To hate the assertion that breastfeeding 'costs money in increased food'

[Lycidas]

This line is often trotted out whenever someone emphasises the economy of breastfeeding over form: 'except that the mother has to consume more food in order to produce adequate breastmilk'. Nonsense.

Firstly, evidence suggests that breastmilk supply is only threatened when the mother's calorie count dips below 1500 a day, which is below the average intake for a breastfeeding woman. More importantly, one of the virtues of breastfeeding is that it can burn 300-500 calories a day. Assuming that the mother doesn't increase her food consumption, and sticks to around a standard 2000 calories a day, this deficit is precisely what's needed in order to maintain a consistent level of weight-loss in the postpartum months. This deficit will allow the body to utilise the fat deposits that were placed down during pregnancy in order to produce breastmilk.

It just really pisses me off when someone makes this argument about how much extra money they spent on food, then says;:"OH, and btw breastfeeding didn't help me lose any weight!' Well, no shit sherlock.

This isn't to say that I think breastfeeding is significantly cheaper (have spent more than I would like to think on a good quality nursing pillow, bras/vests, pump etc), but simply that the argument based on food doesn't compute.

Yanbu.
Im slim/didnt put on weight whilst pg and ate exactly the same amount i normally do and DC BF loads and loads

I did make sure i was well hydrated as sometimes you feel thirst as hunger but that was just water really that i needed.

I did buy some BF clothes but only as an excuse to shop

I've spent a fortune on breastfeeding but that's because it didn't go well for us at the start so I rented hospital grade pump, got a lactation consultant, paid for a bunch of bottles and teats, etc. Cost wasn't really the motivator for me, though.

You're not being unreasonable. I must say I've never heard such an assertion.

I’ve never heard the argument of it being more expensive, but I have heard people say that you need to consume 500extra cals per day to produce milk (which I suppose would then cause it to be more expensive now that I’m thinking it through).
One HV even scolded me after I attended my very first exercise class postpartum with DC2 because I shouldn’t be exercising if I want to maintain a milk supply . Alright love, no need to panic, I counteracted the approx 6 calories I burned in that class with the approx 800 calories I consumed in biscuits afterwards because I thought I deserved a treat. Been a greedy fecker my whole life, nothing to do with the BF

Never heard that argument before. I spent considerably more (equipment, formula etc) and ate considerably more with formula fed DC1 (and put on more weight!) than with breastfed DC's 2 & 3.

I've never heard that argument before but I was in the "never known hunger like it" camp. I had a premmie, growth restricted baby so she had some catching up to do. I was ravenous and extremely thirsty all the time.

I’ve spent a lot more on food, I walked out of hospital weighing less than I did when I got pregnant and continued losing weight. I’m permanently hungry.
Bf is not the same for everyone and our bodies all react differently