Now, im not talking about how expensive babys are to maintain with nappys and clothes ect ect, im talking about having a baby and how much it costs.

My boyfriend and I are currently looking at different hospitals (on the advice of my GP, who says book early) and the costs are looking huge! even with private health insurance we are looking at $30 per OB appointment, and an excess of up to $1000 on the hospital stay, that dosnt include meals whilst there, medications, or a private midwife. Theres also a excess on scans, and blood tests. All up its looking to cost us almost 3k! and thats with top level private health insurance!

So I was wondering how much having your baby cost you, and whether you went public hospital or private (Im particually interested in any aussie girls here too).

I'm aussie and having a baby was ALL covered by medicare so i didn't pay a cent:) It seems like the US has it tough for medical things. We have the health care card over here for low income earners. I've heard good and bad about private and about public, if you find a good midwife in a public the birth wont be too bad. BUT its completely up to you and what your budget is.

Well it didn't cost me a cent because I went public, and there were so many babies born when Alex was that they put me up in a private room for the first day for free! Not that you didn't already know that lol.
But yeah, public didn't cost me anything. Except for a whole bunch of nerves that is lol. But I was probably just not very lucky when it came to midwives and stuff...

Hey...im aussie and had my baby girl in June. My advice to you would be to go public. All public care - appointments and the hospital stay is 100% free... i did not pay one cent during my entire pregnancy. There are many types of care to choose from. I got a type where i saw the same midwife the whole time and she delivered my baby on the day...well night... and i have her this time again too!!!

well may i just say that my mother back in 1997 paied close to 3000 bucks for a c section ... also you must consider if the child has some sort of problem afterwards.. three days after my son was born he was extreemly sick.. had to be air vac'ed to another city, and that by itself was 1300 bucks...

How about in the U.S.? I'm just curious...