Average Cost?

[MagicStar723]

What is the AVERAGE cost for having a baby from conception to delivery? (dr. bills etc.)

 

[sammipher]

Looked it up on yahoo...
165,630 with inflation 233,530..for a middle-income family.
I think it really all depends on your income and how frugal you are. But, considering the above figures..I thought it would be much more...out of curiousity why?...also I am not sure if that includes doc bills..you have to base that on whether someone has insur. or if they qualify for some other assistance from their state...then there is also childcare costs..cause some will stay at home..like myself..which require no childcare..then some moms work which requires childcare and that can be costly...then you have to factor in medicines..you never know what illnesses your child will have or if they will need permanant medicine for the rest of their life..then there is private or public schools depending on where you live....so I am guessing that figure above should be alot more...raising a child requires alot of money as well as time.

 

[sammipher]

Oh..I see..sorry didn't see your other post..I will post in it also.

 

[sammipher]

Please dont let my above post scare you..that is based on a survey...with the Lord's grace anything can be done..just remember that when times are tough that if you have faith in him he will manage a way for you to have your basic needs covered.

 

[~Mrs. A2J~]

With my daughter it cost $10000 just for the delivery but we had insurance then. I don't remember what all the prenatal appointments cost. If we have another child we'll most likely have it at the local birthing center instead of the hospital and they said they charge $3000 which includes all prenatal care and delivery - of course ultrasounds, drugs during delivery, etc. will cost extra. So the cost varies greatly.

 

[jazzbird]

If you can find a cpm midwife in your area and would consider homebirth or a birth at a freestanding birth clinic, you will greatly reduce the cost of care and delivery. Homebirth is a wonderful and safe option (it is just as safe, if not safer than hospital birth for low-risk pregnancies), and I would be happy to talk with you about it if you want to pm me. My hubby and I have chosen homebirth because we think it is the best choice for us and our baby, not for financial reasons. My insurance will pay a total of $3000 for all my appointments and the birth.

 

[Leanna]

Whoa. I don't know about all that. You are probably under your parents insurance. My insurance covered 80%. I paid about 200 for all my regular prenatal checkups together, 20 dollars for each sonogram(I had 3), about 2500-3000 for delivery/immediate care of mother and baby including circumcision. The prenatal vitamins were about 10-15 per month.

The other costs are for items you will need immediately. Hopefully your family and loved ones will help some after they get used to the idea. I paid 100 for crib, 60 for mattress (I couldn't bring myself to get a cheap one because of fear of SIDS). MANY items I got at garage sales, go to the rich neighborhoods. I got an infant swing, bathtub, bouncy seat, blankets, lots of clothes.

Find out about WIC in your area. They will give you coupons for food that pregnant women need to have a healtyh baby and after the baby is born it is immeasurable how much they help.

 

[ShannonMcCatholic]

You will probably qualify for some sort of Medical aid through your local health department! Also- some churches participate in a program called Project Gabriel- who offer support to moms who need it. Here's the link:http://www.gabrielproject.com/

 

[sammipher]

Ours hasn't been expensive at all...we have been really blessed..although hubby does work for the hospital I am having our baby at..it pays 100% of everything..including prenatal visits..except if they are not four weeks apart for the first seven month then..two weeks apart the last two..I believe that is how it goes..I have only had to pay one co pay of 18.00 my whole pregnancy and then the cost of all my meds I take...but, if you qualify for some assistance ...I.E. medicaid...which my cousin applied for and got they cover 100% of your bills...I dont think she got to chose her own doc though.

 

[EmSchmem]

You will probably qualify for some sort of Medical aid through your local health department! Also- some churches participate in a program called Project Gabriel- who offer support to moms who need it. Here's the link:http://www.gabrielproject.com/

the availablilty of project gabriel is spotty at best. There are pregnancy resource centers in all areas that can help. Go to www.optionline.org for one near you.

 

[ShannonMcCatholic]

the availablilty of project gabriel is spotty at best. There are pregnancy resource centers in all areas that can help. Go to www.optionline.org for one near you.

Thanks! That's a great link to have!

 

[reformedfan]

If you do a little research & don't just dismiss it as 'too weird' or whatever, having a baby at home is a third or a fourth of the cost of having one in a hospital, and it's just as safe, if not safer- barring weird medical conditions, like knotted cords.

My 2 babies I had at home out of 6 were MUCH more peaceful, stress free experience, and I really think the inability to relax during contractions makes labor feel MUCH more painful. It cost us $700-or $800 compared to $5000 for doc visits & hospital.

 

[Leanna]

A couple things. First, a teenage pregnancy is considered high risk and can have more complications for mother and child so I would definitely not recommend home birth!!

Second, even though my visits were all "free" or so I thought, after I had the baby there was a final bill from all of them combined. Even though they were included at 100%. They explained it some wacky way. That was a mystery to me, but just to be warned.

 

[jazzbird]

I don't know that a healthy seventeen year old would be considered high risk. It's true that women under 20 are more likely to go into labor prematurely, but just as anyone planning a homebirth, they would be taken to a hospital to deliver if they are less than about 36 weeks along. Perhaps I am just not aware of the complications that are prominent among teen pregnancies, but from what I know, there is no reason why a homebirth shouldn't be a valid option for a 17 year old. Many complications are actually caused by hospital interventions, and a woman's chances at a complication free birth are much greater when she births at home.

I don't think that I, or anyone else that advocates homebirth is saying that this is without a doubt the best option for MagicStar. I don't know her, so how can I presume to know what is best for her? We are merely providing her with valid options and information.

 

[dews]

Absolutley nothing. Healthcare is free in Canada! Ok, $15 for vitamins and about $10 in Tums.