The Bloom blog

Planning a baby, calmly

Careful, readable guides for the months before pregnancy. Every article lists its sources, says when they were last checked and never tells you what to do with your body.

A wooden table in soft morning light with an open ledger notebook and a pencil, three small matte ceramic jars in a row, and a folded linen napkin.

Money and paperwork

How to Make a Baby Budget Before Pregnancy (Fill-In Template)

A fill-in baby budget template to complete before the baby: four buckets, a timeline, a rehearsal month and a money meeting for two. No made-up averages.

13 min read · Nov 6, 2026

A bare wooden kitchen table with a closed laptop, one ceramic mug and a small stack of coins on a folded linen cloth, with a window casting a long afternoon shadow.

Money and paperwork

Budgeting for a baby on one income: a test you can run first

Wondering if one income can carry a family with a baby? Live the planned budget for three months, fill in a break-even table and see what to change first.

11 min read · Nov 6, 2026

Three glass jars of different heights on a pale wooden shelf, each holding a different level of coins, with a small trailing plant beside them in warm afternoon light.

Money and paperwork

A baby savings plan and emergency fund, step by step

Build two separate funds for a baby, one for costs you can see and one for surprises, with fill-in worksheets and a monthly amount counted back from a date.

14 min read · Nov 6, 2026

A wooden table with a handwritten list on a notepad, a pencil, a small stack of folded linen cloths and a cup of tea in soft window light.

Money and paperwork

Gifts and wish lists: how to ask for what you will really use

Friends and family will want to give when a baby is on the way. A step-by-step way to build a wish list, ask kindly and keep gifts useful and unduplicated.

11 min read · Nov 6, 2026

A wooden desk at dusk with a wall calendar showing four coloured paper tabs, a plain envelope, a sprig of eucalyptus in a glass and a brass key.

Money and paperwork

Hidden costs of a first baby: a checklist by timing

The costs first-time parents miss, sorted by when they land, with a fill-in worksheet and a money conversation script. No invented prices, just your own numbers.

11 min read · Nov 6, 2026

A wooden table with three small ceramic dishes in a row, each holding a few coins, next to a notebook with a pencil and a cup of tea in soft window light.

Money and paperwork

His, hers and ours: setting up shared finances as a couple

A practical way to set up shared money as a couple: three pots, a fair rule for contributions, a monthly check-in and scripts for the awkward moments.

12 min read · Nov 6, 2026

A woven basket on a pale bench holding plain folded cloths and a wooden stacking toy, with a second empty basket beside it in soft window light.

Money and paperwork

Pre-baby shopping budget: what to buy first, wait on or borrow

A phased baby shopping list with fill-in columns for buy, borrow, second-hand or skip, who handles it and the cost, plus a worked example and a message to copy.

11 min read · Nov 6, 2026

A wooden shelf with neatly folded soft blankets, a small basket with paper labels and a pencil beside it, lit by gentle window light.

Money and paperwork

Borrow, swap and buy second-hand without the clutter

A practical system for borrowing, swapping and buying second-hand baby things: a sorting rule, a loan ledger, a buying checklist and scripts for family offers.

11 min read · Nov 6, 2026

Two coffee cups, a pencil and a printed worksheet with blank columns on a wooden table in soft morning light, a small plant beside them.

Money and paperwork

How to talk about money with your partner before a baby

A step-by-step way to talk about money before a baby: a worksheet to fill in alone, a one-hour agenda, scripts for tense moments and a monthly check-in.

13 min read · Nov 6, 2026

A plain paper ledger with ruled columns open on a wooden table, next to a pencil, a small stack of receipts held by a clip and a cup of tea in soft morning light.

Money and paperwork

How to Track Baby Spending: Categories and a Simple Ledger

A simple way to track baby-related spending: ten categories, a seven-column ledger to copy, a weekly habit and a monthly review for two people.

11 min read · Nov 6, 2026

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