Family Finance: Budgeting For Baby
 As if the thought of imminent parenthood wasn't enough to keep you up at night, then a look at how much it costs to make your house ready for the newborn may have you heading for the hills!
Here's our list of most of the things you'll need in the hours, days and weeks following the birth. You might want to read this sitting down.
Basic Budget
5 pack of newborn bibs £5
3 pack envelope neck vests £3.50
7 pack of short-sleeved jump suits with poppers at the crotch £7
3 jump suits with attached feet £7
3 hooded baby towels £12
2 cardigans £20
12 pack of muslin squares £15
1 summer or winter hat £4
Baby socks £4
Scratch Mitts £2
Plastic baby bath £8
Natural sponge£2.75
Changing Mat £5
Nappy cream £4
Wet wipes £2.50
Talcum powder 70p
Cotton wool balls £1
Nappy sacks 100 pack £4.50
Moses basket £30
Moses basket mattress £25
Moses basket stand £20
Proper cot £100
Cot mattress £50
2/3 fitted sheets to dress the bed with £7
2 cellular blankets £12
Baby monitor £30+
Baby car seat £40+
dimmer switch £14
Steam Steriliser £38
Newborn starter pack of bottles and teats £15
Breastpads £4.50 pack of 100
Maternity towels £2 for pack of 12
Pram/buggy £180 +
Sling £20
Total: £695.45
How we arrived at this figure...
All prices are based on the standard model in all cases, either Mothercare or Boots own-brand, so this is very much a starting point! Designer buggies, for example, can run to hundreds of pounds. Where possible we chose multipacks in order to save money.
How you can reduce this cost...
Borrow where you can! While certain items such as car seats and mattresses should be bought new, there's plenty of things on this list you could borrow from friends and family. Alternatively, you could follow the lead of our friends across the water and have a baby shower. That way your friends will know they're getting you something you actually want for your baby, and you don't end up with twenty sets of yellow booties.
Prices correct as of June 2006
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