Whether you’re a breastfeeding mom, a pumping mom, or a formula-feeding mom, you’ll need to buy Baby Bottles at some point in your postpartum journey.

In this article, I’ll be sharing some tips that’ll help you save money on Baby bottles.

Even an exclusively breastfeeding mom like myself also needed to buy baby bottles so that others could feed my child when I wasn’t at home.

Baby bottles are expensive. It becomes even more expensive when your child refuses certain types of bottles. 

This will force you to try out a variety of options in an attempt to find the one your baby likes. That could mean spending hundreds of dollars trying to find “the one”. 

My first son hated almost every bottle we tried until we stumbled upon Dr. Brown’s glass bottles. You don’t want to spend too much money like we did to find the right one.

Ever wondered how many bottles you should buy? Well, let’s find out.

You may also like: How To Save Money On Baby Items (An Ultimate Guide)

How many bottles do you need to buy for a baby?

The number of bottles you need to buy for a baby depends on whether you’re exclusively pumping, breastfeeding, or formula-feeding. 

If you’re exclusively breastfeeding, then you’ll only need about 3-4 bottles for others to use when you’re away from your baby. If you’re exclusively pumping, then you’ll need at least 5-6 bottles. If you are formula-feeding then you’ll need 6-8 bottles for your baby.

In the newborn stage (0-3 months), babies will eat every 2-3 hours. The number of bottles you prepare will depend on how long you plan to be away from your baby if you’re breastfeeding or pumping.

When my first son was 3 months old, my husband and I had to leave him with my mother so we could attend a wedding. The wedding was about 6 hours long, so I had to pump 3 bottles before we left. 

You may also like: 7 + Easy Ways To Save Money On Baby Food

As an exclusive pumper, you’ll need more bottles to store more milk in the fridge. So having enough bottles for a 12-hour day will save you time. 

You won’t have to worry about washing the used bottles in order to store the milk you’re pumping. You can save all used bottles until the end of the day before washing them.

Mothers who formula feed also need more bottles for the same reason. It’s just easier to wash and sanitize a batch of bottles as compared to washing them individually.

Now that we know how many bottles we need in the first year, let’s find out how we can save money on those baby bottles.

You may also like: 11 + Ways To Save Money On Baby And Kids’ Clothes

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. For more info please see the disclaimer

How To Save Money On Baby Bottles

Get free samples 

Never underestimate the power of free samples. When I was pregnant with my first child, I was able to obtain free samples of newborn items from various stores. 

Most of those free baby boxes came with baby bottles. By the time I delivered, I’d obtained about 11 different brands of baby bottles all for free. 

I got free baby samples from Amazon, Target, Walmart, and BuyBuy Baby.

I was able to save a lot of money on bottles this way because I was able to test out different brands to see which baby bottle my son liked the best. The one he took to was the one I bought more of.

You may also like: How To Save Money On A Baby Shower (10 tips + expert advice)

Use the test and return method 

Amazon is great in the sense that they’ll let you return almost anything. So you can use what I call the “test and return” method to save money on baby bottles.

You simply order 1-2 different bottles at a time from a seller that lists the item as returnable.

Test out each brand after they’re delivered to see which one your baby liked the best. Then return the ones they didn’t like. 

You can do this multiple times until you find the perfect baby bottle. 

You may also like: How To Save Money On A Baby Shower (10 tips + expert advice)

Use the bottles that come with your breast pump 

Another great way to save money on baby bottles is to use the milk collection bottle that comes with your breast pump.

Most double-electric breast pumps come with bottles that attach to the flange to collect the milk from your breast. Some companies will include a nipple with your breast pump purchase. 

To convert your milk collection bottle into a baby bottle, simply screw on the nipple that comes with it.

If your breast pump bottles don’t have a nipple attachment, then try googling which commercially sold nipple will fit it. You may be able to buy nipples from Amazon. 

Pin Me For Later!

Get bottles from the hospital

Hospitals have an endless supply of baby bottles. During your hospital stay, ask your nurse for some extra bottles and nipples to take home. They’ll be more than happy to give them to you. 

Their job is to make sure that you have everything you need to be successful in feeding your baby.

Keep in mind that the baby bottle they’ll give you will be one that can hold 3 ounces or less. That’s the amount your newborn will need for the first few months of their lives.

You’ll need to buy bigger bottles as they grow older and start to drink more milk.

Use the Haakaa 3-in-1 breast pump and bottle 

I used the Haakaa manual breast pump when I had my first child. It’s a great device that attaches to the breast to help collect let-down milk. 

Usually, when your baby attaches to one breast to feed, the other breast will release milk as well. That milk is often soaked up by a breast pad and goes to waste. 

With the Haakaa manual breast pump, you can collect the milk for storage.

Recently, Haakaa came up with a Gen 3 version of their breast pump. Besides being a manual breast pump, it comes with a baby bottle anti-colic nipple that screws on for feeding the baby. 

It also includes an extra spoon head attachment that you can use for baby food feeding when your child is old enough.

Investing in the Gen 3 Haakaa breast pumps will save you money on baby bottles. You’ll also save on baby food feeding when the time comes.

Don’t buy too many at once

I know how important it is to get everything your baby may need before they’re born. Baby bottles are no exception. 

The problem with bottles though is that your child may not like the one you buy, and may reject it. So it’s best to limit the number of baby bottles you buy at the beginning. 

Buying 1 or 2 at a time will help you save money on baby bottles. You’ll get a better idea of what your baby likes, then you can buy more if necessary.

Use old bottles from friends and family

If you don’t mind using old bottles, then this is a good way to save money on baby bottles. Reusing baby bottles is considered safe as long as they’re sanitized and the nipples are replaced (source)

When I had my first kid, I collected some used glass baby bottles from a family member who had her kids the previous year.

I washed and sanitized the bottles for my son to use when he was born. As it turns out, these weren’t the bottles he favored so we didn’t end up using them all. This helped me avoid wasting money. 

If your child likes the old bottles then great. If not, it’s fine because they were free.

Get baby bottles from your buy-nothing Facebook group

Another place you can find baby bottles is in your local Buy-Nothing Group on Facebook. Parents often try to get rid of baby items taking up space in their homes in these groups. 

One of the items I see posted often in my buy-nothing group is baby bottles.

Most baby bottles are like-new and have only been used a few times. Probably because their babies rejected them as well.

Using your buy-nothing group, you can get baby bottles of different brands to try. This will help you save a ton of money.

Buy from the dollar store

Never underestimate the power of the dollar store. You can always get things at a discount there. 

One thing you can find at your local dollar store is baby bottles. You may not be able to find the popular name-brand bottles, but you may find some generic brands there.

Use baby bottles from your previous child

Using baby bottles from your previous child is another way to save money. If you have an older child whose bottles are still in great condition, then consider reusing them. 

You’ll be saving the planet from plastic waste, as well as saving money.

If this is your first child, then consider saving their current baby bottles for the next child you have.

Don’t buy brand-name bottles

As much as I love brand-name baby bottles, they’re not really necessary to have. You can great quality store-brand baby bottles from places like Target and Walmart. 

Amazon even has its own store-brand baby bottles called Mama Bear that come in a pack of 3. They’re more affordable than name-brand bottles.

Conclusion

Preparing for your baby can be a nerve-racking experience, especially when you’re on a budget. You don’t have to feel the pressure to buy everything you see on Instagram and Youtube. 

Your baby doesn’t need all that to be happy. All they need are essential items like food, clothes, a crib, etc.

I hope this article has helped you find ways to save money on baby bottles.

Which method will you use? Please comment below to let me know

Other Money-Saving Articles

How Can A Stay-at-Home Mom Plan For Retirement? (9 ways + video explanation)

Can A Stay-at-Home Mom Get Unemployment Benefits?

How Can A Stay-at-Home Mom Build Credit? (8 simple ways)

Can A Stay-at-Home Mom File Taxes? (An expert answers all your SAHM tax-related questions)