The cost of having a baby can seem daunting. You have doctor costs, hospital expenses, and personal care needs. These costs happen during your pregnancy, at the hospital, and post-birth.
If you’re expecting, or if you are considering having a child, you should know how much it costs to have a baby in Florida.
In this article, Gulf Coast Adoptions discusses how much it costs to have a baby in Florida, the cost of raising a child, and things to consider as you plan for the birth of your child.
Costs of Having a Baby in Florida
According to WTSP 10, the typical cost to have a baby in Florida is $31,983.52 for hospital and birthing expenses. With insurance, the average cost is reduced to $12,603.64. The cost is more for a C-section. In addition, you may have expenses for medical care and personal expenses leading up to the birth of the child.
Source: FAIRHealth, Cost of Giving Birth Tracker
FAIRHealth ranks Florida as fifth for the most expensive U.S. state to have a baby. The statistics include 216,189 deliveries in 2021. The numbers don’t adjust for the cost of living and other factors that may influence the price.
Expenses for having a baby
Here are some expenses that you may encounter before and after you have a baby:
- Housing expenses
- Food, nutrition
- Personal expenses
- Transportation for medical care
- Setting up a nursery
- Pregnancy tests
- Ultrasound
- Check-ups and birth planning
- Maternity clothes
- Hospital expenses
- Obstetrician and anesthesiologist fees
- Nursing care
- Post-delivery care
- Prescriptions and medical supplies following birth
Costs vary, depending on your needs. If your pregnancy is high-risk or if you experience complications, your costs may be above average.
Understanding these costs can help you plan for your child’s birth, your needs, and your family’s future. If you choose adoption, the costs of prenatal care, personal expenses, and childbirth may be covered.
How Much Does It Cost to Raise a Child in Florida?
In total, the average expense to raise a child is more than $200,000 from birth to adulthood.
NBC 6 reports that a typical Florida family spends 18.5% of their income raising a single child.
With an average family income of $102,300, a typical family devotes $18,926 of their annual income to child-rearing expenses.
Studies on the costs of raising children include housing, food, clothes, transportation, and childcare. Extracurricular activities like camps and private school tuition may push these costs even higher.
Among U.S. states, Florida ranks mid-pack for the cost of raising a child.
Financial help for raising a child
With the cost of having a baby in Florida so high, parents can look for financial help. There are government programs and tax credits that can help with the cost of raising a child. Programs that may help include:
- Florida Healthy Start: Home visiting program to coordinate care for pregnant women and children up to age three
- Medicaid: Including Presumptive Eligibility for Pregnant Women (PEPW)
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): Short-term cash assistance
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Food assistance based on household income
- WIC program for women, infants, and children: Helping pregnant women and children through age five with nutritious food and lifestyle education
- Federal child tax credit: A tax deduction for qualifying, dependent children
- Child care credit: A tax credit to offset childcare costs
- School meal programs: Free or reduced-cost student lunch
- Supplemental Security Income: For children with physical and mental disabilities
- Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): Helping low-income households with energy costs
- Adoption subsidy: For qualifying adoptive families
Is adoption right for you?
If you are considering adoption, know that you may receive assistance with your expenses during pregnancy. You may receive help with housing costs, medical expenses, maternity clothes, and other personal expenses.
In turn, the adopting family receives help, too. They may qualify for a tax credit for adoption expenses. In some cases, an adopting family may receive a monthly stipend, paid for by public funds, to help with the cost of raising a child.
The cost of having a baby is one consideration when you are determining if adoption is right for you.
Contact a Florida Adoption Attorney
If you are considering adoption, we invite you to contact Gulf Coast Adoptions. We help moms consider adoption without judgment. Sometimes, we spend hours talking with expectant mothers about their situations, answering all your questions. We’re here to help beyond finances.
To talk to our friendly and caring team, send us a message online or contact us 24/7 at 850-999-7977.