If You Qualify for Social Security

• If you or your child are permanently disabled, you may qualify for a monthly Social Security benefit to compensate for your inability to work. Social Security has two disability programs: SSDI, Social Security Disability Insurance, and SSI, Supplementary Security Income. To obtain either one, you or your child just must have a disability that will last at least a year or result in death. For SSI, you must also fall under your state's income threshold to qualify.
  
  

State Government Aid

• Though there aren't any federal Social Security aid programs for non-disabled, low-income families, your state most likely has financial aid programs designed to help new mothers and infants. For instance, a program called WIC, Women, Infants and Children, grants money to states to aid low-income families. WIC provides access to food and nutrition education for pregnant women and mothers of infants, as well as children up to age 5.
  
  

Tax Credits

• Uncle Sam's on your baby's side when tax time comes around. According to MSN Money, your employer may offer an FSA, flexible spending arrangement, which allows you to set aside up to $5,000 of your pretax money for child-care expenses. If you and your spouse both work, you can instead opt for a child-care tax credit -- but in most cases, the FSA will put more money back in your hands. And as long as you and your spouse file jointly and make less than $110,000, you probably qualify for the $1,000 annual child tax credit for all children under age 17.
  
  

Health Insurance

• Health insurance, for both you and your baby, is a must. If you're expecting or planning a pregnancy in the near future, you can significantly cut down the costs of having a child by obtaining health insurance before baby comes along. See if yours or your spouse's employer will add a pregnant mother and new child to its group insurance plan. If you don't qualify for insurance through work, you may qualify for Medicaid, which is a state-run health insurance plan for people with few income or resources.