Cost of a baby in Scotland

[Veronica1703]

Hello,

I am 41 and I have a 14 year old son. I am considering trying to have a second child. However, I am worried about costs. My husband and I don’t have relatives in Glasgow, we are worried about not having support and for our child to grow only with 1 grandparent that can only visit once a year. Alongside this, we have difficulties making a decision because we don’t know approximately what are the monthly costs?
Can someone help?

Thanks,
Veronica

Can you afford to not work? Or find out how much a nursery would be so you can work? Do you get UC? So many variants to consider.

We had no family support, so I didn't work until youngest went to school. One wage was enough. But obviously better now we have two wages!

A baby as such doesn't cost a lot.

How long is a piece of string though?! Depends what you want for your children and what priorities you have - holidays, saving for their futures etc

I am not in UC, i have a job and the salary of my husband is enough to cover mortgage and bills, bit no more than that. Ideally, if we were to have a baby, I would not be happy having my baby in a nursery from such a young age just so I can keep working. Husband insists that if we have a baby I must work otherwise I would be putting too much on him because his salary won’t be enough.

I think also because when I had my son in 2011, I stayed with him all the way until he started primary, I am very happy with my son’s personality and I do wonder if a lot of it has to do with the fact that I stayed with him constantly, I keep reading about babies and high cortisol due to feeling abandoned in nursery and it worries me a lot.

I like my DC and they both went to nursery from 14 months (3 days a week)
HTH
If your DH doesn’t support your desire to be a SAHM then I don’t see how that would work

A baby is a massive cost, especially if you aren't getting hand me downs. Clothes, cot, pram, carseat. Baby classes, like swimming and baby sensory etc. Then after a year, add food as well, more clothes, toys. Then preschool costs. Activties such as gymnastics, football etc. Birthday parties, presents, toys etc. Then school uniforms, tablets, phones, laptops. Children are a massive, massive expense! Obviously it varies and you don't need to do or get anything, but I must admit when I was pregnant I was shocked at the price of a carseat! It cost almost as much as my old car!

Nursery Edinburgh £1,400 a month for 5 days a week. Halves roughly when they get to 3.

Most of my friends and I had their kids in full time or near full time nursery from well before the child’s first birthday. All totally lovely children. Your idea against full time nursery from a young age seems very odd. The happiest kids in the world are the Scandinavians and full time nursery from 1 is very much what’s believed to be best for both the child and society.