I watched a programme last evening on the Cost of Kids. In it, it was estimated that it would cost you £180 000 to bring up a baby. WHAT?!! I ended up screaming incredulously at what I saw and heard. I'm not saying I settle for the cheapest, flimsiest items all the time, but it's weighing up quality vs. price vs. brand vs. user needs. Let's just see how I did with my also newly bought baby items.

1) The cost of setting up a baby nursery room - a couple ended up paying £2000 to get their nursery items from Mamas and Papas. Fair enough, it's a good brand, but many of the items are just not worth splashing a whole load of money on. I must admit though, that I did get a £89 changing station from them (generously donated by the parents-in-law), because it was the only one which suited our requirements and didn't look like it would fall apart after a week. 10 months on, we're still using it, and can't do without it, so justifiably it wasn't a faddy buy. Our cot was sourced from a Babies R Us sale, mobile from a Mothercare sale and there's pretty much nothing else that's newly bought in terms of nursery furniture. Total cost: £200

2) Buggies and strollers - A gold plated stroller costing £2000?! I bought Puppy's travel system (Graco Quattro Tour Deluxe) and a few months down the line, lightweight stroller (Maclaren Triumph), all for £265 - still going strong, and neither are a fashion faux pas.

3) Clothes - The programme quoted Christian Dior babygros going for £85. As much as I like their perfumes, I reckon Tesco, Sainsbury, Boots and Mothercare are the places to go to for babygros - I've probably spent around £40-£50 the last 10 months on his vests and sleepsuits, just because he goes through so many. As for daytime clothing, my mother-in-law generously contributed a gigantic bag of perfectly wearable used boy's clothes some time ago, sizes ranging from 3 months right up to possibly 2-4 years. Other relatives have contributed a few more items of clothing over time, which has been really helpful. Most of the day clothing cost has come recently, since Puppy has started nursery, but I must have spent no more than £30 - £40 supplementing the supply I already have. Many of my supplemented clothes come from NCT sales, where I've managed to pick up good quality second-hand clothes for between 50p and £1.50. Brand-wise, they range from Tesco and Sainsburys to Gap and OshKosh, so Puppy isn't exactly in rags and perfectly 'in' with the fashion.

4) Toys - I do expect the cost of toys to rise depending on what Puppy likes and what we perceive as acceptable, as opposed to what the little boy in the programme had - Playstation, handheld nintendo set etc. Mind, I had my first computer at age 6 (a little IBM-compatible 286), and had great fun playing Olympic Decathlon, PacMan and Lode Runner on it, but was never big on the girly fashion, being more interested in sport. Besides the computer which was shared with my brother, I suppose the biggest 'toy' that my mum purchased for me was a Wilson Ultralite tennis racket which cost about SGD$160, although I argue that it was a necessity since I was playing tennis competitively.

So, I don't think parents necessarily have to spend absolutely loads to kit up their children. Then again, I'm one who's opposed to the idea of the culture of Christmas and Birthday materialism (not so bad if you have one person to buy for, absolutely emotionally and financially draining if it involves EVERYBODY). I think it's about whether the gift will develop the individual, e.g. a baby getting a certain 'developmental' toy, just a good one, and not several which purportedly do the same function. It's about whether the individual needs the item, and not just buying something simply because it's the 'in' thing, or because it's Christmas and you feel obligated to do so. If it's about the 'spirit of giving' and showing how much you love your child, then I'm sure the child will appreciate just as much any undivided love and attention who show him that he's the most valuable being in the world.