Everyone already talks about how expensive having a baby is. Still, the reality can be even more costly than you originally imagined. Most expecting parents already know to budget for a crib, clothes, and diapers, but many other expenses pop up during the infant stage that many never thought about. Here are a five I felt caught me off guard.
Many Types of Bottles and Nipples
If you choose to formula feed or even feed your baby breast milk later, then you already know you will need a bottle. At most baby stores and major chain stores, there is a whole aisle devoted to the different types of bottles and nipples. What you need to prepare for financially is that you might need to try out three to four different kinds of bottles before finding the one your little one likes. My niece refused so many popular brands of bottles, even the ones that were promoted for breastfeeding babies when she went back to work that my sister-in-law spent hundreds of dollars trying to find the right bottle.
I thought I got lucky because she gave me all of those bottles to try out. My second daughter loved the Playtex bottles, so we bought a package of them. Fast forward two months later, and my daughter had a hard time with the next level up nipple. We ended up getting a completely different set of bottles and stage 2 nipples just so she would drink milk again.
Formula
If you decide to go with formula, you might be surprised you will have to go through a few different ones before finding the right fit for your baby. If your baby has a sensitivity, colic, or other health issue, you can expect to pay a premium for their formula too.
Breastfeeding Supplies
Even if you plan on breastfeeding throughout your baby’s first year, you still get unexpected costs too. There is the unexpected costs of ointments, milk-boosting teas or herbs, and then doctor visits and medications for unexpected pop-ups like mastiff and thrush.
Sleeping Woes
Another thing you need to budget for is sleep aids. When you are short on sleep, you will spend almost anything to get your little one to sleep through the night. Expect to spend (and even waste) money on side positioners, transitional swaddlers, and other sleep aids or sleep coaching.
Mama Recovery
Recovering from pregnancy and a C-section is brutal. I highly recommend the specialized belly and hip wraps after pregnancy, even though they are expensive. Let’s not forget all of the other over-the-counter necessities you will need, such as pads, hemorrhoid cream, and other items.
I mention all of these extras because they can quickly add up. You may think nothing of a $10 bottle or $5 ointment, but it can easily add up to a few hundred dollars when you have to buy all of these items together.
Parents, weigh in. What were some of the unexpected costs that you had to deal with once your baby came home?
{ read the comments below or add one }
I always tell parents to buy the absolute essentials, like a crib/formula/car seat/diapers, but leave out all the fancy stuff until they really feel like they need them because most of those gadgets are a waste of money. Many baby gear sounds good but you’ll do just fine without just about most things that are sold to newborn parents.
I know many parents swear by their <> but the fact of the matter is that most people will do just fine with the basics.
I plan on saving money when I have kids by buying reusable diapers. Although I’m not quite sure how much water that would take up using rather than throwing disposable ones out in the garbage.
Alexis,
As a father I think that’s a great idea. Plus, way to many things go into the dump every year (diapers being one of them).