how much does a baby cost?

[lexib]

So the title's a little ott, but...
Realistically, how much will it cost too buy everything I'm learning I need for a newborn? So far my list goes... clothes, cot, changing top, bath stuff, monitor, sterilising kit, bedlinens, nappies, other nursery niceness (decoration etc), travel set including pram, car seat, muslins, bibs, mobile, blanket...
I want you buy nice things, in association much as is possible.
How much did setting yourself up forward a new life cost you? Trying today factors in to maternity maths for the coming year
Thanks forward any help you ladies have

I found he cost what we could afford to spend. It's sort of like asking "how much does a wedding cost?".

Figure out what you want/need and how much you have to spend and go from there.

Same as EmpireBiscuit said.
When I found out I was pregnant I was without a job and we were on the bones of our arses money wise.
You just go with what you have the money for.

I am currently pregnant with my first baby. I'm pretty organised, nursery decorated and furnished and think I have pretty much everything to last the first month after the baby arrives. I have just had a quick reckon up and I think we have spent about £1500 so far. I have tried to be sensible and get bargains and sale items where I can but that is for all new stuff.

It's such a difficult question. You can really spend what you want or what you have. Don't forgot you may or may not get loads passed on from friends or family. I have been given books, toys, baby bath, steriliser to name a few. eBay/gumtree has loads of clothes, prams etc.
one thing I didn't factor in was the cost of maternity clothes and bras.
Post birth you also need to factor in little bits like cotton wool, breast pads, maternity towels etc as well as the obvious nappies etc. you can look out for special offers and discount codes.
we got our nursery furniture from mothercare on offer. wardrobe, cot and chest of drawers for 300. mattress 140 but cheaper out there.
Pram was expensive as went for iCandy but cheaper alternatives. Cost us over 800.
Car seat 65 (half price when buying pram).
Crib instead of Moses basket 100 plus mattress 30.
Plus some clothes, nappies, change mat, bedding, change bag, paint for bedroom plus curtains etc.
Hope that helps

My DS is 4 months now and the main thing I would want to pass on is don't buy too many clothes etc. We got a lot of stuff when he was born in a range of sizes, we got vouchers too. Stuff that was not needed we exchanged and with the vouchers he got we have only just started buying stuff out of our own money!
Apart from the furniture/pram/car seat costs I don't think there is a lot of expense needed. A lot of the stuff people buy really is not needed at all, like top and tail bowls for example!

As long as a piece of string, you can safely buy the vast majority of things second hand or borrow them from friends, and much of the furniture and accessories you're told are essential are far from it.

However, the biggest costs by a mile for me were taking a year's maternity leave - last 3 months unpaid, and previous months SMP much lower than my previous wage- and then going back part-time. Both absolutely the right decisions for me and DD but my finances will never be the same again!

We spent very little. We bought a new car seat and a new mattress. Everything else was either bought second hand from NCT sales or Jack & Jill Markets or ebay. We managed to get a cot bed and nursing chair free on freecycle. Friends loaned us a Moses basket & crib. We spent about £300 all in and that was including clothes up to 12 months. You get masses of gifts when baby arrives.

Thanks everyone, yes that does help. Conscious that i don't want to go overboard if it's not really necessary, but then is hard to downplay the excitement of all this
Can anyone tell me where the line is between things we need to buy at the best quality possible (thinking mattress) and things that don't really matter? No idea whether the cot material for example needs to be anything particular. Mainly this bits related to keeping the baby healthy.
Potential paranoia I know, but no one tells you this stuff! And on 12 week lockdown right now

Smile - i saw those top and tail bowls!! Things i never knew were out there

I would spend enough for a cot so you get a drop side. Otherwise they are all the same.

You need new mattress and car seat. I would buy the best you can afford for them. To me safety and reducing SIDS is very important. I've got bedding from John Lewis and mothercare and prefer the John Lewis.
Pram is really personal preference, buy what's important to you ie rear facing, adjustable handle bar etc. there will be an antenatal group on here for your due month I found that really useful as we have all shared info etc.

Most baby stuff is pretty heavily regulated by British Safety Standards so you can buy cheap knowing it is up to standard. Whether you are sucked in by all the spiel about expensive being better is down to personal choice.

You can spend as much as you like. Saw a cot the other day for £500. Not including mattress.

I got a lot of stuff in Ikea, including things like towels, sheets, mobile's etc. Buggies can cost a fortune but the buggy threads on here give really good advice. I have always had second hand buggies, either ebay or family. Good quality ones will do several children.

Good luck and hopefully you will be inundated with lovely baby clothes, all ours have been. IME people are very generous when you have a baby.

Congratulations!

By the way, I'm a fan of spending if it makes my life easier and I can afford it. I have a friend who didn't buy a lie flat pram, a baby carrier or a travel system. She survived the first six months simply by carrying her LO in her arms, and driving everywhere. That is just crazy in my mind. But she did save loads without having to buy the travel system though!

Baby clothes, if you want to buy new, are fine to buy cheap, they only are in them for a month or two anyway. Asda or Sainsbury's vests and babygros are good quality and wash well.

Oh, and don't buy any bath stuff at all. Baby can easily be washed in the sink with nothing but warm water, you really don't need any johnsons stuff.

I never got a changing table, just use a changing mat on the floor.

If you're planning to breastfeed, don't bother buying sterilising kit until you know you need it, I never used mine.

People will want to buy you stuff, make the most of it!

Agree with those above. I'd do your research, decide what you want and then keep an eye out for a bargain.

We got our cot made but if we hadn't I'd have bought from ikea. DD is 4 months and still in her Moses basket so there isn't too much of a rush if you're planking on using a basket.
Changing top - don't bother imo. We've got a mat upstairs and downstairs and we change her on the floor or bed.
Steriliser and bottles etc - don't bother if you're planning on BF. I bought and got given these as I was planning on expressing but at 4 months DD still won't take a bottle so she'll be going straight on to a cup. If you think you want to express just buy a cheap hand pump that comes with one bottle until you know they'll take it.

We've decorated the nursery but that was mainly for me to have something to do. She doesn't sleep in it yet.

Pram, I researched lots and bought on eBay. Car seat I chose and waited for offers online.

Clothes I bought some at the next sale but got bought and given lots.

Top and tail bowl/baby bath I haven't bothered with at all. Just a wet flannel or bath with me/DH

Get thee to an NCT sale. You can get almost everything there. Feel a big of a muppet buying all the baby stuff brand new in john Lewis- would have saved a fortune!

Baby wardrobe is another waste in my opinion. Just get a normal adult size one or put clothes in drawers. Changing table is also pointless imo, a nice chest or drawers with changing mat on top is perfect. Once they start to role, it is dangerous anyway. Both these items will save you £££.

I didn't get a changing table originally, but my back really hurts after a month of changing DD on the floor. So it ended as one of those things I really did need. I guess you can try one on the floor first as they are very cheap. I don't have any dressers of the right height to change DD on.

Don't buy anything until you really need it and can see it will be used for a few months not just a short phase.
I bought most things, cot, bedding etc from John Lewis and they are still going strong 10 years and three children later. Some of the cheaper kit might not be as robust.
Definitely go to an NCT sale and borrow things from friends if you can ( door bouncers, Bumbo etc). You can also put wanted signs up in supermarket/ village notice boards which is how I got a travel cot.
You can easily get overrun with toys, my 10 month old's favourite things are a pair of Daddy's socks ( clean!!), a few pots and pans and some shiny paper.

Sorry I saw your post title and immediately thought 'how much are you offering?' clearly this pg is getting to me more than I'd thought !

Free cycle is a total godsend if your in a tight budget ....

Beg all your friends and family to turn out their attics for old baby stuff, and only buy the minimum of everything. So much stuff everyone buys is an utter waste of money! A budget baby will still cost you loads in terms of loss of earnings but a designer baby with all new flash stuff could cost £20,000 p.a. just for the kit! Think of what a baby in 1950 would have had and just get that!

You need a new mattress and a new car seat (if you have a car).

Everything else can be second hand. Tesco is good for vests. Don't buy any basic clothes (vests or babygros) in Mothercare or Next as they are not any better than Tesco or Sainsburys and 3 times the price.

A pram/buggy can set you back £600 or so if you buy new.

Apart from big purchases like furniture, you need to remember that things like nappies cost a fortune. A few months before DS was born we started adding nappies, wipes or cotton wool to our weekly shop. This softened the blow somewhat once DS was here.

With exception of matress we have bought everything second hand and spent about £150. Have cot, travel system, changing mat and car seat. Also been given stuff by friends.

Look at New and what you like and then hit Nct or recycleforchildren sales and ebay to get a bargain.

There is a calculator tool on the money advice service but what everyone else has said - you can spend as little or much as you want. I've totted our spends up and we've spent about £1,200. This includes:

New pushchair (in sale) and new car seat and isofix that form a travel system
Cot (half price but brand new on ebay)
Cot mattress (new, we spent a bit more on spring as meant to be better)
Moses basket and stand (sale)
Change table (ebay) and change bits (all sale/ reduced)
Bedding for basket and cot (new, ebay)
Clothes up to three months (new but in the sales)
Monitor (new but reduced)
Rocker (new but in the sales)
Nursery paint, wall stickers, blackout blinds, lampshade (new but in sales/discounts)