Forum home Getting pregnant Trying to conceive

Planning a baby.. HELP

Me and my boyfriend have been together 10 months,

its going so well, and dont want to ruin it.

Everyone seems to be pregnant lately and Im beginning to really want a baby.

Im only 17 years old, and i know i can get help with costs and things.

But my mums always said people dont realise the cost of having a baby.

so how much does it cost a week/month, just so i know

were not going to try for one yet, its just a thought, but want to know more so i can make the right decision.



Can anyone help? :?

Replies

  • the cost of having a baby is what you make it but me and my husband both HAVE to work full time to be able to afford to live.

    we do get child tax credits,which most people get (we get ??10 a week!) and child benefit(??20 a week for fist child)

    the best thing you can do in my opinion (being that you are planning a baby rather than the pregnancy being a suprise) is save some money. my first was a surprise pregnancy at 19 and i had NO money! my pushchair was 2nd hand and the only thing that was brandenew was her cot and matress-not really the most exciting shopping i had imangined when i was going to have baby.

    write down what your income is now and what your outgoings are and see what you have left over.

    then do the same list without your income or with you on maternity leave money (i think sat mat money is ??124 a week)

    andee if your bills can still be covered.

    if your bills are covered then thats a good position to start with. if you can put off having a baby until you can afford to initail outlays (pushchairs,carseat,few clothes,vest and nappys) then you will find things a ,ot easier.

    do a list of how much you think your monthly running costs will be-nappies,wipes,fomula (include fomula even if you plan to breast feed that way there are no suprises!!),and bits like that and add 10% for margin of error,unplanned stuff (my daughter has a milk allergy and it costs me a fortune for soya products!!)

    i think doing this will give you some idea.

    if you are both very keen on the idea of starting a family and have good support around you there is nothing stopping you collecting a few bits and bobs when you see them on offer

    xx
  • Hey there.



    I'm 18, my partner is 20 (21 in a few months) and we have a 15 month old daughter. She was not planned. I had just started college when I found I was pregnant. I had to drop out in order to have my baby (she was due before my end of year exams and missing any of my lessons would pretty much lead to fail). I'm now back at college, just Tuesday and Thursday evenings, so when my partner gets back from work, he has our daughter and I hop on a train to get to college.

    It is an extremely hectic lifestyle. You cannot estimate how much it costs. You have to remember it won't be a baby forever, but it will cost you for the rest of your life. When my daughter was a newborn, she didn't cost me much, but she's a toddler now and she needs more clothes as she's constantly staining her clothes, she needs snacks, proper food, real meals, she needs toys, not to mention the cost of childcare (I'm lucky and don't have to use childcare as my partner's mum is usually around to help out).



    Another thing to think about is your relationship. Having a baby will do awful, awful things to your relationship. I've had countless fights with my partner, we're constantly arguing about things. You have to think "is this the man I want to raise a child with, someone I want to be connected to for the rest of my life?" I know you've been with him 10 months and obviously you feel love for him, but you have to wonder if he will stick around, if he'll be a good dad.



    I'm not trying to put you off the idea, no way! I love my kiddo and we're actually discussing having another in the next year or so. There are just certain things you have to think about. I've lost a bunch of friends because they're all out getting drunk and recently a lot of my friends have left for uni.



    Please please please don't rush it, and try to think of every pro and con and weigh them out.



    Lots of luck for you if you do decide to have a baby, and if you don't, enjoy being young! image



    xxx
Sign In or Register to comment.