Are you ready to have a baby?

Starting a family is always a beautiful story and a new adventure. Recently I've been to a few of my friends' wedding. It was great to see this newly wed couple planning ahead together, about having baby and getting a home etc. 

The question remains...how easy is it to have a baby? Oops. I don't mean the process...of course that's easy. but how affordable are you to have a baby? 

Ready to have a baby?

Married couple....this is for you! Well, at least, it's based on my reading and also from the information obtained from my friends who are with babies (P.S: I'm not married and don't plan to do so any time soon...please do not misunderstood it from this post)

Having a baby is expensive...consider it from all of these: food, clothing, education, hobbies, healthcare, entertainment and caretaker costs...all of that will cost you more than just love, fresh air and water. (I know some people are deceived by the easy doing it from Korean drama...please don't watch those too often...reality is very much more difficult).

First of all, before the baby is even born, the cost has already started....

1) PREGNANCY CHECK-UP

Assuming a normal pregnancy, a pregnant mom would probably have to go for regular check up once a month and even more frequent from the 36th weeks onwards. At private hospitals, you can expect RM200 for each visit. 

A rough estimate would be about RM2,400 until the delivery week. 

Of course, there is an option of the government hospital. I'm not so sure how many would go for the government hospital though, especially for the first baby.

2) Your baby is coming out, and that will cost you a BOMB as well...

The cost of delivery is not going to be cheap. A natural delivery could cost about RM3,000 depending on the kind of hospital that you decide to go to (inclusive of 3 days and 2 nights of stay). If it's a caesarean delivery, it could go up to RM6,000 or more.

Estimated budget: RM3,000 to RM6,000.

3) MEDICAL CARE FOR THE BABY

Honestly I never thought of this before until a friend told me. The baby would need to go for immunizations and regular check ups from 0 month to about a year. 

An estimation budget of about RM2,500 is required for this period.

Well, you may think that the problem is solved, but it's only about to start...

4) CHILDCARE

While both the husband and wife work, someone has to take care of the baby. If you're lucky like a friend of mine, you can save on this. (His mother in law helped to take care of the baby). If not, you should read this.

Most people will send their baby to a nursery. This nursery center operates on weekdays and on working hours only. It will cost you about RM800 to RM1,000 per month. Total spent in a year: RM9,600 to RM12,000. There are those who would take care of them overnight and you only take care of the baby on weekends but the price would be more expensive.

5) OTHER EXPENSES

This is a long list of other expenses.

Stroller

You will need a good quality stroller that can usually last at least two years to bring your baby out. An average stroller with a baby carrier that doubles as car seat costs about RM1,000.When your baby is slightly older (depending on weight), you will need to get a separate car seat that costs about RM500.

Food

Breast feeding. If the mom decide breast feeding is the best for the child, don't think it's free. You will still need to get a breast pump. Gonna cost you for about RM700. 

Formula milk. This will depends on the brand of your choice and the stages of your child. Normally, for newborn baby, it will be more expensive. Expect about RM100 for a tin.

Solid food. As your baby reached 6 months old and older, it's time to get some solid food like porridge, puree food, or baby cereal. It's fair to expect about RM100 to RM200 for this.

Diapers.

You're lucky on this. If you're on budget, you can choose the cheaper ones but don't expect it to be kind to your wallet anyway.

A mid-range diaper brand can cost about RM30 per pack. The number of diapers in a pack depends on the size.

A more premium diaper brand can cost about RM50 per pack. These can be used at night as they can last longer without leaking.

Clothes and toys.

Expect to get something for your child. I'm sure you would regardless of how tight your budget is. The amount spent really depends on you but most people told me they spend about RM300 to RM600 on this.

Alright, we are only talking about the expenses for your child when they are still babies. Ever thought of what happen as they go into school...Tuition fees, monthly allowance etc. Alright, on average, you may expect about RM25,000 for the first year (from the time of pregnancy) if you choose to send your baby to nursery. If not, you probably save about RM10,000 to RM12,000...an estimate of about RM15k. So, if you want to have a baby, start saving for this first.