Many parents struggling to pay their childcare bills for the last few years may say the Government's efforts are too little too late. The cost of having and caring for a child is increasing so quickly that reports published even a few months ago are woefully out of date.

This week Family Money examines the real costs of bringing up baby in the new millennium.

Having the baby: In addition to the cost of prenatal check-ups at your obstetrician over the nine-month period, a larger bill will arrive after your bundle of joy.

If you're recovering in a Dublin maternity hospital from the birth, the cost of a semi-private room will set you back £134 (€170) a day, increasing to £171 for a private room. The average stay of three days in a semi-private room costs £402, while combined consultants' fees may range between £700-£1,000.

Health insurance only covers part of the overall cost of childbirth as it is not considered an illness. VHI Plan B provides up to £710 maternity benefit including fees for the obstetrician, anaesthetist, paediatrician, pathologist and a £300 grant-in-aid for accommodation costs. However, caesarean sections and any complications due to childbirth are fully covered. VHI Plan B Options covers three full days for semi-private accommodation in all public hospitals.

BUPA provides £300 for accommodation and £300 towards consultancy fees. A grant of up to £300 for home birth is also available. Three out-patient consultations pre- or post-birth are covered at £40 each. Both VHI and BUPA cover the newborn for free until the next renewal date.

Childcare costs - creches: Nurseries and creches are available across the country but prices are standardised now because there are fixed costs in relation to the business, says Ms Mary Lee Stapleton national adviser for the National Children's Nurseries Association.

"Currently, the minimum cost for a creche is £70 a week with a maximum of £125 a week charged for a baby," she said. Creche salaries are higher now than a few years ago because of the childcare staff shortage. Extra costs depend on the service parents are using, the creche may have bottles and nappies but that's not an absolute, she said.

There's been a huge reduction in part-time creche places, particularly for babies because childcare regulations require one adult for every three babies. "Therefore the creche needs three full-time children," says Ms Stapleton. There must be one adult for every six toddlers age one to three and one adult for every eight pre-school age children.

Childcare costs - childminders: The Partnership 2000 Expert Working Group on Childcare estimated that weekly expenses ranged from £44 to £71 for childcare with an average hourly wage of £1.27. The higher estimate is probably more accurate as the demand for childcare workers means they can charge a premium.

Childminders are 10-15 per cent dearer than creches, says Ms Patricia Murray of the Childminding Association. "They charge £2.50 an hour but this is for a registered, insured childminder who has been cleared by their own doctor." Anecdotal evidence shows that some women in Dublin are paying up to £5 an hour to secure a childminder.

Although they're more expensive than most creches, childminders offer parents flexibility and children individual attention. "Childminders are normally available to parents from 7.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. They will take on a flexiwork or job-share parent because their child cannot be taken by a creche," she said.

In terms of child places, creches take up to 12 per cent and childminders 88 per cent for parents in full-time employment, says Ms Murray. Parents in part-time employment may use pre-school playgroups.

The grocery bill: Little mouths can add big numbers to the grocery bill each week. A small shopping trip for baby to your local shop may include a bottle of gripewater, formula, nappies, baby wipes and baby lotion. A budget conscious shopper at Tesco's might buy a 150ml bottle of Woodwards gripewater (£1.52), 900g SMA White formula (£5.95), 24pk of KVI Nappies Junior (£3.99), 80pk Tesco Baby Wipes Refill (£1.99) and a 500ml Tesco baby lotion (£1.49) with the bill totalling £14.94.

If the shopper replaces some of the items with brand-name items such as 900g Milupa Aptamil First formula (£7.49), 24pk Pampers Premium Junior (£7.99), 80pk Pampers Baby Wipe Refills (£2.99) and Johnson's Baby Lotion 500ml (£2.85), the bill including gripewater (£1.52) increases by more than 50 per cent to £22.84.

When baby gets bigger, so does the shopping bill. At Tesco's, Heinz Baby Food 200g jars cost 74p and the same size Olvarit/ Cow and Gate Baby Food costs 77p. KVI Nappies Midi 32pk is £3.99 and Pampers Premium Midi 32 pk is £7.99.

Of course many of these items are not needed each week, but food and nappies are always on the shopping list.

The essential extras: There are several items most parents would consider essential baby extras - the pram, cot, car seat/carrier seat and changing station. A shopper at Smyth's Toy Store, Jervis Street, Dublin, will find a range of items and prices from which to choose. On the fold-flat pram front, Graco Travelsystems Voyager costs £179.99 and the Denver model £199.99. Umbrella fold prams are in the same price range with the McLaren Opus V at £179.99 and Mamas & Papas Priko Sportivo £199.99.

Cots differ in price by up to £80 with the Carolina Cot by Mamas & Papas for £119.99 and the Nadia Cot Bed, also by Mamas & Papas, for £199.99.

The versatile car seat/carrier seat costs £54.99 for both the Brittax Rock-a-Tots and Mamas & Papas Rock-a-Tot Unitraveller. A Cosmos car seat which is not carriable, but moulds for the shape of a newborn to a four-year-old costs £99.99.

Changing stations are available from the least expensive Cossatto Palma for £59.99 to the most expensive Monbebe Nuvola £129.99.

Other essentials include a baby bath and baby clothes, but prices vary widely depending on budgets.

In the first year of your child's life, expect to spend at least £5,000 and at most £9,000 on one-off hospital fees, ongoing doctor's bills, childcare, groceries, essentials and baby clothes.

Although the costs may seem overwhelming, a realistic review of the family budget and examination of local prices for childcare and baby goods will reduce any price shock once the baby is born.