The average cost for parents in the first year of a baby's life is now €10,500.
That is according to research from the BabyDoc Club.
The study examined 12 universal categories - such as baby travel, furniture, equipment, feeding, skincare, clothes and toys.
Childcare made up the biggest chunk of the spending, at just over €4,000 for the average two working parents.
Parenting expert Laura Erskine told Newstalk Breakfast: "Over a quarter of our BabyDoc Club parents did say that a huge number of them got helped out in terms of their baby equipment with gifts from relatives.
"So definitely gifts have an important part to play, as do hand-me-downs.
"We're very happy to use pre-loved or gently worn baby clothing... and very often those clothes sometimes that have been handed on haven't even been worn.
"However there's some things that we really won't compromise on when it comes to buying or getting second hand.
"And that's baby bedding, we want that brand new and that's because of the increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in baby's first 12 months of life.
"Also baby's car seat must be new for 89% of parents, and that's because there's a risk that maybe the car seat could be mishandled or been in an undisclosed accident.
"And then the buggy, for nearly three-quarters of parents, parents want to have a brand new buggy and we're spending over €1,000 on that buggy travel system".
Laura says the increase is down to people's shopping habits.
"We are certainly craving a lot of the designer gear, we're definitely influenced by what we're seeing the celebrities using on social media.
"And then of course every parent wants their first baby's life to be perfect, the nursery room to be perfect.
"And then anything that will aid sleep or baby's life [to] make it more comfortable is something that we're easily influenced over.
"You've got swings that cost €200 to €300 that will rock baby and keep them settled".
Asked about areas where parents can save, she said: "As I highlighted there, baby's don't need swings that cost €300 that mimic the motion of a boat in the sea or the baby's car moving.
"They just need their parents love first and foremost".
