Many parents especially first time ones are usually too excited with a notion of having a baby that they don’t think or afraid even to imagine how much it might cost them to have their newborn treasure and whether they can afford it. Indeed, to give birth a healthy physically and mentally baby is a priceless gift. However, with all of that in mind you normally shouldn’t get too excited about buying all baby supplies that is available on the market today as long as you don’t concern much where your money goes and not care much about the expenditures.

On the other hand, if you are from middle class of usual American family then your top priority for pregnancy spending should be concentrated more on health of the mother and baby and not on what seems like nice things to have. The simple fundamentals that the first–time parents need to buy, but not limited to will be described in the table below. However, even if you can potentially buy some things on garage sales or even get it for free from your friends or relatives, you shouldn’t sacrifice safety in order to save a buck, especially on the car seat, crib, and mattress.

Child expenses chart

¹ All hospitals even within the same city have different price range for their services and care. Call up your local health care organization in order to get the lowest charge. Higher hospital fees in most cases doesn’t mean better quality services received. In addition, hospitals bill different payers differently and in many cases the self-paid payers have to pay the highest rate.

² The actual cost will depend on how many of them you plan or need to take. In addition, each hospital charges defferently for the prenatal education. Childbirth classes are optional, but don’t neglect them. These classes will help parents with the period of pregnancy and labor, and most importantly after they come back home with your baby. It will give a first time mother some basic training on how to survive the first few weeks with your newborn alone.

³ A box of diapers cost about $25 plus tax, but you normally can be fine with that for one child a couple of weeks. Therefore, diapers expense in a long run is one of the biggest expenditures you have to make. Good thing is that when your child gets older you will use less pampers.

⁴ A box of wipes cost about $10 plus tax and you can use it about few weeks. Normally you have to change diapers and use wipes for newborns in their first couple months of their lives very often.

⁵ Expenses for baby clothes depend a lot on where you live or in which season your child arrived. Usually summer born children require less expenditures for the very first clothing.

⁶ Parents share some percentage of their hospital cost with their insurance company or they might have full coverage. Commonly it is 80 : 20 which mean you pay 20% and you insurance will compensate the rest. However, it can be 50 : 50 or any other percentage. Different health care insurances have different percentages of coverage. Therefore, you should make your own calculations accordingly.

⁷ You have to pay less for the natural birth and more for the caesarean section and complications (if any). However, if you happen to be a self-payer then the big advice is do not hurry up to pay the bill. Try to negotiate with a hospital to pay a discounted rate. You might be surprised to get up to even 25% off. Don’t miss your chance, they won’t offer you that unless you ask them to.

Unfortunately the expenses above are not the only costs the parents should face while planning and having a baby, the cost will keep adding up over time with your child growth.