'Gobsmacked' - Pregnant Woman's Expensive Baby Shower Gift List Sparks Fury

An expectant mom has sparked anger online after drawing up an expensive wish list of gifts for her baby shower

There is no denying the fact that raising children is expensive. In 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, using data from a 2015 Consumer Expenditures Survey, estimated middle-income married parents could expect to spend around $284,570 on a child through to the age of 17.

This figure, which factored in spending on food, shelter and other necessities, paints a daunting picture of what lies ahead for many moms and dads. That's why it's important to make the most of friends and family offering help or gifts of any kind to assist in lightening the load.

However, there can sometimes be a danger of going too far in trying to ease the transition into family life. A prime example of this recently popped up on Mumsnet, where an upset woman vented her frustration at a friend who is due to give birth soon.

According to the post, which was shared under the handle StupidUsernameUnavailable, the expectant mom recently issued a baby shower gift list and it's left her friend far from happy. The main bone of contention is that many of the items are simply too expensive.

"Nothing on the list is within my budget," the woman said, adding that when she told her friend she couldn't afford anything on the list, the expectant mother suggested she "go halves on an item with another friend who is in a similar financial position." This turn of events has left the woman "gobsmacked" as she "wasn't aware gift lists for baby showers were a thing."

She wasn't alone in expressing shock at the woman's demands either. Darbs76 felt the request was "shocking" and said if it was her she "wouldn't bother going." Cantanka was similarly critical, writing: "I think it is very rude to do this in the first place - but if you must, at least make the items on the list at the lower end of the price range."

Dilemmaemmaaa also hated the idea, commenting: "Yes it would be nice if we could all select exactly what other people bought us or ask specifically for money for our wedding present but the whole point of a gift is the fact you're not buying it and don't get to know what it is."

Not everyone was opposed to the notion, of course. One user, posting as Bumbers said: "I think (optional) gift lists are really helpful. Especially if you don't have a baby/any experience with babies. Before I had my own, I had no idea what to get, and found it stressful."

Cannotstandthisheat was similarly supportive of the idea, writing: "I created an Amazon gift list. I made a point in saying I under no circumstances expected a gift...However if anyone did want to buy something for little one, and wasn't sure what to get, here is a list of things of we need."

However, others like PinkSyCo remained unconvinced. "People really have no shame about being grabby b******s these days," they wrote.

Newsweek has reached out to StupidUsernameUnavailable for comment.