Budgeting for a baby more difficult this Mother's Day

As families celebrate the moms in their lives this Sunday, it's a day that one local organization says serves as a reminder of the pricey cost of parenthood.

Clare Douglas is a single mom who calls motherhood a rewarding, life changing experience. But budgeting for a new baby was a financial pressure she had never felt before.

"Everything that was already expensive and already making it tight to make ends meet, inflation just made it even wilder," said Douglas.

Her son is two years old and she still has two more years left of post-secondary schooling.

From a new stroller to a crib, she found herself in a tight situation.

"I was trying to figure out, well how am I going to pay for school because I'm on student loans," she said.

She was referred to the organization called "BabyGoRound". The non-profit provides new and gently-used baby items to vulnerable families.

“They can come in and they get a volunteer who walks them through the different sizes and what they might need for each stage," said Meghan Neufeld, the executive director of BabyGoRound.

She says the organization has seen a 69 per cent increase in the number of families using its services this year.

That number is combined with what she believes is a 50 per cent price increase to items the organization bought two years ago.

It's something she believes is fueled by inflation.

"I was looking at old invoices, and a year and half ago, a crib that we would buy was $160. Today, that same crib is now $250," said Neufeld.

That $90 increase is felt by parents, but also by the non-profit as donation numbers to BabyGoRound have been decreasing, forcing the group to spend money on brand-new items.

"What we have seen is those donors that may have been in a position to donate a crib or bassinet or a stroller a couple years ago, they're not in that position anymore, and that $125 they can sell that stroller for -- they need that money."

The organization is making a desperate call for donations to help mothers like Douglas, who says despite financial hardships, being a mom is her favourite job title.

"It's been incredible to be, to have the privilege of stewarding a little person's life and trying to guide them to be the person they can be, and grow into the person they were born to be."