Trump Baby Tax Causes Panic

New parents looking to buy a stroller may want to act quickly, as the cost of baby gear is climbing due to President Trump’s tariffs, according to warnings from CEOs across the industry.

The president has become a vocal supporter of policies encouraging Americans to have more children, but his unpredictable tariffs have made it significantly more expensive for parents to afford essential baby products, industry leaders say.

Prices on baby necessities like car seats and strollers started rising last week and are now up about 30% on average, said Elizabeth Mahon, founder of the D.C.-based children’s store Three Littles. Mahon noted that prices are “through the roof right now” and warned they are expected to continue climbing in the coming weeks.

One clear example is the price of an UPPAbaby stroller, one of the most popular brands in the country, which is set to jump from $899 to $1,200 in early May. Strollers and car seats from Nuna, another top brand, have already increased by $100 and $50, respectively.

Over the next month or so, Munchkin will raise prices across about 90% of its product line, including sippy cups and high chairs, CEO Steve Dunn said.

Nearly all strollers and a significant majority of car seats 97% and 87%, respectively are made in China, according to the baby registry platform Babylist. Companies are increasingly telling consumers directly that the price hikes are because of tariffs. UPPAbaby, for instance, announced last week it would raise prices on many of its products, explaining it had tried to absorb the costs but found it unavoidable.

In an open letter published in the Washington Post, Babylist and 13 other major baby product companies, including UPPAbaby, Munchkin, and Frida, called for an “immediate reprieve from tariffs on essential baby products,” describing the tariffs as a “baby tax” that makes it harder for parents to afford items required to bring newborns home safely.

Natalie Gordon, CEO and founder of Babylist, said parents will soon see price increases on everything from car seats to cribs. “These are essential items that every expecting parent needs, and they can’t be delayed,” Gordon said, emphasizing that the rising costs come at one of the most financially strained times in a family’s life.

She added that baby companies are being forced to make daily, reactive decisions to navigate the uncertainty created by the tariffs, which is also likely to cause product shortages in the coming months.

Steve Dunn of Munchkin said he wrote two letters to President Trump this month, requesting a permanent exemption from tariffs for baby products. Dunn explained that there is no current U.S. manufacturing base capable of producing the millions of affordable, safety-critical juvenile and maternal health products American families need. He noted that producing these goods domestically would at least double their costs.

Dunn also pointed out that with U.S. birth rates at a record low, young families are already struggling under the rising costs of food, housing, and childcare. Adding punitive tariffs on top of those burdens, he said, “doesn’t protect the American dream it taxes it.”

While the Trump administration is reportedly seeking ways to boost marriage rates and birth rates such as exploring proposals like cash “baby bonuses” the impact of tariffs is making it much more difficult and expensive for parents to safely care for their children.

Mahon warned that if prices continue rising, even more affordable car seats could become out of reach for many families, potentially encouraging the use of secondhand or expired car seats, which are not safe for children. The tariffs, she said, are making a challenging situation even worse for young families.