In the UK, according to the Money Advice Service, the average cost of baby’s first year is between £3000 and £4000.

• Moses basket/crib = £155
• Cot = £285
• Nursery furniture = £550
• Buggy = £350
• Baby car seat = £130
• Child car seat = £200
• Miscellaneous = £295
• Clothing = £790
• Nappies = £395
• Milk = £250 (breast and bottle)
• Food = £310 (bought and homemade)

To add to this, back in January 2015, the Telegraph reported that the average cost of raising a child in the UK is £230,000, with the biggest chunk (ages 1 to 4) costing a little over £61,000 on average.

These figures are staggering by most people’s standards, but now imagine being a million miles away from the relative comfort and luxury of modern Britain. Imagine having to protect and provide for a new family in a war-torn or disaster-stricken area.

The refugees of Syria are facing this exact predicament every day. They have to plan for their family and their new addition, even in the face of great strife. No home, no possessions, no solid plan. And yet, mothers still have to ensure that their health, and the health of their baby, is a priority.

There are nine long months before the main event, and often, there will be post-natal care required too. But with so many mothers living in cramped conditions and makeshift tent cities, the ideal smooth journey is not a common experience.

Islamic Help is working to change all of that though, with our Birth campaign. We are already strong advocates for the importance of children, with our various campaigns focused on sponsoring a child or orphan.

Our Birth campaign is different though.

We want to make the arrival of each and every Syrian new-born a time for celebration, where the parents don’t have to worry about financial or medical support, or how they will provide the basics their baby needs.

Essentials like baby milk and blankets can be hard to come by in the region, and though they may seem run-of-the-mill to us, they are a luxury that many refugee new-borns cannot enjoy. On top of these basic supplies, our financial and volunteer support aids families in need of Caesarean procedures, premature baby care and general birth and aftercare support.

For less than a car seat or crib, you can provide families in need with Mother and Baby essentials, whilst the £400 we think nothing of spending on nappies will provide the vital care a premature baby requires for one whole week.

Just think, by using a family crib or inheriting once-worn clothes from your friends whose babies have outgrown their wardrobe, you could be saving lives.

So check out our Birth campaign here, and see how you can help. Or, look at any of our child sponsorship campaigns, among our many others, and help us make the world a better and brighter place for everyone; from newborns to the elderly, and all in between.