Before my daughter was born, I knew I wanted to try breastfeeding for all the usual reasons: breast milk is nutritionally perfect for a newborn and helps promote bonding between mother and child.  I’ve got to admit, though, that a big motivation was the idea that it was free!   For that reason alone, I’m glad that breastfeeding ended up working out for us.

A couple days ago I became aware of something I’d never thought about before: the hidden costs of breastfeeding.  Now, breastfeeding is generally much cheaper than formula, which can set parents back $1000 to $2300 in baby’s first year–but it isn’t exactly free.   Working mothers may need to pay for a breast pump and bottles out of pocket if insurance doesn’t cover it, which can cost hundreds of dollars.  My hospital had lactation consultants that were paid for by the county, but some women spend upwards of $1000 for lactation consultants if they’re having trouble with their supply or the baby’s latch.

Then there’s the food.  A breastfeeding woman needs to add 500 calories to her diet to keep up a good supply.  How much do 500 calories cost?  Well, a huge five-ounce serving of plain pasta costs $.31. At about $1 a pound, that’s one of the cheapest foods around.   If you supplement your diet with 500 calories of pasta every day for a year, you’ll pay  $114 more on food that year.  Not bad–except who wants to eat that much pasta?  (Me.  Maybe.)  Adding 500 calories of lean proteins and organic vegetables to your diet will end up costing much more.

I know exactly how I got those extra calories while I was breastfeeding: lattes and pastries.  Practically every day I would stroll on down to the coffee shop for a coffee drink made with whole milk and some little treat to tide me over.  While I should have been eating salads and whole grains, I craved carbs, sugar, and butter!  Moreover, I craved the little bit of social interaction my coffee shop jaunts provided.  Okay, so let’s say I spent an average of $3 a day on coffee and pastries–that’s $1095 on food I needed to nurse my baby.  The amount is staggering, especially considering how proud I was to spend under $800 on baby gear, including diapering costs!

So what are some ways to defray the hidden costs of breastfeeding?  Here are some ideas:

1. Check with your insurance company to see what kinds of benefits you may be eligible for as a nursing mother.  Also, look around for free breastfeeding resources.  Kelly Mom has great information online, and La Leche League holds meetings all over the world.

2. Ask your hospital or birthing center if they rent breast pumps, which may be cheaper than buying one yourself.  Joy borrowed an electric pump from family members and bought her own tubing.

3. As for the added calories you’ll need as a nursing mother, just being mindful of the extra expense can help you budget for the food and nutrients you need. I could have easily baked my own treats and limited my coffee shop expenditures. Even better, I could have tried to keep more cheap and nutritious snacks around (like wholegrain toast, carrot sticks, or homemade muffins) so I didn’t resort to pastries in the first place.

Now that I’m aware of the hidden costs of breastfeeding, I feel fortunate for the nursing support I received as a new mom.  Also, I can’t really complain about needing  to eat an extra 500 calories a day.  Ah, how I miss the days of lattes and pastries!