Here's what moms are spending on their babies' first year
FILE - Baby's foot (Photo by Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
If you’re having fewer kids or delaying having children because of finances, you’re not alone: A recent survey found that it costs more than $20,000 for a baby’s first year. And that doesn’t include labor and delivery costs.
BabyCenter, an online media company that provides information on pregnancies, births and early childhood, surveyed 1,399 moms of at least one child aged 0-8. Here’s what they found.
Average costs for baby’s first year
By the numbers:
According to the survey, here’s what parents are spending on a baby’s first year:
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- 9 months of childcare: $10,107
- Feeding: $3,959
- Nursery: $1,352
- Diapers: $1,032
- Strollers, car seats, etc.: $956
- Saving for child’s future: $900
- Clothing: $816
- Activity equipment (bouncer, play mat, etc.): $591
- Bathing/toiletries: $374
- Health and safety: $153
- Toys: $144
The survey found that parents spend roughly $68 a month on baby clothing, $86 a month on diapers and wipes, and $222 a month on formula alone.
Parents say they spend about a third of their total income on a baby’s first year. For 15% of moms, more than half of their income goes to the baby’s first year.
Costs expected to rise
Two of every three moms surveyed said they expect family expenses to go up in 2025 – inflation creeped up 3% in January, and that’s coupled with an ongoing childcare crisis and the threat of tariffs.
Gen Z families are 83% more likely to be concerned with the costs that come with raising a baby and 75% more likely to be concerned about income instability.
Why you should care:
A quarter of parents surveyed said the cost of raising babies has caused them to have fewer children, while 26% say they’re putting off having more kids because of money.
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How to save money with a baby
What you can do:
BabyCenter offered the following tips for saving money on a baby’s first year:
- Shop for older models of baby gear – For example, buy the 2023 baby monitor instead of the 2024 model. The same goes for car seats.
- Buy second-hand clothing and toys.
- Check out co-ops, nanny shares, the child tax credit, dependent care FSAs and employee assistance programs to look for ways to save on childcare.
The Source: This report includes information from BabyCenter.