How to Feed Baby for Less

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Feeding a newborn is relatively inexpensive if you nurse, but gets pricey if you use formula. As your child get older and you start buying baby food, costs get even higher.

The accessories needed for breastfeeding - pumps, special bras, nursing pads, a nursing pillow, and storage containers - can get expensive. To save money, buy specialized equipment second hand through parents groups or by borrowing it from friends.

If you use formula, powder is the best deal. A 24-ounce can of name-brand powder makes about 170 ounces of liquid and costs about $25. The same volume of liquid formula typically costs $40-plus. Register at formula makers' websites to get free samples and coupons. You can also save by using store-brand powder, which is usually $15-$20 a can and is held to the same federal standards as name-brand.

When your child is ready for solids - there is a variety of prepackaged baby food available. Sometimes the convenience of jarred food can't be beat, but it can cost $1 an ounce. Buying baby food online can save you up to 75%. An even cheaper, and often healthier, option is to make your own baby food with fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans and proteins. Grind cooked food in a specialized mill, which costs $10-$38 and comes in manual or electric versions, or use a food processor or immersion blender.

You can give your baby a mashed version of almost anything the rest of the family eats, enabling you to cook just one meal for the whole family. Experts just caution that you ensure your puree is the right consistency - quite thin for youngest babies, thicker as babies get older, and no chunks until babies have teeth.