How much will having a baby cost?

Petulia Clarke, Staff Reporter

BET you never thought that a squealing seven pound package could cost an arm and a leg, right? But immediately after a baby's conception, you'll find yourself digging deep into your pockets to support it.

Did you know that some babies drink almost a quarter can of formula daily? Did you know that they go through around three disposable diapers per day, that most have to be fed every two hours and that every minor ache has to be attended to by a doctor?

When your little bundle of joy arrives, you'll experience one of the happiest moments of your life ­ but if you haven't planned for it, it will be one of the scariest as from birth to 18 years into its life you'll have to budget for tens of thousands of dollars.

Consider 10-month-old Kacy, five-year-old Shantell, and nine-year old Lexi, the children of Melinda Bromfield, a 28-year-old housewife from Christiana, Manchester. Kacy's short stint into this world has already set Melinda and her husband Al back a neat percentage of his income. Melinda gave up her job as a store clerk to stay at home with the children and supports them on her husband's $5,000 a week salary. They don't pay rent or utilities, so the money is used to send the two older children to school and buy necessities for the younger baby. Having been to the hospital three times already, she was able to break down how much it would cost to have a baby.

THE TEST

An ordinary pregnancy test from a pharmacy costs between $120 and $300. After having confirmed the pregnancy, the initial doctor's visit will cost the usual $800-$1300 depending on the area and the doctor. A public hospital(Melinda had her babies at the Mandeville Public Hospital) will cost just around $100-$150 for the visit.

PRE-NATAL VISITS

These are necessary to ensure that the birth is safe. Pre-natal visits are done every three months (thus $200-300-public, $1600-2600-private for the first six months) and until the seventh month when visits move to every two weeks ($400-$600-public and $3,200-$5,200 until the eighth month) and then in the ninth month, every week. The cost at a private doctor would be the same as the initial visit and at the public clinic around $100 each time.

THE BIRTH

It cost Melinda $1,100 to have her last baby naturally at the public hospital. Note that this was only the maternity fee. It also cost $200 per day to stay in the hospital plus money for food and medicine.

Melinda stayed in the hospital for five days after giving birth. Her final bill excluding prescriptions was a little over $3,700. It costs over $10,000 for maternity fees in a private hospital.

Note also that if there are complications with the pregnancy, a Caesarean section, which is surgery, could run you into tens of thousands of dollars for surgery and hospital recovery time. Add prescription drugs and the price skyrockets. Also, if the baby comes too early, it might have to stay in an incubator for a couple of weeks.

Charmaine Clarke, a 27-year-old Kingston mother of a six-month-old premature baby says that she spent over $150,000 in hospital fees when her first son was born three months premature for the child to remain in an incubator for four weeks. Prescriptions for a preemie can run into thousands of dollars and they require expensive special formula for the first few months.

THE BABY KIT

There are some things that are absolutely necessary in the baby kit that you'll need for the hospital and the first few months. Melinda lists these and the prices as follows. Baby clothes which include diapers: cloth nappies ($160 for a 12 pack which lasts longer) or disposable ($160 for 12 (will last from three-four days to a week), at least five receiver blankets ($200 each), at least six chemises ($60 each), soap ($28), washrags ($10-$40), baby oil ($150 for a large bottle), powder ($80-$120), at least three nipple bottles (cost $50-$250 each), a baby bag ($200), six towels ($400 each), maternity pads ($120 for a pack of 10 which lasts for three-five days), two night-gowns (Melinda's mom provided these, but night-gowns cost between $150 and $500 each), sheets ($800-$1,200 per set for a double bed), canvas (rubber for baby to sleep on), antiseptic, a portable bath and pail ($1,200), baby sweaters, three monkey suits, numerous socks (at least for the early months, hats, bibs and a thermos. A stroller is optional and costs over $5,000 while the carseat costs between $7,000-$10,000.

FOOD

Luckily, breastmilk is the staple for the first five months or whenever the mother decides to wean. But the mother has to be fit to ensure that her baby gets good milk. She has to stock up on vitamins, vegetables and food with the nutrients a baby needs.

For Melinda, during her breastfeeding months (Kacy still breastfeeds) weekly visits to the supermarket costs her between $1,000-$1,500 for the essentials. After the baby weans and moves on to solid food, costs of course increase. A tub of Gerber mashed food or juice costs between $45-$60 for a serving. The six-month-old baby will eat about three servings of food a day, plus juice.

Portmore single mother Jane Dwyer, supports three-year-old Janice and says that to cut costs after she weaned Janice, she bought fruit cheaply at Coronation market and mashed and froze them herself as snacks and boiled and mashed her own carrots and potatoes. This saved money on imported baby food.

Ripe bananas cost around $30 for a dozen while other fruits like melon, papaya and pineapple are 'dirt cheap' and freshness is assured. A can of the cheapest formula is $260 and juices can be freshly made from all the fruits we have here.

LEAVING THE HOSPITAL

Melinda and her husband had to charter a taxi on leaving Mandeville Public for Christiana where they live. Taxi fare is now $500 for the 15 minute drive. The fare increases or decreases with the length of the journey.

POST-NATAL VISITS

The baby has to see the doctor at six weeks and then at three-months-old when booster shots begin. The public clinic charges $50 for each visit. There, the shots are free. A private doctor should charge around $500 for the baby not including the cost for filling the booster prescription.

WHEN BABY GETS SICK

The baby will get sick. Very often. The weakest baby will have allergies, colds, infections, ear infections, colic and constipation. The average baby will get sick around every month and a sick child will always be visiting the doctor. Melinda advises that you always have money around the house in case of an emergency. The new mother will also get sick, she can haemorrhage if she starts working too soon and is also susceptible to colds and infections. Doctor's visits remain the same as stated above and prescriptions vary.

WHAT YOU GIVE UP.

Melinda earned $3,500 a week before she had her last baby. Staying home meant that the family is short an extra $14,000 a month.

WHAT YOU SHOULD PLAN FOR

Plan especially for sick days, Melinda advises. Every 'bug' that goes around will affect a baby whose immune system is weak and who has not received all its booster shots. Doctor's visits she says comprise the bulk of a baby's expenses, followed directly by diapers and food. You have to stock up on prescription drugs to deal with the many childhood illnesses. The baby years will also pass by faster than you expect and pretty soon it will be time for school.

Some kindergarten fees run into the $10,000s for tuition alone, then there's primary school with books, lunch money and transport. Clothes for children are also becoming increasingly expensive.

Melinda advises that parents also start a college fund for their kids as soon as possible. Most banks offer accounts geared towards financing your child's education. With all the money that it takes in other expenses, it is extremely important to have some sort of fund set aside so that education isn't forgotten. University in Jamaica now costs a little over $100.000 per year, imagine what that will be like 18 years from now when your now new-born enters.

Back to Business