How much money does breastfeeding save you?

[IHeartLockhart]

I'm terrible at months and getting myself in a pickle trying to add it up.

If I exclusively breastfed for say, 6 months how much money do you think I would save as opposed to formula feeding?

I don't think the savings are that exaggerated are they? Some women buy more accessories for bf than is needed but I think the majority just need some bras and comfortable clothing.

I've spent less than £50 on specific bf stuff so far, I got all my bras in the M&S sale for dirt cheap though, and like I said I don't have any nursing tops, just loose tops I can easily lift.

I think for me it's the not having to remember to buy formula each week and factor it in to the weekly shop. Makes it feel so much cheaper for me

I need breast pads for the duration of breast feeding (8 months in with dd2, did 10 months with dd1)- think I'm a leaky boobed freak! Can get away with reusable ones in the day now though (don't trust them at night).
I've been abnormally, ravenously hungry for the first 4-6 months whilst breast feeding both dds. I only lose weight when they wean and my appetite drops. So yes, I did spend a fair bit on sugary crap food. Gets cheaper at 6 months, definitely.

You wouldn't save any money at all I'm afraid.

Didn't anyone tell you? You have to spend that money on cake.

I was ravenous feeding dd.

I am pretty ravenous but am trying to limit it. So hard to lose weight at the moment thoygh

I don't think you save money either. Formula feeding is probably cheaper given how much extra food you eat when bf. Then there're breast pads, and possibly a pump plus all the sterilizing equipment + bottles that you would have for ff. And clothes - I had to buy quite a few vests as I didn't have enough.

I think it's nicer though (due to tongue tie I have a little experience of ff too) - on tap all the time, can feed in a sling and just carry on with what you were doing, no worries about carrying enough milk around with you etc. The immunity to colds etc passed on is handy too. DS didn't get his first proper cold until he was 15 months old and that was good! I was very ready to stop after 14 months, but am hoping very much to be able to bf again this time round.

I never felt the need to eat more whilst bfing. Definitely ate no more cake than ff friends.
I think a market has developed for bfing accessories which encourages women to buy lots of (not unnecessary but discretionary) things upfront whilst still pregnant and before they know what they will actually need. It is possible to bf very cheaply.

Otoh both my bf babies get/got colds.

There was an actual comparison somewhere a while back.

Bf is certainly cheaper if you manage more than 3-4 months as after that it doesn't cost at all - but in the first few months I spent a couple hundred quid on feeding cushions, pump and bottles, bras, and travelling to sources of help.

One reason I carried on beyond 6 months was I wanted to make my money back! Also it became easy, and actually enjoyable by 8 months once I wasn't the se food source and ds would sit up.

And for dc2 there was no further expense.

I just liked the excuse to be able to eat cake.

In all serious though I definitely did save money. I didn't bother with any of the clap trap that people were saying I 'had' to buy. Used my normal clothes, didn't need a steriliser etc.

Just me, my boobs and a baby

( only one thing I had to buy at the start was breast pads. After one pack didn't need them anymore.)

Who is spending up to £30 a week on formula? We're on £10 a week here. Self sterilising bottles, got 5 for £15. £1 bottle brush, a thermos flask we already had and a travel powder container and we're good to go.

The faff of formula feeding is really exaggerated.

With Ds1 we spent £10 per week on formula along with £100initially on bottles and all associated paraphernalia. Also on a breast pump and storage containers/bags so add another £100 as I mix fed due to ds1 not being able to bf.

This time round with DS2 we have spent nothing as bf is going great nearly 5 months in

It's cost me a fortune - it's been tough to establish with my preemie twins, and I've been desperate for it to work so anything that made it easier, I went for.

So far, post-birth I've bought:

Nipple shields, lanisoh, nursing bras and tops, nursing dress, double pump, bf pillows (two...one SH for tandem feeding twins, which didn't work out, and the second to feed one at a time - more successful and doubles up for babies to use so not a waste!), nursing chair, bottles for EBM, coolbag for taking feeds out if going somewhere BF difficult / uncomfortable. Sure it would've been easier / cheaper if my babies had been bigger. They're so small I have to use cross cradle hold and that's tough on the arms.

So yeah - it's cost. I'm sure it doesn't have to, but might be useful to know that it can cost.

Plus all the cake. A lot of cake often in the middle of the night .

I genuinely dont think the cost is what makes someone breast or formula feed. If you and baby take to it, or dont, is what will swing it, if you decide to try either.method.

£50pm ffing cost me is irrelevant to the lack of pain, effort of all evening cluster feeds, night waking feeds long past sixmonths and being able to have others (including a very happy to DH) feed dd.

How much cake you eat probably relates to your initial weight and metabolism. I have a fairly high metabolism and don't really like food. I had to eat a LOT more than normal just to maintain my weight while bf. DS eats a fair amount now for a toddler, so I'm guessing he ate a lot relative to his size, and therefore so did I! We spent on average £20 a week more incl nappies, breastpads (I had to change them every time I fed as the other boob let down hugely when he latched on) and extra food for me.

It's often said that bf is free but it depends on how you do it. If you ebf- no expressing etc you might just get away with just some bras and tops (but you're unlikely to have a baby and not need at least some new clothes) but I don't know of anyone who hasn't bought some bottles and sterilising equipment. Include breast pump (Lansinoh one-£100), Lansinoh (£8/tube-I needed LOTS!), breast pads, milk storage bags (£8) etc and it all adds up so probably wouldn't save anything over 6 months. You can, of course use the equipment for the next baby if you plan to bf more than once.

Formula is £9 not £10 and last a week.

Aptamil is £9.99

Don't forget that the EBF mummy will struggle to go out in the evening (damn cluster feeds) and should limit alcohol intake. Must be saving me a small fortune

As with all things baby related you can make breastfeeding expensive if you need/want a lot of accessories. But it can also be cheap if you want it to be. The extra cost of food for you is not inevitable as not everyone is ravenous. I'm sure there are ways of minimising the cost of formula feeding too, if that's what you choose to do. The main cost difference is that there will always be the ongoing cost of the formula itself, which is not optional if you are fully formula feeding, for 12 months.

4 nursing bras = £50
4 night time nursing tops = £28
Steriliser and breast pump = Present from work
2 packs of reusable breast pads = £10
3 nursing tops (realise now they are a massive gimmick) = £32
Breast feeding cover = £5 (on sale at tk maxx)
Pillow = free from friend
I can't stop eating so my food bill has gone up an extra tenner a week easily. Its a constant "that looks nice, i'll try that" so i'm sure i'll save hardly anything!