Preparing for the arrival of your baby is incredibly exciting — but it also takes time. And, of course, money. What costs should you consider?
First, there’s the baby essentials. Clothing, care products and a nursery can easily cost around €800. On top of that, there are often additional expenses, such as a playpen, car seat and stroller. (Source: Nibud – What does a child cost?
Tip: Take a look at which baby items you could buy second‑hand or perhaps even receive from family or friends with older children.
"},"alignedImage":{"position":"bottom","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/58fa9d09-acad-4f1e-873c-9cb7deef8d50/Father-playfully-hold-a-fork-in-his-mouth-as-his-young-baby-daughter-messily-eats-her-food-and-reaches-out-to-him","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/36a8ae4f2ab0c9cf/original/Father-playfully-hold-a-fork-in-his-mouth-as-his-young-baby-daughter-messily-eats-her-food-and-reaches-out-to-him.jpg","extension":"jpg"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"How much does a child cost before and during birth?"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"During pregnancy, you can monitor your baby’s growth and development with ultrasounds. These are generally reimbursed. You usually only pay an out‑of‑pocket contribution for non‑medical ultrasounds, unless you have supplementary insurance. Your midwife or health insurer can tell you exactly what applies.
A hospital birth is reimbursed if there is a medical reason. Without medical necessity, you receive a fixed reimbursement of €261 (2025); any additional costs are at your own expense. (Source: Zorgwijzer – hospital birth reimbursement)
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"The first period after birth"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"After the birth, you’re not on your own. During the first 8–10 days, you are entitled to a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 80 hours of maternity care. The maternity nurse supports you and explains everything you need to know.
You pay an out‑of‑pocket contribution of €5.40 per hour (2025) for maternity care, unless you have supplementary insurance. (Source: Zorginstituut Nederland – maternity care)
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Childcare is one of the biggest expenses"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"You may already have heard it from other parents: childcare is expensive. Whether you choose daycare, after‑school care or a childminder, the costs can be significant and vary by provider.
For many people, the government reimburses part of these costs. The maximum hourly rates for childcare in 2025 are:
Whether you’re eligible for childcare allowance depends on your income, the number of children and the type of childcare. Want to know where you stand? Make a trial calculation for allowances with the free Toeslagen app of the Dutch Tax Authority.
"},"alignedImage":{"position":"bottom","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/c5513dbc-1db5-4e01-be77-6f08cffd391c/Little-girl-painting-a-rainbow-at-home","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/44b813edc8fc77a9/original/Little-girl-painting-a-rainbow-at-home.jpg","extension":"jpg"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Financially prepared in four steps"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"When you’re expecting a baby, money may be the last thing on your mind. Still, it’s wise to prepare financially. With these four steps, you’ll have the most important things in order — so you can enjoy your time together without worry.
"}},{"componentType":"paragraph","title":"1. Get insight into what you have left each month","richBody":{"value":"Do you have enough financial room to cover the extra costs? Even if one or both of you decide to work fewer hours?
Tip: With the Insights tool in the ING App, you can see your income and expenses at a glance. This helps you understand how much you have left each month and where you could save.
"}},{"componentType":"paragraph","title":"2. Check whether you’re entitled to child benefit and allowances","richBody":{"value":"If you live and/or work in the Netherlands, you’re usually entitled to child benefit. This is a government contribution toward the costs of raising children up to age 18 and is not income‑dependent. Once your child is registered with the municipality, you’ll receive a letter from the Social Insurance Bank (SVB) explaining how to apply.
You may also be eligible for allowances such as child‑related budget and childcare allowance. Check your eligibility using the free Toeslagen app from the Dutch Tax Authority.
"}},{"componentType":"paragraph","title":"3. Review your health insurance","richBody":{"value":"If you’re planning to have a child, it’s wise to review your insurance coverage and consult your insurer. Pregnancy and childbirth come with additional healthcare costs. Some are covered by basic insurance, others — such as a hospital birth without medical necessity — are not. A supplementary insurance policy may be useful
"}},{"componentType":"paragraph","title":"4. Consider setting money aside in advance","richBody":{"value":"Having a financial buffer is reassuring — whether costs turn out higher than expected or you want to treat yourself to an extra prenatal massage or a short getaway.
Tip: The ING App offers smart tools that make saving easier. You can set up a dedicated savings goal and save automatically or use round up and save.
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"What costs should you expect after the early years?"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Raising a child costs money — that’s no secret. But what should you expect at each stage of life
"}},{"componentType":"accordion","accordionList":[{"title":"Cost children 4 years and older","richBody":{"value":"Once your child is toilet trained, grocery costs usually decrease. However, new expenses arise, such as swimming lessons, sports, hobbies, gifts and subscriptions. Childcare is often still needed. Many parents also start giving pocket money around age six.
"}},{"title":"Cost children 11 years and older","richBody":{"value":"When your child goes to secondary school, childcare usually ends — which saves a lot of money. At the same time, new costs appear, such as a mobile phone, parental contributions, school expenses and clothing costs
"}},{"title":"Cost children 18 years and older","richBody":{"value":"When your child turns 18, they become financially independent — meaning more freedom and more responsibility. As a parent, you still have a legal duty of care until age 21, which includes housing, clothing, food, education and medical care. Many parents find the period after secondary school to be the most expensive. Whether it’s education, insurance or a driver’s license, you want to help your child get a good start. Planning ahead — for example by saving or investing — can help you avoid unpleasant financial surprises.
"}}]}]},"complementaryZone":{"flexComponents":[{"componentType":"cards"},{"componentType":"cards","cards":[{"componentType":"productCard","cardType":"product","cardSize":"medium","title":"Want to join ING as a customer","body":"Download the ING App and open your bank account.","image":{"transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/ff668614-48a7-4377-9cda-dcc93b567cd5/laughing-woman-in-green-hoodie","type":"image","width":1920,"original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/34f33d6d9314560f/original/laughing-woman-in-green-hoodie.jpeg","extension":"jpeg"},"link":{"url":"/en/personal/payments/bank-accounts/open-an-account"}},{"componentType":"productCard","cardType":"product","cardSize":"medium","title":"Child current account (0-11 years)","intro":"Let your child discover money","image":{"transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/e6bcf2b4-eb1c-4fbf-a7b9-75d6d78d722d/Portrait-of-cute-girl-with-sunglasses","type":"image","width":4896,"original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/20c4dcd50735c015/original/Portrait-of-cute-girl-with-sunglasses.jpg","extension":"jpg"},"link":{"url":"/en/personal/children/products/child-account"},"checkMarkList":["Free current account for your child","Give them more responsibility one step at a time","Parents can keep track in their own app"],"promoText":"Now with €10 as a gift. Promotion Terms and Conditions apply."},{"componentType":"productCard","cardType":"product","cardSize":"medium","title":"Put money aside for your child","intro":"Saving or investing: what's best?","body":"It's never too late to start putting money aside. But the earlier you start, the more you'll be able to support your child down the line. Explore your saving and investing options and learn what's best for you.","image":{"transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/43aa4c77-7b22-400c-9e51-abf8a9b4dfcd/Young-girl-laying-beside-baby-brother-both-wearing-red-love-heart-glasses","type":"image","width":4032,"altTextEN":"\"\"","altTextNL":"\"\"","altTextFR":"\"\"","altTextDE":"\"\"","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/6d0b7b063cae150c/original/Young-girl-laying-beside-baby-brother-both-wearing-red-love-heart-glasses.jpg","extension":"jpg"},"link":{"url":"/en/personal/children/theme/putting-money-aside-for-the-future"}}]}]}}}