Breastfeeding: Nature’s Magic Money Saver

As my husband and I were discussing the exciting-yet-frightening prospect of purchasing our first home a couple of months ago, I cheerfully pointed out to him the fact that I have contributed significantly to the family’s savings this past year by breastfeeding our one-year-old son. After a bit of a chuckle, I stated again (because I like to feel smug and self-satisfied), “No, seriously. I’ve saved us a lot of money. In fact, breastfeeding should be listed as one of those ‘Top Ten Ways to Save Money in this Crappy Economy.’”

And then I was curious: Just how many of those “Money-Saving Tips” lists out there even mention breastfeeding as an effective way to save money?

So, like scores of 21st century gals and guys attempting to satisfy their curiosity, I turned to my friend Google and discovered the following lists:

• 7 Radical Ways to Save Money
• 20 Ways to Save on a Shoestring
• 30 Easy Ways to Save Money
• 75 Painless Ways to Save Money
• 100 Great Tips for Saving Money
• 101 Ways to Save Money
• 112 Ways to Save Money

But among these 445 tips for saving money (some of which, admittedly, overlap), I could not find a single list pointing out the simple fact that choosing to breastfeed your baby can save you and your family hundreds and even thousands of dollars each year.

In fact, according to kellymom.com (a fantastic breastfeeding resource), exclusively feeding your baby formula costs somewhere between $700-$3,200 per year. Obviously, a mom’s own breastmilk is free, but even if one wants or needs to purchase breastfeeding accessories such as nursing pads, a breastfeeding pillow, a breastpump, etc., the monetary cost of breastfeeding ranges anywhere from $50-$500 per year. Thus, the annual savings of choosing to breastfeed one’s baby range anywhere from $200-$3,200 per year.

What’s more, even if one chooses to supplement their baby’s diet with formula, one could still see savings upwards of $100-$1,000 per year just by breastfeeding some of the time.

These savings are just as significant, if not more so, as slowing down your Internet service (saving approximately $200 per year), quitting smoking (saving upwards of $1,800 per year), using cloth diapers (saving around $1,200 per year), reusing plastic bags, buying in bulk, clipping coupons, and following the 439 other tips that I found in my Google search.

So if you are a pregnant mom currently deciding whether or not to breastfeed your baby — or even if you are contemplating weaning your baby before the American Academcy of Pediatrics’ recommended 12 month mark — make sure to consider the enormous financial savings that breastfeeding offers to you and your family. Couple that with the tremendous health benefits of breastfeeding, and you truly have nature’s magic money-saver!

Kristen is a Ph.D. candidate in philosophy who is also certifying to become a birth doula and a lactation educator. She blogs about birth, breastfeeding, parenting, and the funny things that happen to herself and to her family at Birthing Beautiful Ideas.

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3. Get a Good Start to Breastfeeding
4. Money Saver Summer
5. Money and Motherhood in Your Twenties