Cost of baby - first few months.

N

NewBabyLA

Registered User
Wondering if anyone has a spreadsheet or similar on how much it costs to have a baby in the first few months up to 6 mths then to a year?

Including cost of cot, pram etc..
 
it is a totally subjective thing. we did second hand furniture/pram. breastfed exclusively (no bottles, formula etc) and had 90% of clothes given to us. so, for us, it wasn't expensive at all. we also used the gov't clinics for vaccinations etc.

others will only buy from places like bumps-to-babes or mothercare, formula feed and everything new and only use private doctors.

it can go from as little as $1000-2000 up to the tens of thousands... it all depends on you and your budget.
 
Lowest could be when you are exclusively breast feeding, using cloth diapers, get baby supplies as gifts or second hand and visit Govt clinic or have Health Insurance.
There is not upper limit actually :)
 
I agree with the others. But I also think that the first few months are the cheapest (excluding all the furniture and major equipment you buy before the birth), particularly if you`re breastfeeding. If you shop in the markets and at cheaper stores, clothes are not that bad, but remember that they grow sooooo quickly so the newborn clothes are the most unused ones. Diapers are really the biggest expense (unless you`re using formula - that makes it add up quick with the bottles and accessories) and then you`ll use about a large pack a week.
 
I'd agree with everyone else! The most expensive is diapers and formula if you are not breastfeeding exclusively. There is really no upper limit since baby stuff can get very expensive if you only want to buy name brands etc. 99% of the stuff i use is 2nd hand so I save a lot..it's a personal choice though...
 
newborn baby clothes for winter

My baby will be due in January - what type of clothes do I need to buy for her? Everything I have so far seems very summery..
 
NewBabyLA said:
My baby will be due in January - what type of clothes do I need to buy for her? Everything I have so far seems very summery..
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let me see whether i can help.

furniture/equipment:
- we bought a cot from Ikea (1500 HKD) plus a changing table/cabinet from the same place (1500 HKD): 3000 HKD
- then a few small things to put into the cot (bed sheets, one blanket, some toys): 300 HKD
- we also bought a moses basket: 800 HKD
- sterilizer for 6 bottles, 3 small and 3 large feeding bottles plus some small stuff for feeding: 1000 HKD?
- a electric breast pump: free as it was given to us
- baby carrier peg perego: 1300 HKD (2nd hand)
- washing basin for baby bathing: 300 HKD

the cot was actually not needed (at this erly stage) as we like the moses basket so much more as the baby can sleep next to us in our bedroom. i was glad that we did not buy bedding as it's really not needed (and even dangerous -> SIDS)

clothing (sorry i dont know the proper names for all these):
- 2 undies (i.e. the inner ones)
- 2 'jackets' (i.e. on top of the undies)
- 2 trousers
- 1 head cap
- 2 pair of socks
- two swaddling blankets

all of the above was probably 1-2k, though i have seen socks for 5 HKD or 150 HKD depending whether you buy in the street market or in bumps to babes. frankly i would really not buy more than the above, we got sooooo many clothes as gifts, partly second hand, partly new depending on the gift-giver. now we have like 10 undies plus tons of stuff when he is 6 months old... :)

medical/health:
- vaccinations and doctor visits in the first 3 months are probably 2-3k all in
- we bought very few other stuff like mustela cream, nail clipper, etc. 200 HKD in total or so, though my company gave us a mustela baby basket fulfilling our needs for our next 3 kids
- shampoos, etc.: 200 HKD

daily stuff:
- diapers: cost can be between 1-4 HKD/piece depending on quality/brand, etc.. you use about 10 per day, i would say on average
- formula: ours is 75% breast fed and 25% formula, so the formula is not much really. 200 HKD per (big) can which lasts us like 3 weeks or so
- tissues and other small stuff for changing: 300 HKD per month

i think that's about it so far.

net-net i strongly recommend not to buy too much beforehand and buy as you go. there is almost nothing you cannot buy at short notice if you need it and there is a reason why your husband should take the first days off -> i went shopping a lot for small-small things :)
 
If your baby is due in January, you will need warm stuffs for the baby. Although it does not snow, Winter in Hong Kong can be pretty cold and windy. In addition, you may consider buying a heater as the indoor temperature can get pretty low also... something like 16C.
 
yes, but the best temp for a baby to sleep is 17-18C! the rule of thumb to follow is:

what you would wear plus ONE layer... not like many of hte local babies that you see dressed up in 15 layers of clothing!
 
Yes .. That is what I don't understand. 17-18C seems so cold! Few days ago I was already shivering at home!
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Oh, and I was thinking about the heater for warming the room when you are bathing the baby.
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after/during a bath, it is nice for a small heater... but not generally during sleep. you'll find that a heater really dries out the air if left on for extended periods of time (ie. night-time) and the baby may find it uncomfortable.
 
I only wrote down what I bought before the baby came. I hope it helps:

Changing Table: 1690
Cot: 700
Pram: 1000 (used)
Rocker, mattress, diapers, milkbags, soap, cot sheet: 2410
Sheets, changing mat, blankets, thermometer, grooming set: 1420
Baby carrier: 700
Baby sound system: 900
 
carang said:
yes, but the best temp for a baby to sleep is 17-18C!QUOTE]

To me the whole temperature discussion is a perfect example where reliance on some western books can lead to funny conclusions in Asia.

The facts are: There is no established scientific consesus that there exists an absolute optimal temperature level. Research studies have shows that if a baby is too cold, it will catch a cold. If a baby is too hot, then the risk of SIDS does increase a little bit compared to a control group.

The key however is that 'too hot' is a relative term and not absolute. As a result, for example both the American Academy of Pediatrics or the Australian National Scientific Advisory Group do explicitly mention that there is no optimal temperature level, but rather that parents should bed their kids comfortably and ensure that they do not get too hot (by checking their neck, etc.). Kids regulate their temperature to 85% through their face, so it's important to keep the face upwards and free of anything that could interfere.

This summer our child slept comfortably in 28 degree and is never too hot. Equally he is very comfortable now in 22 degrees. He is simply regulating his body temperature himself (similar like me and my wife who are doing the same).
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i never, ever tried to reach the 17C myself. HOWEVER, i did notice that both of my children would wake throughout the night (they still do) if the room was more than 22C.

my problem is that i have kids come to class that, literally, cannot move because they have 7-10 layers on! i kid you not! i've counted them! this is not one or two children that i'm talking about but 10-12 children over the years.... it's utterly insane!

as for an "over-reliance on books".... i've never actually sat down and read through ANY of the books i bought when my kids were little. i occasionally had a glance at them and that was about it. i chose, instead, to rely on my instincts 98% of the time.
 
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carang said:
my problem is that i have kids come to class that, literally, cannot move because they have 7-10 layers on! i kid you not! i've counted them! this is not one or two children that i'm talking about but 10-12 children over the years.... it's utterly insane!
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crazy indeed!
 
I completely agree with the advice not to buy too much - you get so many clothes and toys as gifts. We're still using them almost six years after my first baby shower! Also, we got most of our big ticket items while we were traveling overseas or had friends/family bring them back for us. For example, as I was working at the time I was expecting my first and second, we bought the Medela breastpump and milk bags from the States. Also got the Angelcare movement monitors and Oreck air cleaners there, where we saved anywhere from 50-90% than in HK. The stroller and carseat/baby carrier were bought on a business trip to Singapore at the Robinsons department store, which is about 50% cheaper than HK. Really wanted to buy the crib there, too, but it was too big to lug back, so had to buy that at Bumps to Babes, my single most expensive purchase, but it's lasting through to my third child, so I guess it was worth it. I do like the winter sleepers at Mothercare, but we bought those with gift vouchers that we received during the baby shower.
 
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