Financial Advantages of Breastfeeding
Want to watch your budget and do the best for your babe? Breastfeeding is the answer. Read on to see why breastfeeding is also good to your bank balance:
1. Breastfeeding is free!
Breast milk is right there and provided free of charge by nature, prepared specifically for your babies needs at not cost at all. Isn’t that marvelous!
2. Formula is expensive
You can expect to pay between $1,500 – 2,000 on formula in the first year of your child’s life (dependent upon which brand you select). We must also factor in the added statistical medical cost which will bring the cost to about $3,300 per year. Hypo-allergenic formulas are even more expensive which will bump the cost up even further.
3. Formula costs both the government and taxpayers millions of dollars
In 2000 the US government supporting the WIC supplemental food program spent almost $300 million on formula. There is also the additional cost of formula-fed infants who statistically get sick more frequently. The American Association of Pediatrics suggests that US health care costs could be reduced by $3.6 billion per year if we achieved higher rates of breastfeeding.
4. Less equipment to buy, maintain and store
All the extras for formula feeding like bottles, measuring devices and sterilizing equipment (I’m sure there are more) are costly and take up space and have to be thoroughly cleaned.
5. Breastfeeding moms spend less on menstrual supplies
Many breastfeeding moms don’t get their monthly periods back until their baby is at least a year or older. This saves them spending money on tampons, pads and pain medication.
References: http://boobiefed.com/reasons-why-breastfeeding-is-best
