Cost of formula

Hi, I was wondering if anyone could tell me roughly how much they spend on formula weekly/monthly. I may have to FF due to health issues and was wondering what to expect. Please also include what type of formula you use. Are generic formulas ok?

 

I buy my formula at Sam's club because they have bigger cans and its cheaper to buy it in bulk. My boys are on Enfamil Gentlease and the cans are $37.99 a piece. One can usually lasts one week and I buy 8 cans a a time. So that's $303.92 for roughly 8 weeks.

 

Max & Lily are on Similac Isomil Advance (soy) and we have not been able to switch. If I can't find it on sale or use a coupon it runs about $48 per week for two cans. They are slowing down on formula now. I look for sales, coupons, and registered with similac for the $5.00 gift checks. Any savings helps.

 

So sorry you can't breast feed. If I could go back I would have stuck it out! I gave up at 3 1/2 months, but unlike you
I had no medical issues. So, again, I am sorry about your health situation. It seems I took it for granted.

It depends on what brand and type of formula you use. We use Similac Advance in the ready to feed bottles.
We started on the Advance, then went to Sensitive early on, then switched back to the Advance at our 6 month
checkup by the recommendation of our pediatrician.

It is not cheap. We try to get as many as possible at Target--the 2 for $11 deal. Many, many, many, people use the generic
formula. Many pediatricians say it's fine, just as good, etc. However, we just felt better about using the Similac brand and the
ready to feed.

Good luck!

 

We are weaniong the boys off formula but we spent about $50-$80 a week. Approx 2 cans each of powdered formula. Ethen was on Nutramagin and Deven was on Enfamil Lipil. Thank goodness they are on milk now. We couldnt get a generic on Nutramagin. Make sure you apply for WIC no matter if you breast or bottle it. That can help alot with formula costs.

 

Ours would only take the ready to feed formula and we used Similac sensitive. We always bought two cases a week, so it ran us close to 68.00 per week.

 

we used Goodstart from the beginning. We went through 2 cans per week so about $50 per week. each can at BRU is $23.49. Whenever BRU had it on sale I would buy as many as I could afford at that time. We also bought the 20% extra cans whenever possible so we were getting 30.8oz instead of 25.7oz cans.

 

We used Gentle Ease at first (cheaper at BJs), then switched to the Target generic and haven't looked back! Generics are great, IMO, if you can find one of the formula you're using.

 

We use the Costco Kirkland brand formula. Two cans are $20. They have never gone through more than 2 cans in a week, and now it is probably a can and a half. So, its pretty close to $80 a month, which I don't think is bad. Its also worth signing up with enfamil and similac for their multiple birth programs, where they'll send you a couple of cases of formula each for free.

 

I just use the Walmart brand- its $11/can. The Dr and hospital told us they are the exact same as name brand formulas. If you still aren't sure, just compare the labels- there's the proof We go through about 2 cans a week right now- about 2 months ago it was more like 3 cans though. So roughly $88/month right now for formula, which I think is a great price! Camryn did need the gentle formula(broken down proteins) for a while and that was still only $14/can. HTH!

 

We use the Target generic powdered formula. We go through 5-6 cans in a 2 week span, so at most it's about $140 a month.

 

We just switched from Similac to Parent's Choice (Walmart's generic). When they were on Similac Advance we spent $100/week, even more when they were on Neosure. Now that they are on generic we spend half that. They actually did better when we switched to generic. They ate more at each bottle, spit up less, and started sleeping through the night, and seem to be gaining better. Could be coincidence because I also started solids around the same time, but I will never go back to paying $25.00 a can for formula. My Pedi actually recommended it.

 

We calculated that we spend $3000 on formula for the boys. They drank it from 2 weeks to 12.5 months. I wish I'd pumped longer - I could have saved a lot of money.

 

Our girls are still on Enfamil Enfcare Lipil (for Preemies). We go through about three cans a week and it costs $14.86 (I think) at Walmart. I hope we get the o.k. to switch totally to whole milk at the end of the month. Some babies get to switch off of the high calorie formulas after a few months, but ours were still battling to gain weight, so we had to be on the high cal stuff as long as we were on formula.

 

Both of the twins were on Nutramagin and it cost about $400 a month. Apply for WIC if you can. I breast feed for as long as I could to help with the cost. So sorry you can not do this

 

We use Similac Sensitive and they go through one 12.9 oz can a day. They are about $15 per can so that's about $420 for four weeks.

My MIL is a nurse so she helped stock us up before the girls were born - Thank God for WIC we haven't had to purchase any as of yet. These girls eat a Lot! ^_^

 

Generric formulas are definitely ok! They are the same and will save you tons of $$. I would recommend Target brand, which is the kind that we used :good:. It's the same as Enfamil. GL!

 

QUOTE(LouiseP @ Feb 14 2009, 08:37 AM) [snapback]1189731[/snapback]
So sorry you can't breast feed. If I could go back I would have stuck it out! I gave up at 3 1/2 months, but unlike you
I had no medical issues. So, again, I am sorry about your health situation. It seems I took it for granted.

It depends on what brand and type of formula you use. We use Similac Advance in the ready to feed bottles.
We started on the Advance, then went to Sensitive early on, then switched back to the Advance at our 6 month
checkup by the recommendation of our pediatrician.

It is not cheap. We try to get as many as possible at Target--the 2 for $11 deal. Many, many, many, people use the generic
formula. Many pediatricians say it's fine, just as good, etc. However, we just felt better about using the Similac brand and the
ready to feed.

Good luck!

May I ask why the ped recommended you put them back on similac? my two are on sensitive due to gas issues (they are still gassy but nothing else seems to help them but this formula) thanks

 

My two are going through one 12.5 oz of powder can every three days! They are on similac sensitive. i found with enfamil and similac regular they would eat more often and have gas pains. i have had to try differnt ones out on them to finally find one that works. they still are gassy but its not as bad as it was before and no other formula is helping. has anyone had issues with gas and then went to generic to find it works better???? looking for the perfect formula and havnt found it yet! we are just making due with this!
BTW FOR EVERYONE: Try EBAY. I have bought formula online and have saved money. ex: 9 cans of formula for $80. they are $15 in the store so I am saving some good dough. check it out!
PS try diapers.com. you get $10 off for your first order and if you use my code:diapers4da you get another $10 off. Also they ship overnight for free! great for diapers too as we are going through those like toilet paper!! haha

 

I'm sorry to hear that health issues may get in your way - last thing you need to deal with on top of two newborns!

I just wanted to let you know that if you're interested, you can find out more about what treatments are compatible with BFing (and it may be a lot more than you think). Thomas Hale's book Medications and Mothers' Milk is the gold standard. I don't have a copy, but I know some people at the BFing forum do.

Good luck!

 

We use Enfamil A/R Lipil and go through 2 cans a week. Approximately $27 per can (things are sometimes a little more spendy up here). I had asked the pediatrician at the hospital when they were born if we could use generic and he said he wouldn't scrimp on formula...but now hearing that a lot of you use generic and DR's said it was ok, i might ask our Ped again tomorrow when we go in for their check up.

 

Seems I'm the only one that uses Organic. I use the Presidence choice from Super Store. I used Walmart before that but when I really look at the ingredient in a lot of formulas I was upset that Corn Syrup seems to be a main ingredient which is why I switched to Organic. It costs 21.99 and we go through a can every 3 days. So we spend close to $200 a month.

 

QUOTE(dallasm @ Feb 15 2009, 12:21 AM) [snapback]1190439[/snapback]
May I ask why the ped recommended you put them back on similac? my two are on sensitive due to gas issues (they are still gassy but nothing else seems to help them but this formula) thanks



He didn't really say. They had the reflux (not terrible, but enough!) and he knew we were on the Similac Sensitive ready to feed, which is
one he recommended at the time. He also recommended the Gentle Ease (I think?) if the Similac didn't work. He's a big Similac fan, likes
their research or something.
Then, at the 6 month appointment he said "put them back on the Advance." I assume it is because they are over the whole reflux thing.
Maybe for the lactose or something? more iron? Although I remember comparing, and the iron appeared to be the same.
I'll ask at my next appointment!

 

My children were on Neosure for a couple of months, but I think at their 4 month appointment they got switched to Similac advance. I asked the ped if I could use generic since it is MUCH cheaper, but he said that sometimes they have Recalls and you wouldn't know about it, and he rather us just use similac and not have to deal with the Recalls because they didn't put a major ingredient in the formula. So we have been doing just that. They are 9 months old, and we get 10 canisters (23oz) a month, which runs us a little more than 200 a month! I can't wait for them to be a year old so we can switch to whole milk .

 

I remember with one baby boy I was getting 8-10 canisters a month on Enfamil. Wouldnt it be double that for two? That is just my opionion! Right now my babies use 12 cans a month and they are only 8 weeks old eating 3-4 oz every 3 hours. Perhaps they eat too much?????????
oh i see the pp buys the 23 oz cans when I was getting the 12.9 oz cans. that makes more sense!

 

We use the Sam's brand of formula - exact same nutrional info as Enfamil LIPIL and the cost is so much less. You get a really large can (much larger than the larger Enfamil cans) for only $20 - lasts us almost 2 weeks.

 

At the height of formula consumption we went thru a 30oz can of powdered formula every 3 days. I think it was 30oz- it was the giant can that you can only get at places like Sams, Costco or BJs. So we spent about $90/week on formula. The girls started off on Enfamil Enfacare (high cal) and then moved to Enfamil Lipil.

 

QUOTE(jroberts @ Feb 15 2009, 04:47 PM) [snapback]1191007[/snapback]
We use Enfamil A/R Lipil and go through 2 cans a week. Approximately $27 per can (things are sometimes a little more spendy up here). I had asked the pediatrician at the hospital when they were born if we could use generic and he said he wouldn't scrimp on formula...but now hearing that a lot of you use generic and DR's said it was ok, i might ask our Ped again tomorrow when we go in for their check up.


There is no generic for Enfamil AR - I looked all over the place! Or at least there wasn't last year!

 

Didn't get a chance to read the posts so sorry if this is a repeat, but here's what we did:

I bought Simliac for the first 4 months or so, until I happened on Target one day and found their storebrand was TEN dollars cheaper than any of the name brands! I tried it. Didn't do any harm to my girls, so I kept using it. We went through 2 cans of Formula per week after they were 4-5 months old, so $10 per can was pretty significant. It's $13 for the big can. And let me tell you how smart my now barely 2 yr. olds are! They know their ABC's from start to finish (w/ no prompting) can count to 20, know pretty much all the nursery rhymes, and my one girlie knows the name of every single child in their daycare center. My point is that storebrand formula will NOT hurt your childs brain development in any way, shape or form, and it's SO much easier on you pocket book!


While I'm at it, don't waste your $$ on name brand diapers. We've tried about every brand out there (save Wal-Marts store brand) and the best we've found, and lightest on our pocket book, is Especially for baby from BRU. They work wonders, have more diapers per case (the only way I buy diapers) and are cheaper then Pampers/Huggies/Luvs... Target brand is cheaper even than BRU, but they're awful in my opinion for holding fluids. Just my $.2 on diapers for you too.

Good Luck!

 

We started off on Isomil, but after peds recommendation switched to Parent's Choice(Walmart Brand). Saved us a bundle!