*This post is mainly for single moms who are currently pregnant, but you can read it too.

New single moms face many fears about their ability to be a good parent without a husband. When I was pregnant with my daughter I was scared and unsure about how to take care of this new life. I read a lot of books and prepared my mind for the task. I knew that I wanted to nurture my child and have a close bond with her because I didn’t have that with my mother.

In my reading about breastfeeding I learned that it is a great way to bond with my baby and give her the best start in life. So I made the decision and gathered books from the library about breastfeeding. I won’t go into the details about how I did it but you can read about it over at Sexy Nursing Bras after reading this post ;-).

Other than the bonding benefit, breastfeeding is good for your bank account. Unless you are on Food Stamps or the WIC program you will pay an enormous price for baby formula. I was appalled at how much formula cost when my daughter was born 12 years ago. I’m sure that the price has probably doubled since then. Breastfeeding is the solution that will save your purse and be one less expense every week.

The benefits of breastfeeding are twice that of formula. Your baby will get the important colostrums or pre-milk that comes in after your baby is just born. This milk is loaded with essential ingredients to boost the baby’s immune system. The regular breast milk is not only more healthy but it requires no warming, is ready on demand (in most cases), and will not cause allergic reactions like formula milk can.

The other benefit is the bonding that takes place between you and your little one. When you and your baby make eye contact that creates a bond. Chemical reactions take place in your brain that causes your love for your child to deepen. This same chemical also relaxes you and almost forces you to be calm. This is good for relieving the anxieties of single motherhood.

Another benefit is physical. Nursing or breastfeeding your baby helps you get down to your pre-pregnancy figure sooner. The chemicals released during the feeding stimulate your uterus and causes it to tighten and shrink (that’s how it was explained to me for all your breastfeeding pros). My stomach went down much faster than other mothers who didn’t breast feed. My family and friends where shocked at how quickly I lost the pregnancy pounds and got back into my regular clothes.

All in all my experience as a breastfeeding mommy was good. My daughter was fat and healthy and so was my son. I nursed my daughter for 11 months and my son for 6-8 months. Some people who let their kids nurse for years but I was happy with the few months of this life changing experience. I never regretted the decision and we share a very strong bond even now.

Samantha Gregory

Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.

Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.

She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.