Finding out that you’re expecting is a moment unlike any other! But shortly after the initial excitement fades, you may become overwhelmed by the thought of planning financially for your growing family.
Exactly how much does it cost to have a baby? You might be cringing already, assuming it’s a large chunk of money. And it is, but there’s no need to panic.
In this article, our experts at Newton Baby will help you understand the cost and give you some tips for saving money while keeping your baby cared for and safe!
How Much Does It Cost To Have A Baby?
Bringing a new human into the world can be quite a feat — physically for the birth mother as well as financially for the whole family! Let’s take a look at what a typical hospital bill is for delivering a baby.
In the United States, the average cost of a hospital delivery is around $10,000. Of course, the price will be significantly higher if there are complications during delivery or the baby needs special care after birth.
This number will depend on which state you live in, whether or not you have health insurance, and if you deliver vaginally or by C-section.
Vaginal Birth
With insurance, a vaginal birth costs around $6,000 and up. Some of this will be paid by your insurance company. The amount that insurance pays will depend on your specific plan, copay, and deductible.
Don’t have insurance? You can expect to pay about twice as much.
C-Section Delivery
A C-section with insurance will cost upwards of $10,000, and you’ll pay part of that, depending on your coverage.
Just as with a vaginal delivery, if you don’t have health insurance, the cost of your c-section will be significantly more and you’ll be responsible for paying all of it. Yikes.
Other Costs To Consider
Regardless of how your baby comes into the world, a lot of money is involved. And that’s not taking into account pre- and post-delivery expenses.
Before your baby’s born, you’ll have the expenses of prenatal care (doctor visits, tests, and such) and preparing your home (setting up a nursery and baby-proofing).
What about after your baby comes? The cost of the first couple of years largely depends on the cost of living in your area, your lifestyle, whether or not your baby will be in daycare, if you breastfeed or formula feed, and a host of other factors!
Have an honest conversation with your partner about how you’ll prepare financially for your little one. Create a budget together, and talk with a financial advisor if needed.
Yes, it costs a lot of money to have a baby. But don’t let the thought overwhelm you! Instead, focus on the joy your little one will bring to your family and these money-saving tips that will help offset the cost.
12 Money-Saving Tips
Preparing The Nursery
It might feel like your dollars are disappearing even before you get to the hospital, especially when it comes to outfitting a nursery. The good news is there are ways to save!
1) Wait Until After Your Baby Showers
Your friends and family will want to help you prepare for your baby by giving you gifts at your baby shower!
Wait to do your own shopping until after your showers. Once you see the gifts you received, you’ll have a better idea of what you need to buy.
Also, you may have received a gift card that you can put to good use or have a few returns to make, which will leave you with some cash to spend.
2) Buy Only The Essentials
With so many baby products on the market, it’s easy to get carried away buying up all the cute — but non-essential — items. Don’t do it!
Check out our list of minimalist baby essentials here, and save money by purchasing only what you really need.
3) Skip The Crib Decorations
Decorate the nursery all you want, but when it comes to what’s inside the crib, the simpler the better. Fun throw pillows, fluffy blankets, and other crib decorations might be cute, but they don’t serve a purpose.
Even worse, these items can be dangerous for your baby.
Outfit the crib with a breathable mattress and a fitted crib sheet. Nothing else! Read more about safe sleep guidelines here. 
When it comes to choosing a breathable mattress, consider the Newton Baby Crib Mattress. It’s made with a patented Wovenaire® Core, which consists of 90% air and 10% food-grade polymer, so you can rest easy knowing your baby is safe all night long!
4) Buy Things That Last
Sometimes, buying a less expensive item is a great way to save money. Other times, it means you’re buying a low-quality item that won’t last as long.
If you’ll only need an item for a few months, you may save money by choosing the lower-quality, less-expensive option. But in other cases, you’ll want to put down a little more money upfront for something that will last for years.
For example, it’s probably worth investing in a good stroller that will see you through all the years of strolling around with your child.
Another item you want to last is the crib mattress. Not only is a good mattress important for your baby’s health, but it’s also something your child can use well into their toddler years. Because a standard-sized crib mattress also fits a toddler bed, you’ll get years of use out of one mattress!
The Newton Baby Original Crib Mattress is specifically designed for both the infant and toddler stages — it’s firm enough for your littlest one but cushy enough for your growing toddler.
5) Don’t Buy Clothes Too Far In Advance
It’s smart to have a few of the clothes you’ll need for the first several months of your baby’s life, but don’t buy too much very far in advance. Why?
You won’t know exactly what size your baby will be during each season. That means you could end up with clothes your little one can’t wear because they are too big or too small when the time of year is right.
6) Purchase Second-Hand Items
Another great way to save money is to buy used baby items. Second-hand clothing is a great place to start. Shop for used baby clothes or get hand-me-downs from friends and family.
A few other items you can purchase second-hand are baby shoes, toys (just be sure you wash them!), a rocking chair, or a high chair.
That being said, there are a few things you should never buy used, like a crib, crib mattress, car seat, breast pump, baby carrier or sling, nipples for bottles, and pacifiers.
7) Choose Gender-Neutral Items
If you want to have more children, purchasing gender-neutral items is one way to spend less money in the long-run.
Themed nurseries and baby boy or girl colors are fun, but you can create a beautiful gender-neutral nursery with items that you’ll be able to use again regardless of the gender of your future babies.
Planning For Delivery
As we saw earlier, delivering a baby is expensive no matter how you look at it, but there are a few ways to make the hospital bill a little easier to manage.
8) Compare Hospitals
As you gather information about the hospitals you’re considering for delivery, don’t forget to ask how they would work with your health insurance. This is an important factor in choosing a hospital.
9) Check For Doctors In Your Network
Most times, the patient responsibility fee (what you pay) is lower when you see a doctor who’s in your health insurance company’s network.
So when you find out you’re expecting, choose an in-network doctor for your prenatal care. You’ll want to do the same when choosing a pediatrician for your little one.
10) Plan For Leave
Another task for expecting parents: understanding maternity and paternity leave policies.
Don’t let anything take you by surprise when it comes to how parental leave works at your job. Having all the information up front will help you plan ahead and save for any unpaid time you’ll have to take off.
11) Ask For Samples
Hospitals, as well as pediatrician offices, often have loads of samples to give out — formula, diapers, and the like. Don’t be afraid to ask for them.
You can save your pennies by using these samples, plus you’ll get to try a new product at the same time!
12) Breastfeed
Taking into account that not every mother will be able to breastfeed, remember that nursing your little one is the cheapest and healthiest option.
Having no (or very little) formula expense will save lots of money!
Expert tip: Save money by buying items that serve more than one purpose. When you breastfeed, use our cute Organic Swaddle Blankets as a nursing cover and burp cloth — then later for a changing pad cover or a light blanket!
Anticipate Your Baby’s Arrival
Getting ready to welcome a baby into your family requires emotional, physical, and financial preparation. Start preparing financially by following our money-saving tips. Just remember not to cut corners when it comes to keeping your little one safe!
One purchase you won’t have to think twice about: a Newton Baby Crib Mattress. Your baby will sleep soundly on our breathable mattress, and your budget will appreciate years of use from one mattress!
