Having A Baby: What It Costs In Illinois And Wisconsin In 2026

You already know going in that adding to your family is going to cost some money. Diapers, clothes, car seats, cribs, daycare, maybe college someday…the list gets pretty long.

But the one expense that arrives before you even get the baby home is the cost of actually having the baby.

MoneyGeek recently took a look at the cost of having a baby in America, and the numbers are enough to make you want to start saving before you start picking out baby names. Maybe even before you meet your significant other, just to be safe.

For people with employer-sponsored health insurance, MoneyGeek says the average total medical spending for pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum care is now about $20,416. The average amount paid out of pocket is $2,743. A vaginal delivery averages $2,563 out of pocket, while a C-section averages $3,071. Those figures are based on insurance claims from 2021 through 2023.

baby in white crew neck shirt

So, What About Right Here In Illinois And Wisconsin?

The state-by-state numbers are a little older. MoneyGeek uses a 2020 analysis of employer-sponsored insurance claims for those figures. In Illinois, the average out-of-pocket cost for the delivery was $1,538. In Wisconsin, it was considerably higher at $2,250. Nationally, the average was $1,905 at the time.

That means, according to that data, a Wisconsin family paid about $712 more out of pocket than an Illinois family for the delivery itself.

Another thing to remember is that those numbers aren't the total cost of bringing a child into the world. Prenatal care, postpartum care, and the baby's medical expenses aren't included in those delivery-only state figures.

A yawning baby wearing a grey knit hat beside a white teddy bear

Try Not To Think Too Much About The Money, Or You And Your Spouse Will Limit Your Physical Contact To Handshakes

MoneyGeek's newer data estimates that medical care for a child during the first two years adds another $16,575 in total health spending, with families paying about $1,511 of that out of pocket when they have employer-sponsored insurance.

And then, of course, there's everything else.

The diapers. The formula. The stroller. The clothes they'll outgrow approximately eleven minutes after you buy them.

So, congratulations! You're having a baby!

And your first present will be a pretty steep bill.