Breast Is Best and Cheaper To!

I have been watching my cousins baby. She nurses some when mom is home, but when mom is at work she takes formula. Being my cheap self  I wanted to just see how much it may cost to formula feed. I found someone saying $60 per week an average price $35.  Every baby varies on how much and what kind of formula price will vary. By giving your baby chemicals and upset stomach you are going to pay somewhere around $150/month. On average that is almost $2,000/year! That is a lot of money!

The little baby I was watching just cried so much and was so demanding on me. She needed to burp every 2 oz she drank. It was like I was either warming a new bottle burping her or feeding her all day long. She is a sweet baby, I just felt so bad for her. All I wanted to do was stick her on my boob, and help her feel better. I kept remembering when I would put my little baby in a little back pack and she could nurse while I did other things. Nursing is just so much easier!

I know that it is not for everyone to nurse... but not everyone knows all the benefits. So I thought today I might just express some of my feelings in this tip. As I said earlier I am pregnant with #2. I am actually still nursing #1 on occasion sick/ won't nap, mainly. I have had lots of criticism for nursing my 2 year old and under peer pressure I stopped nursing her a month after her 2nd birthday. A couple months after when I was  on vacation visiting my sister she got really sick. Far from a doctor and no insurance for another state... I felt like I should try to nurse her. She was happy to nurse again and so I nursed my 2+ year old back to health. Her 103 degree temperature dropped. I hardly even had any milk, but my milk came back in. It was a heaven sent since, I thought I would have to take her to the hospital.

Now, I was very excited to breastfeed from the start with our first child. After coming home from the hospital I had no idea what would hit me! My dream of taking my little my bundle of joy home and cuddling her was short lived. The engorgement was the worst ever for me. Thank heaven for my sister in law who held my little one while I tried to figure out how to get rid of the pain. (This isn't to scare you first time moms I am only sharing my story to prepare you.) I remember thinking, " should I really go through with this nursing thing? Is it always terrible like this?" I didn't know I was making it worse by pumping and applying heat. At last I found help from ice packs and Lansinoh nipple latch assistant. I was too engorged for my baby to latch this was a life saver. I have to admit, it was a little steep, but I would do it again! Over all the $7 for the latch assistant is much better then the $35/week for formula.

Wither you decide to nurse or bottle feed you will go through this engorgement period for next 3 days to a week of pain. I said if I ever get through this it is better that I do and provide for my baby then to do it and not. Breastfeeding is simple and usually painless after the engorgement is over. So first time mommies... you can do it!

I found this TIMELINE for breastfed babies and if you are needing the strength to continue breastfeeding or are unsure this is a great informative website.

If you need to defend yourself as a breast feeder... like I have had to do from time to time here are great argument comebacks and health information.

http://www.thealphaparent.com/2012/01/how-to-win-any-breastfeeding-argument.html