Oh, Baby! Deals for a New Mom

This is the second of a three-part series discussing frugality and the new mom. , finding deals on disposable diapers was our focus. This time, we look at ways to save money when we feed our babies.  

Breast Pumps

Breastfeeding, obviously, is the least expensive food (and, according to studies, the best option if you can do it).  

Before spending any money, check your health insurance carrier.  Call the toll-free Member Services number on the back of your insurance card and ask if breast pumps are covered (for any reason).  Sometimes you can find them at a discount price or even free, as they may be considered durable medical equipment. My insurance company paid 100 percent of the cost for my Medela Freestyle, provided I obtained it from their approved vendor.

If you end up having to buy a breast pump, my recommendation is to purchase a double electric model. I have not had good luck with my Medela Freestyle ($339 from Amazon). The Lansinoh Affinity ($127 at Walmart) is much less expensive than the Freestyle and it served me a lot better.  I used a Lansinoh for an entire year, without issue, whereas the motor died three times on the costlier product in less than eight months (it was under a one-year warranty, so replacements were  free).  

You can buy nursing bras, shirts and assorted lotions and potions, which impact the price of breastfeeding, but these are not really necessities.

Bottles

I recommend Gerber First Essentials Bottles: You can often get a pack of three for less than $1 per bottle at any of our local grocery stores or at retailers such as KMart and Target.  I’ve tried the fancy ones (Dr. Brown’s, Avent, even Drop-Ins), but the Gerber bottles turn out to be superior. They are easy to clean (lacking intricate valves or odd nooks and crannies) and rarely leak.

Formula

If you’re buying formula, there are a few rules of thumb for thrifty new parents: powder costs less than pre-mixed liquid formula, larger canisters usually cost less than the smaller ones and store brand varieties are cheaper than those from name brand companies.  

When purchasing natonal brands such as Enfamil or Similac, make sure you use google to find money-saving coupons, and register on company websites to receive coupons in the mail. My quick search yielded a coupon for a free can of Nutramigen with Enflora, a coupon for $5 off Enfamil this week (from coupons.com) and a coupon for $5 off Earth’s Best organic formula.  

Baby Food

Here are some quick coupon links:

Beech Nut - current offer is save 48 labels, mail them in and get four $1 off coupons.  Not sure it’s worth the effort, but keep your eye on the site, as promotions change.
Earth’s Best (my favorite; organic food/glass bottles) - $1 off seven jars, $1 off Sesame Street food products, 55 cents off organic infant cereal.
Gerber -  no food coupons this week, but sign up and keep checking.
YoBaby/Toddler Yogurt - 50 cents off YoBaby and YoToddler products (multiple coupons available). If you buy these products regularly, find the codes on your packages and input them here to get cool rewards like books, infant growth charts and more.

Top Parsippany baby-food deals this week (pair with coupons for even better bargains):
- Shop Rite: Beech Nut Stage 2 foods  are three for $1; Gerber 1st foods, two per pack, are 90 cents.
- Pathmark: Buy two Similac® SimplePac large size powders, and get a free Pampers Wipes Tub and a free 1.37 lb. or larger package of Beech-Nut Cereal in any variety.
- Target: Gerber 1st or 2nd stage food two-packs are 10 for $10.

Next week, we conclude our series on savings for new moms by taking a look at buying children's clothing while on a budget—and I will share my favorite Parsippanty-area stores for finding deals.