Can You Handle the Cost of Having a Baby?

From the delivery to diapers and childcare, babies can be costly. Make sure you know what it takes to financially support a child.

Baby Boom

This article originally appeared on LearnVest.com.

You may not be ready for a baby today, or even in the next five years. But, theoretically: Could your finances handle a little one?

Take a deep breath: According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a baby born today to a middle-class family will cost about $221,000 by the time she turns 18—not counting college! For more info, look at a detailed breakdown of child-rearing costs. Before you fall into a dead faint, remember that you won’t shell out that whole sum at once.

From birth to age 17, the average middle-income family spends about $221,000 raising a child. Here’s how that breaks down:

Housing: $68,510
Childcare and education: $37,570
Food: $35,360
Transportation: $28,730
Miscellaneous: $19,890
Healthcare: $17,680

We can’t know whether you’re ready for a baby emotionally, but you’re probably ready financially if you can answer “yes” to at least 4 of the following 6 questions.