There's a saying that goes, “If everyone waited until they could afford children, no one would have them.” Having and raising a baby is not cheap. The costs of gear, clothing, diapers, and food/formula are high, and get higher each year. Unless you have a family member who can care for your baby at little or no cost, then your budget will be impacted either by the cost of childcare (if both parents return to work) or the loss of an income (if one parent stays home to raise the child).