Adding Up The Costs

I want a baby.

What can I say?  My biological clock is winding down to its last tick.

But just how much will it cost me to get the baby I long for, dream of, love already without holding it?

This will be our second round of IVF.  I realize that many have gone through more and some have had success with just one.  We sort of had success with the first one in the fact that I did get pregnant but it just didn't stick around.

I still have eggs, that much is evident in the fact that I got pregnant again after losing JR.  But that one didn't stick around either.  Now its crunch time.  I'll be starting my injections on the 14th if the Antral Suppression Scan goes well.

I paid the IVF bill for this cycle on Wednesday.  I shouldn't have been shocked to be quoted a higher number but some how I was.  It went up.  Everything is going up in price these days.  If I knew for sure that I would need cryo preservation, at my age I'm realistic in the fact that I won't be needing it, I would pay an additional $1300.  I had the billing department take that off the bill and said to them that if I need it I'll be happily surprised and will gladly pay for that bill when it comes in the mail.

I'm lucky in that of the  $8,643.39 in medications for this cycle my insurance covered all but $12.00 of it.  But the insurance still didn't cover the almost $7,000.00 for the rest of the procedure.  Hey its still a break in cost.  I'll take a cost break where I can get one these days.

Our savings accounts are now almost depleted.  I really hope this works.  J only makes about 24K a year being a soldier and I have been having us live on half that amount so that we could pay for the two IVFs without having to bankrupt us.

Having this, our last IVF, over with a baby on the way would be a real blessing.  I know I can save in the 9 months of gestation to afford things for the baby since I've been living on very little since last January.  I say I since I do the finances here with J being so busy.  I know that I can squirrel away a college education or trade school fund too when the baby arrives by saving for its future.

If this doesn't work well then I guess I'll just put away money for vacations, a house, and retirement.  Living life on the cheap, not eating out and not going to the movies does make for a bit duller life but when you know you have money for emergency car repairs and won't have to rely upon the credit cards its rather nice.

I really want a baby.  I think that even if I had to pay full cost I would have but again this would be our last IVF.  I'm getting signals from my body that its getting really tired of all these hormones being pumped into it.

Baby Costs a bit of humor not to be take seriously

Most of you know by now that I am trying to conceive.  Some of you might know me well enough to note that I am a research junkie.  I refuse to make a life time or long time commitment to anything without doing the proper research.  Babies are costly and here is a link listing those costs.  http://www.whattoexpect.com/preconception/preparing-for-baby/work-and-finance/what-babies-really-cost.aspx?xid=GSLP_TFK_BabyCost_Srch&s_kwcid=TC|20759|cost%20of%20baby||S||5906383416&gclid=CJa9tvSX8aQCFQk8gwodgU9U0A

 With so many cribs being recalled I decided to research options yesterday.  More than one place suggested fixed, non-drop, side cribs.  I guess the drop side cribs are kind of wobbly or if you get a sixty pound baby in there that likes to throw themselves against that drop side it will drop off on its own accord.  Most cribs are safe up to a sixty pound weight limit.  I found a few suitable not overly expensive cribs, then I had a thought.  I was thinking of going to the lumber yard.  Why not by some plywood, sand it down smooth and apply some non-toxic paint.  I've seen the beds for adults that rest directly on the floor, the Feng Shui style.  Why can't I make a crib of plywood with a false bottom that is weighted.  This way the baby can't tip its cage, err I mean crib, over.  Oh come on now how many of you have noticed how much  cribs look like cages?  Its just missing the top.  They even have metal cribs.  One step better, empty out a dresser drawer and pad the bottom inside.  Great for a few months.  But if you are desirous of that baby cage look and have a dog in the family you could borrow its crate for a while, I'm sure the dog loves sleeping in your bed anyway.

When it comes to a bassinet, a great idea for hauling a kid from room to room, they have the Moses baskets.  Very cute straw baskets that are flexible.  Not sure I like just how flexible they are but they do have material liners that come out for laundering.  Hmm, laundering....makes me think oh yeah I've seen the same thing in laundry baskets.  Perfect.  With my sewing abilities I could whip up a nice liner for the laundry basket and purchase the thin mattress you buy separate for the bassinets.  Even a crib doesn't come with a mattress.

Baby toys are costly.  For those of you that are already parents you'll note that all those pretty toys often go to waste.  Most kids just want to play with your car keys, toilet paper rolls and empty boxes.  Go to yard sales, flea markets, and consignment stores if you must buy them toys.  You could even wash off Fido's Kong toy and let the use it for a chew toy.  Why not?  Its good for the dog.

Babies grow way too fast to be paying full price for clothing in the store.  Unless you are going to be taking a family photo why would you need to be buying a brand new outfit for the baby?  Again go to the yard sales, consignment stores and flea markets.

There are some unavoidable costs of raising a pet, err child.  You have to feed it and make sure you clean up after it.  I like the idea of cloth diapers but I'm thinking that the Medieval folks had a better idea.  If you wrap the kid in swaddling, hang it on a peg on a wall with a slop bucket under it you'll save on the cost of diapers.  Besides if swaddled tight enough the baby won't cry in hunger.  Can you believe they actually did this?  No wonder population was under control several hundred years ago.

Feeding the baby can be problematic, if you opt not to be a member of the dairy club.  Just like not everyone likes chocolate, some sick, twisted people don't like chocolate, not every baby will like the formulas out on the market today.  If you want your kid to like that powdered or canned milk I suggest adding something sweet.  How about some rum?  Am I kidding?  You decide.  My parents would rub rum on our gums when we were teething just to keep us quiet.   Rum, honey, grape juice, non pasteurized cow's milk are all no-no's for the baby under the age of one year.  Note that they don't tell you if you should pasteurize your own breast milk  but I bet they'll soon make a Federal Mandate on that too.



Disclaimer:  I am not responsible for any of my readers using the alternate suggestions for baby gear.  Also note I would not hang a kid on a peg as its child abuse by our modern day standards.  If you have taken seriously what I have posted you might need to seek immediate psychiatric help. This post has been one of humor for me to write today.  Oh and I don't have a pet, so there is no cage.