Today's Military Mondays post is dedicated to all things baby on a (military) budget. Here's the skinny: babies are expensive. It's amazing how much stuff one tiny little human requires, and even after baby showers, you find yourself having to purchase so many items for your little one on the way. I remember sitting in my nursery a few weeks before my son was born feeling so overwhelmed by how much we already had and how much we still needed. It's just an expensive endeavor, and even though there may not be a way to avoid paying out of pocket for the crib, changing table, and diapers, I did find a secret or two on breastfeeding supplies that I am excited to share with you today.
Okay, let's talk about Tricare for a second. If you are a military spouse, you either love it or you hate it. Although Tricare has it's downsides, let me tell you... it is amazing when it comes to having a baby. Seriously, amazing.
Most insurances cover some of the pregnancy and delivery, but Tricare covers all of it. Even if you are on Tricare Standard (I am too), they cover the pregnancy and delivery. I was a high risk pregnancy, so I had more ultrasounds than I can remember and ended up having to come twice weekly at the end for monitoring appointments to check on the baby. I didn't mind all of the extra attention because it was all covered. My pregnancy cost me a whopping $0. For my delivery, I ended up needing a c-section, which is probably a $10K surgery, and I couldn't help but laugh when I received my hospital bill a few weeks later. $30. It cost me $30 to have our son. All this to say, if you are a military spouse and plan to have a baby, Tricare is pretty great.
Another budgeting item where Tricare really comes through is with breastfeeding. Breastfeeding can be expensive too when you think about purchasing a pump and all of the pumping accessories you need. Tricare covers this too, and 1 Natural Way makes it as easy as 1-2-3 to get.
1 Natural Way offers the biggest brands of breast pumps (Spectra, Medela, Kiinde) as well as pumping accessories, compression socks, and postpartum care supplies. It takes less than 5 minutes to order your Tricare breast pump thanks to 1 Natural Way.
Ordering the breast pump is free, but the process can be a hassle because you have to get a signature from your doctor, get that signature to Tricare, and then order the breast pump for free. The cool thing about 1 Natural Way is that they handle contacting both your doctor and Tricare on your behalf. If you are ordering a breast pump, it means you are just weeks from having a baby, and you don't have time to be fussing with insurance and doctor forms. I really like that 1 Natural Way takes care of that for you.
My last little budgeting tidbit as far as breastfeeding is concerned is to remember that Tricare will cover any supplies you might need. From your pump and pumping accessories to milk storage bags, nursing pads, and lanolin cream, it is all covered, so let Tricare pay for that and you spend your precious dollars elsewhere.
People definitely don't realize just how expensive having a baby can be!
ReplyDeleteTricare doesn't cover nipple cream or pads, unfortunately. However, I do get 120 Kiinde bags every 6 weeks for pumping - which we love, and are SO expensive otherwise. Kudos to Tricare for taking care of their breastfeeding mamas.
ReplyDeleteSoo so grateful for tricare. With our last baby I was blown away when my Dr asked if I wanted "the prescription" for a breast pump! that was such a weight off of our shoulders!
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