Many moms wonder which will be cheaper, breastfeeding or bottle feeding. Here are some pros and cons to help you determine which route to go and whether or not breastfeeding saves money.
There are many pros to breastfeeding such as the milk is always ready. The milk is always at serving temperature. There is never a need to pack bottles or formula if you’re going somewhere. There’s a steady supply of milk at the ready for baby when the baby is hungry. Oh, and it’s virtually free of charge.
Other than eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, and a good breast pump (some health insurance will reimburse you for this) there is no increased charge for breastfeeding your child. Most moms who breastfeed eat a normal diet and drink plenty of fluids throughout the day to keep from becoming dehydrated. If you’re on the go often, consider getting a portable pump so you can use anywhere. Many will fit underneath your travel system allowing you take it anywhere.
There are also many pros for bottle feeding. You can feed the baby no matter where you’re at. Public locations included. Anyone can feed the baby.
However, there is also the cost of the formula (and the more a baby grows, the more formula is going to be required). There is the cost of bottles and the need to sterilize the bottles in between feedings.
If your brand of formula is out, you’ll have to go with another brand and this may cost more than your normal brand of formula and it may cause an upset tummy for baby resulting in the need for more diapers or baby wipes.
After this, you’ll have to factor in the cost of laundry (if the baby isn’t tolerating the formula you’re going to have more laundry). Many babies don’t tolerate formula as well as they do breast milk.
This can mean costlier versions of formula (specialized versions are more expensive). It can also mean more doctors visits and more time spent walking the floor with a colicky baby.
The price of formula is always on the rise and many parents find that the costs are outrageous. For this reason alone, many choose to breastfeed.
If you factor in the fact that babies should be breastfed or on formula for at least one year you can gauge the cost of formula vs breastfeeding.
Keep in mind that you’ll start out with one can of formula and soon you’ll need more than one can per week. This cost will keep rising until you add solid foods to your baby’s diet. Once solid foods are added you can cut back on the breastfeeding and formula and start transitioning to milk.
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Agree with every word