If you're not breastfeeding or are supplementing, use powdered formula, which costs less than ready-to-use or liquid concentrate. By 12 months old, your pediatrician will likely recommend that you switch your baby from formula to regular cow's milk, assuming your baby doesn't have any allergies or health concerns. Monthly formula costs could spike if your baby needs a special hypoallergenic formula or if there's a formula recall or shortage.Īs your child gets older, formula costs will lessen as the amount of formula they'll need daily decreases, especially once you start introducing solid foods around six months of age. The cost will be lower if you supplement with breast milk and higher if you give your baby more expensive brands or ready-to-feed formula. And always double-check all bills and paperwork to make sure there are no errors or hidden, unexpected fees.Ĭost: $400 to $800 is the average monthly cost for powdered formula for babies who are formula-fed exclusively. Also, if you're paying out-of-pocket, many hospitals and healthcare providers will work with you on a discounted package rate for your prenatal and labor and delivery services. (Midwifery services are about $2,000 less than an obstetrician's fees, on average.) Before you go this route though, confirm that your insurance (if you're insured) covers midwifery services, as most but not all do. Also, if your pregnancy isn't high risk, you can consider having a midwife rather than an ob-gyn deliver your baby. Ways to save: If you're uninsured, look into health insurance options right away. Luckily though, many states make it easier for pregnant women to enroll in Medicaid or a state-sponsored health insurance program, through which all of your healthcare would be free or available at a very low cost. If you don't have health insurance, having a baby could run you between $9,000 and $17,000 for a vaginal birth or $14,000 to $25,000 for a C-section. The costs may be even higher if you're medically induced, if you have a complicated delivery, or if your baby needs to stay in the NICU. The labor and delivery itself is the biggest expense in pregnancy, as you (and your insurer) will need to pay for things like the practitioner and the actual hospital fees. Hospital bills could exceed $10,000 out of pocket if your baby spends time in the NICU.Įven with insurance, most pregnant women have to pay for healthcare costs associated with their prenatal care, such as insurance co-pays and deductibles. The national average as of 2020 was $13,811 with employer-sponsored health insurance, or an average of $3,000 out of pocket for both a mom and her baby's hospital stays. Cost of childbirth and healthcareĬost: Giving birth in a hospital in the United States is expensive. ![]() Planning ahead and setting a budget as new parents certainly helps there are also resources available for those in a lower income bracket who need financial help for a new baby. It's definitely scary to think about having enough money to meet your baby's needs, but luckily, there are ways to make these costs more manageable. But there are some simple ways to cut costs for instance, you may have family nearby who can help watch your child a few days a week, or you may be able to breastfeed to save money on formula. Certain expenses are out of your control, such as how much childcare costs in your area and the price of your family's health insurance plan (through an employer or otherwise). Of course, the total cost you can expect to pay also depends on your lifestyle and how much money you choose to spend on necessary items such as housing and food.
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