By CATHERINE MASTERS
If the Catholic Bishop of Auckland, Patrick Dunn, gets many responses to his cash pledge to women who choose "life" over an abortion it could cost him a lot of money in the long term.
While the bishop did not vow absolutely to pay for the child's future needs, that cost would have to be met by someone.
And if Bishop Dunn did agree to meet it he would have to have deep pockets.
Just how costly it is to raise a child is a matter of debate and a huge range of variants have to be taken into the equation when doing the sums.
Has one parent given up a job to look after the child? - in which case loss of income could be added to the cost of raising the child.
Did the parents need to buy a bigger car, or move to a bigger house?
Of course, the food bill escalates. All those special formulas and mushy things that babies eat.
And once they are old enough to be influenced by peer pressure and trends - the sky's the limit.
How do you get a ball-park figure? Not easily and each family has different priorities about what needs to be provided.
The common response from social, budget and Government agencies, and the odd economist, when asked what a child costs until it could fend for itself, was "how long is a piece of string?"
Or "it depends how much you've got," and "it never ends," or just plain "a LOT," accompanied by a shudder.
There are no New Zealand figures on what it costs to raise a child.
The figures in the accompanying graph are based on a 1989 Australian study and adjusted for inflation to New Zealand dollars today.
Budget agencies point out that many families do not pay anywhere near that amount as they simply do not have the money.
The Herald went price shopping and found that the birth of a child, planned or not, will set parents back a small fortune.
The shopping list: (This is in no way a comprehensive list but it does give an idea of how the money adds up to "a lot".)
A pram. Sturdy three-wheelers are the most popular right now, says the Baby Factory. A new one will set you back between $300 and $700. A basic fold-up pushchair is more affordable, costing from $40 to $250.
For a cot you will pay anything from $299 to $700 and then there are baby monitors, costing $100 to $200. A bassinette costs anything from $100 to $400 (the more expensive ones include drapes and frills.)
Car seats. The child will need various sizes as it grows. For age 0-6 months, one which you can pick up and carry into the supermarket costs around $190.
For a car seat which spans the entire 0 to 4 years the price stretches from $200 to $470. Booster seats range from $79 to $199.
A high chair costs between $69 and $300. Bargain hunting for a baby bath finds one at $14.
Shoes. Tiny Pokemon baby shoes, again from the bargain end of the range are still $13. Bananas in Pyjamas gumboots, a tidy $10. Fluffy slippers - $13. School shoes - the price range is as high as you can afford, the bargain average price is from $15 to $30.
Don't forget toys. A baby's play gym goes for $30, a kitchen set for the three year old: $25.
Then there are all those thousands of nappies to buy, if you opt for disposables. A small pack of 20 nappies - $8. At five a day the pack will not last the week. Over a year that will cost upwards of $700.
Cloth nappies will be cheaper but you still need soaking agents, buckets, water, and electricity for the washing machine.
Baby wipes - $6.19. Baby lotion - $4. Baby powder $3.89. Petroleum jelly - $2-$3. Baby shampoo - $3.29. Nursing pads, 4 for $9.99, two rubber teats, $2.99, first feeding bottle, $8, a potty $4. And so on.
Then there are pencil cases, stationery, crayons, rulers, school bags, educational toys. (For the big kid a PlayStation costs around $200.)
For some families a computer is essential for the child's education and for a good one you pay several thousand dollars.
As your child grows he or she may become passionate about a sport - let's take cricket. Aside from club fees, bargain Richard Hadlee cricket gloves will cost $25. Hadlee leg pads cost $40, a decent bat $250 and a helmet $70.
Rugby is cheaper - all you need is a pair of boots and a laundry bill. But then there are transport costs to get the child to practice and matches and club fees.
A South Park skateboard: $89.
Education is not free. Aside from the books and stationery costs, school fees range from $0 to $300 and more. Uniforms vary and these days can include hats, for which styles change regularly.
Said one father of four: "People think it's expensive having a baby because of buying nappies, milk formula and all that, but it's a doddle compared with having a teen.
"They are exposed to TV and trends and things they must have."
And another father, this time of a toddler, said: "There's this awful moment when they stop being babies and they cross over into little kids and they start incurring costs." Suddenly the child goes from free entry to fees, such as for airline travel.
Then there are holidays, renting a bach or just driving to the beach, movies, after-school care, pets (veterinarian fees for your kid's four-legged friend).
What about extra coaching for school subjects or piano lessons, or if they want a bicycle?
And the unexpected. One parent bemoaned the staggering $8000 needed for her child's orthodontist's bill.
Another found all three children needed grommet operations but long waiting lists prohibited the public health system.
Even with private health insurance, the family have paid out hundreds.
Bringing up that baby requires deep pockets
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