<prompt> Human: Update: A lot of great feedback. I mean a lot. THANK YOU for taking the time to not only provide financial feedback my real intent here but also good personal feedback sorry MODs. I would love to reply to each of you, but thats a whole lot of repeating the same stuff so I thought Id just put an update here. Ive really been neglecting her baby fever urge part, I cant relate to it not being the one with ovaries and all... but I should respect it. A lot of you pointing out my estimates are on the high end made me do some re-thinking and spent a lot of time last-night digging further into healthcare options, additional expenseplan changes I can make, etc...To respect rpersonalfinance Ill finalize with the financials so future aspiring planning parents have something to read. 6 Months from now was the eliminate all predictable risk timeframe This was NOT a 6 month game plan. This was a result of living a fiscally responsible life for years and the entire planning for a baby focus was a 12 month plan were at the half-way point. The plan included many components outside of what Im listing now renovations we wanted done before a kid, helping family on some important tasks, retirement boosts, etc.. so please dont think this was a last minute hey in 6 months lets do the following type plan. Compromising at starting in 3 months puts it half-way there, most of you pointed out it doesnt always happen just because youre trying. So whether it does or doesnt, starting at 3 months makes her feel good and only has me slightly on the edge of my seat. Fiscally speaking, we put 3200.00 aside each month so if she got pregnant first try were 9600 behind. Not that big of a hit, I have funds to tap if I need to savings, 6-month emergency plans, checking buffer, etc... that wouldnt punish me financially I just wanted to avoid touching them if I could. So I asked myself What is the point of saving all of this for a good life if my wife isnt happy? My cost of birth estimates are way over 10k as many of you pointed out. It really is worst case scenario. I called our health care advisors and talked it over, they really said 90 chance Ill spend less than 2500 so that leaves 7500 variance which off-sets the 9600 should she get pregnant try 1For future aspiring parents, here is what we did to get here not saying its right or wrong - just what we did: Follow the rules of rpersonalfinance Use YNAB and always plan - Every dollar has a job Make life decisions based on one income. Weve been living on my income for the past 4 years, hers was always used for emergencies, planning, etc... - this made our minimum-debt life possible and relaxing. Stress free, financially speaking, really makes life a whole different beast. My wife and I havent had to ask do we have the money for anything that popped up medical needs, repairs, unanticipated costs, etc... We pay for it out of pocket and move on. No, this is not only possible for those with high-income. I started this life-style when I was making 8.25hr at a construction site at age 18. Yes, I was blessed moving up in the world, but I was able to still live financially stress-free after the first few years of planning. Yes, sometimes you get jealous your friends have cool stuff and youre holding back to meet goals. But now Im always having fun and get cool stuff AND really next to no debt :Thanks everyone.Original PostHello PF!Ive been in a bit of a predicament as of late and I am hoping you can help me. Maybe I am wrong, maybe Im not. But I know that rpersonalfinance is filled with fiscally responsible people which is rare these days. I am not looking for a debate, I just want to hear the thoughts of those who are fiscally responsible.The StoryMy wife and I are in the works of focusing on having a kid in the near future. The variance is that I want to plan for it, fiscally, and she just wants to go for it now and is encouraged by many to do so.We live in a nice suburbs area in South Carolina and are pretty established and comfortable upper-middle income. Income post baby is not an issue, its the planning phase that seems to be the debate and people say Im insane because I have goals. My wife and those around me think Im overdoing it planning for a baby and always throw the cliche youre never ready, just do it phrase at me, however each person who says that to me is not exactly in a financially good place because of their life decisions, so I take their advice lightly.To be clear, I know having a child is not just about the money. We are fine with the other pieces, the debate is only about the being ready financially for the actual beginning of it all not college, school, etc.. - that is all fine. I am only discussing the money piece here because its rpersonalfinance not rsoapbox :The GoalMy intent is for us to go through all of this with no debt and no impact on our savingsretirement and for her to quit her job and be a stay at home mom her dream. I am only looking at the obviously predictable elements of this all. I am often told youre never ready and my counter is this: I get it, I cant account for a jet crashing into our house or our child being born with severe disabilities. I am simply accounting for the norm of having a kid since that is a guarantee at minimum, the rest is a gamble.The NumbersIf we wait 6 more months for her to get pregnant, the following will happen over the course of her 9 month pregnancy assuming shes pregnant on first try and also includes a buffer if she has complicationstakes a lot of time off during pregnancy anticipate 1.5 months total: Student loans paid off Car Loans paid off both are 3 years old, good shape, bought new - so itll be stable cars for years to come Will have 10k ready for medical expenses of giving birth max out of pocket, out of network - I am taking worst case scenario here. In network is 5k max out of pocket Will have 4k aside for prenatal and postnatal stuff google shows average around 2-4k. I really dont know what all of it is, but most searches Ive done show those figures. We have no other debt outside of a mortgage after the above are paid off. Nursery will be redone estimated 1-2k, very small and simple project, that includes stuff for the room not just remodel work A buffer fund of 10k in checkings for figuring out the baby stuff. This might be gone in 2 months, might be 2 years. But its there to figure it out raising a kid finding what works, doesnt work, buying, throwing away, and giving her and I an overall stress-free figure it out phase.With all of that met, we will also be able to continue living the same life we live now with adjusted budgets having her home all day and a child.Its an aggressive plan that was always a 12 month plan. Were halfway there, but shes losing steam and shes being encouraged by familyfriends to just go for it because who cares, youll figure it out as you go alongExecution without the planIt wouldnt be the end of the world, I get it. But my estimates show if we go now, well be at risk of having payment plans with the hospital, credit cards and interest hits, andor dipping into savingsemergency funds to get through it all.Am I really that out of it? 6 months is not that far out for a fairly stress-free fiscally start to having a child. Help me PF... youre my only hope. lol.  <response>: Its a rrelationships issue that you want to wait 6 mos to start trying for a baby and your wife does not. Good job on planning everything out to a T but, 6 months in the whole course of your financial life is probably going to make no difference. On the other hand, if your wife has lived this long without a child I dont see why waiting 6 more months would be so devastating either. 