How much do you think we saved…?

We went grocery shopping this afternoon as a family. I had a coupon for Pull Ups diapers and thought I’d give them a try since Hugo is showing a renewed interest in the potty. As Hugo and I looked at the character-printed diapers, I noticed my husband staring at the cans of formula across the aisle.

Wow it is really expensive

“What’s up?,” I asked him. He answered as if coming out of a daze, “How much do you think we saved…?,” meaning by not ever having to buy formula to feed Hugo. I have no idea. It looks really expensive, though!

But that reminded me of a blog I read earlier this week that claimed snippily that extended breastfeeding is only for the affluent. That made me first defensive (since we are most definitely not affluent) then sad. I was really fortunate to be able to stay home for most of my son’s first two years. It could easily have gone another way.

My panic at the thought of returning to work when Hugo was newborn was partially relieved by speaking with my boss who had two children. She had to go back to work when her first child was six weeks old, and he never learned to take a bottle. Her husband was home with him during the day. He fed him expressed breast milk by a syringe until she got home in the evening. Her son would latch on pretty much when she walked in the door and stay on until she left for work the next day. Her story still encourages me though I did end up staying home. I keep it in mind for future reference.