get topped up by the company I work for. After that, my husband and I work different hours, so I'll only need childcare for the five hour overlap. I buy a lot of used and sale items, and I'm hoping for hand-me-downs and gifts for the rest!

Same here lol, I am already keepng an eye out for what seems to be the best value for money on anything baby :p 

That is good, at least you don't work the same full time hours, I imagine that would be a nightmare!


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## LunaFleur

Question for those that will be returning to work after bubba, will you be pleased to have that break and 'adult time' I hear alot of people moan about or you would rather be at home? I do get frustrated being at home 24:7 and not really having that fun environment of work mates but I still would rather work at home then have to deal with my old boss lol. Not to mention I am clingy enough to my dogs let alone a child :p


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## hopefulfor1st

LunaFleur said:


> Question for those that will be returning to work after bubba, will you be pleased to have that break and 'adult time' I hear alot of people moan about or you would rather be at home? I do get frustrated being at home 24:7 and not really having that fun environment of work mates but I still would rather work at home then have to deal with my old boss lol. Not to mention I am clingy enough to my dogs let alone a child :p


I stopped work at 33 weeks cos of high blood pressure, and I never got bored at home! My bub is now 12 weeks on Sunday and I have no desire to go to work for "adult time" my day with my little boy flies by! Half hour feed, half hour chat/ burp, half hour play with him on floor Matt etc. then he's whiney/fussy for half hour to an hour in which I walk/cuddle him and hopefully then he dozes off for maybe 40min when I can hopefully put him down, run and put on some washing or do so e bottles etc, then he's awake and ready for a feed and to start over!


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## MariposaTam

Definitely glad we have different schedules, and my work is fairly flexible with hours and even days, there is a possible option to work four 10 hour days if i need. I can't not work-I would be bored out of my mind lol. My work is not an adult environment, though lol. I have worried that I won't be able to handle being surrounded by children all day. We will just have to see what happens.


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## babybaker2011

LunaFleur said:


> Question for those that will be returning to work after bubba, will you be pleased to have that break and 'adult time' I hear alot of people moan about or you would rather be at home? I do get frustrated being at home 24:7 and not really having that fun environment of work mates but I still would rather work at home then have to deal with my old boss lol. Not to mention I am clingy enough to my dogs let alone a child :p

I started my maternity leave at 35 weeks & stayed at home until my lo was 8 months. I did have some moments where I wanted to have "adult time" and conversation with co-workers but it was amazing having those 8 months with my daughter. I guess it all depends on the person. I have a friend that refuses to be a SAHM - she says that it doesn't suit her.


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## Pearls18

LunaFleur said:


> Question for those that will be returning to work after bubba, will you be pleased to have that break and 'adult time' I hear alot of people moan about or you would rather be at home? I do get frustrated being at home 24:7 and not really having that fun environment of work mates but I still would rather work at home then have to deal with my old boss lol. Not to mention I am clingy enough to my dogs let alone a child :p

I returned to work and will do next time. I love my job, I've worked hard to get the jobs I've had and just don't enjoy being at home full time. I think I had PND at home. When I started my last job when DS was 8 months I was a different person and had a new lease of life, I became a better mother that day because I was happier and made quality time with what we had. I have since gone to 4 days a week and this is a much better balance for me. I also prefer a double income! That said I do hope I enjoy maternity leave more this time, I'm going to take a full year (29 weeks pregnant- 8 month baby) I think I am more mature and physically ready, I know it won't be forever and I need to make the most of it. I couldn't be a SAHM permently though .


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## lozzy21

Last year we had a joint income of 23k so i think you will do just fine on 50k lol. Things like nappys and wipes we get in bulk when they are on offer and clothes we get lots bought for us from her grandparents. Iv also got a cousin whos only 4 so we get hers once shes grown out of them.

The biggest expense is shoes! Im lucky that a pair lasts Niamh months but some children need new ones every 6 weeks and at £30 a pair it can mount up when they need more than one pair at a time.

I did not want to go back to work and even now shes two and a half id rather be at home with her than at work but we cant survive on just OH's income. I went to part time and now im going onto nights in the hope i get to spend more time at home.


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## babyzoe

MariposaTam said:


> The daycare I work for charges 1500 US monthly for a full time infant enrollment- up to 10 hour days I believe, and five days a week. I love my center, and would love to have our baby full time there, but even with my discount I know we can't afford it while paying for rent and utilities etc. At this point we are hoping my mom and dad will be willing to help with childcare but they are both working full time at the moment and I don't expect them to retire-not to mention they aren't old enough to do so despite having worked many many years in their fields. I am also counting on our work schedules to help us, ATM we could have the baby at daycare for 6 hour days which is cheaper than a full day. I'm counting on 6 hour days maybe 3 days a week to save us some cash. This is our biggest concern with having a baby!!

Wow, Illinois is expensive too. Sounds like you're near Chicago! I think me and DH are hoping we'll get flexible schedules too. Right now he can work from home up to 4 days a week so that would be a big help, and then I'm hoping I'll be able to work from home the last day.



Kallie3000 said:


> I keep telling my mom she needs to retire NOW so I can use her for childcare!! She probably won't want to anyways, haha.

LOL. Sometimes I want to do that too but then I think of how often I'd have to see my mother or ...gasp....my MIL!! LOL.


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## MariposaTam

We are about 45 min from Chicago-

Honestly, we could find cheaper daycare, but I work in the field and know that my work really is one of the best places to have your child if you can't stay home. It's tons of money and if I could find something equivalent or close and have it be less expensive, I might do it.

I live like 20 minutes away from my parents. My OH works right by them... It might be perfect once I construct my evil plan that gets them to retire muah ha ha ha! :muaha: 

OK it's Friday and I may have had too much sugar lol


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## highhopes19

I'm going to probably go against the grain (I haven't read all pages only a couple of the first) and say baby's are not actually that exspensive, well not as exspensive as I thought she would be iykwim.

Baby's are honestly as expensive as you make it, things like the bigger equipment I.e pram, cot, swing, bouncer, changer etc etc are expsensive but there are cheaper alternatives if you shop around or you can always buy preloved things like bouncers and swings aren't going to have been used for very long in the first place....
My biggest regret is buying all is brand spanking new I could of got a second hand nearly new for the fraction of the cost, my pram was new I hated it sold it for a fraction of what I paid after 3 weeks use and got a second hand preloved excellent condition bugaboo bee plus and all accessories off eBay for £290, would of cost me over £600 new!


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## Raven24

For us having babies wasmt that expensive but having two litle boys is. They eat so much and shoes etc are expensive and with the eldest going to school this year we have uniform to buy. So i personally didnt find having a baby expensive its as the years go buy that the cost can increase but everyone is different and it depends what you buy i guess.


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## thestarsfall

It really depends on the situation because remember at the beginning of the recession there were articles on people living in New York complaining that their income getting cut from like $400k a year to $300k a year (or something, I don't remember the actual numbers but it was kinda ridiculous and out of touch with the way the majority of people actually live). Anyway, they were like "we have kids and we have to pay for the taxicab or chaffeur to drive them to private school." And the comments were like "yeah, poor you "


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## Rachie004

thestarsfall said:


> It really depends on the situation because remember at the beginning of the recession there were articles on people living in New York complaining that their income getting cut from like $400k a year to $300k a year (or something, I don't remember the actual numbers but it was kinda ridiculous and out of touch with the way the majority of people actually live). Anyway, they were like "we have kids and we have to pay for the taxicab or chaffeur to drive them to private school." And the comments were like "yeah, poor you "

Haha, yes. We had something similar here. The Government are stopping people who earn over £44000 per year (I think that is the figure) from receiving child benefit due to the big deficit. There were articles written by people who earn £100000 per year crying that they NEEDED it because without it they wouldn't be able to afford a nanny or some other such rubbish.


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## Solstyce

LunaFleur said:


> Question for those that will be returning to work after bubba, will you be pleased to have that break and 'adult time' I hear alot of people moan about or you would rather be at home? I do get frustrated being at home 24:7 and not really having that fun environment of work mates but I still would rather work at home then have to deal with my old boss lol. Not to mention I am clingy enough to my dogs let alone a child :p

With my first DD I went to back at 6 weeks, and cried everyday. But then I got to stay home with her for almost 2 years. I loved every minute of it! I joined a mom's group and kept a schedule during the week, plus I was pregnant with my second DD. I am looking forward to the time off for this one, although it will probably be only 2 months off because of how much sick time I have.


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