Breastfeeding - Step 1 in being CHEAP
Seems so simple doesn't it! Of course the best way to start out being a frugal mom is to not have to PAY to feed your child!
Have you seen the prices on those buckets of formula? Um, no thank you. Even if you have WIC, which I do, they don't fulfill your entire monthly formula needs most often and you'll still have to buy some. Plus my WIC gives me extra food for nursing! I'll post about WIC soon.
And yes yes, breast milk is the best thing for the baby. And yes yes, it helps prevent cancers in the mom and releases happy hormones and all that. But come on, who are we kidding. It's FREE!!
And the best news is it is recomended by the AAP that babies not even get solids introduced until 6 months of age! That means 6 whole months of free food for your child! And seriously, there isn't really a need to introduce foods then unless your child is low in iron which is rare in breastfed babies.
**Get them checked if they were born early since they missed that great iron store building stage of pregnancy.**
Not to mention, (but I will!) that the majority of all nutrition for the whole first year needs to come from breast milk or formula. Uh, I pick the free one.
So foods are really more about experimenting and not about feeding. I mean you are feeding the baby but not for the sake of nutrition. Not that I mean go and give the little one unhealthy foods! Goodness gracious NO! I mean there is no need to even worry about foods for the whole first year.
When the time comes and I will post about it soon enough as I start to feed my baby something other than delicious and perfect mommy milk, make your own baby food. Not just because it is cheaper than buying little jars and tupperwares that must contain some type of preservatives to exist in those containers, but also for the sake of your childs health and taste development. Don't you want them to learn to eat foods that actually taste like those foods? I mean have you ever actually tried those baby purees in a jar? That is not what a carrot tastes like!
So the first step in frugality of motherhood is to utilize nature's gift of food for the baby and breastfeed. And not just breastfeed but exclusively breastfeed as long as possible and then continue to breastfeed for as long as possible. The WHO recommends at least 2 years and most babies self wean between the ages of 2 and 4.
I will be starting solids with my son before his first birthday but I am not looking forward to the change in his diapers! I am looking forward to the fun of it all. He will continue to nurse on demand for his entire first year and beyond because I know as long as he is getting that mommy milk for the first 2 years he is well covered nutritionally.
Did I mention it's FREE!
