Formula - Help me figure out costs,types and brands

Having our first child in July. We are going to try to use formula and want to use Nestle Good Start with Omega 3 and 6 if the baby agrees with it.

Was planning on getting the powder, but then saw thise thread where a poster indicates the concentrate is cheaper then the powder.

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/s...57&postcount=7

What I cant figure out is how much formula we will need? I know it will depend on the kid - but ballpark figure how many bottles of formula per day are we looking at? And how much powder or concentrate does it take to make a bottle?

You can count on 6-8 bottles per day the first month (about 3oz per feeding) and this will change to about 5 to 6 bottles per day. The easiest way to calculate how much is to take the baby's weight and divide it by 2 to get the oz. (ie an 8lb baby will drink 4oz per bottle).

A can of liquid yields 26 oz which must be used within 24 hours once prepared.

HTH

Also, out of curiosity, why are you choosing formula over breastfeeding? I am not advocating it, I just get curious with first time parents as to why they choose one over the other.

Originally Posted by 3weddings

You can count on 6-8 bottles per day the first month (about 3oz per feeding) and this will change to about 5 to 6 bottles per day. The easiest way to calculate how much is to take the baby's weight and divide it by 2 to get the oz. (ie an 8lb baby will drink 4oz per bottle).

A can of liquid yields 26 oz which must be used within 24 hours once prepared.

HTH

Also, out of curiosity, why are you choosing formula over breastfeeding? I am not advocating it, I just get curious with first time parents as to why they choose one over the other.

Thanks for the help - so let me see if I have this straight assuming 4oz per feeding?

A can of concentrate is 13oz. Mixes at a rate of 1-1 with water. So I can get about 6 feedings per can (4oz of formula = 2oz of concentrate and 2oz of water).

A can of powder is 730grams. The instructions say 8.7grams per scoop so I assume this means 83 scoops per can. Mixes at a rate of 1-2 with water. So 2 scoops of powder and 4oz of water would give a 4oz bottle of formula. So I can get about 41 feedings per can.

Does this make sense? Just want to make sure I have this correct to determine the most cost effective version.

To answer your second question re breastfeeding. This is a decision I have left up to my wife (for obvious reasons ), and she wishes to use formula.

Your calculation sounds right. The one thing you are giving up with powder is convenience. With the liquid I bought a larger juice jug with a seal, and I would make the whole can at once. You will find with powder you won't do that, plus it's a bit messier to prepare. But it is more cost effective I think.

Your wife is smart, when using formula both of you are involved with feeding the wee one. I mean if she were to express, certainly you would be able to feed the baby as well, but that rarely happens. I was exclusively BFd and dh missed out on a lot of bonding , plus it allowed him the excuse of not getting up for the middle of the night feeding

Originally Posted by 3weddings

Your calculation sounds right. The one thing you are giving up with powder is convenience. With the liquid I bought a larger juice jug with a seal, and I would make the whole can at once. You will find with powder you won't do that, plus it's a bit messier to prepare. But it is more cost effective I think.

Your wife is smart, when using formula both of you are involved with feeding the wee one. I mean if she were to express, certainly you would be able to feed the baby as well, but that rarely happens. I was exclusively BFd and dh missed out on a lot of bonding , plus it allowed him the excuse of not getting up for the middle of the night feeding

Well thats the strange thing. With walmart prices the can of 730g goes for $29. A case of 12x385ml (13oz) concentrate cans goes for $44.

So for the powder Im getting $29 / 41 feedings = $.70 per feeding.
For the concentrate Im getting $44 / (6x12 = 72 feedings) = $.61 per feeding.

Seems like a no brainer to go with the concentrate if its cheaper and more convenient?

Well ymmv but at the local Loblaws, I used to use the Ready to Feed cans of Enfamil A+. Each pack of 4 has a coupon for $3 off and each pack of 4 is $9. The coupon is supposed to be for a case of concentrate, a can of powder, or a case of ready to feed (which is 4 packs of 4 for 16 cans). One can is approximately 8oz so 2 feeds for you.

Back to my point, at the local Loblaws, 99% of the time I got a cashier that would let me use the $3 coupon for each pack of 4. I've only been turned down twice, and I just didn't buy them and came back another day to another cashier that would give it to me.

So using your calculations $6 for a pack of 4 that is 8 feedings so $6 / 8 = .75 per feeding. Yes it is more expensive than either of your methods, but the bonus is, you don't have to mix ANYTHING. You shake the can, open it and feed. Great for on the go.

Originally Posted by Kranberry

Well ymmv but at the local Loblaws, I used to use the Ready to Feed cans of Enfamil A+. Each pack of 4 has a coupon for $3 off and each pack of 4 is $9. The coupon is supposed to be for a case of concentrate, a can of powder, or a case of ready to feed (which is 4 packs of 4 for 16 cans). One can is approximately 8oz so 2 feeds for you.

Back to my point, at the local Loblaws, 99% of the time I got a cashier that would let me use the $3 coupon for each pack of 4. I've only been turned down twice, and I just didn't buy them and came back another day to another cashier that would give it to me.

So using your calculations $6 for a pack of 4 that is 8 feedings so $6 / 8 = .75 per feeding. Yes it is more expensive than either of your methods, but the bonus is, you don't have to mix ANYTHING. You shake the can, open it and feed. Great for on the go.

This brings up another good point. How do you choose the brand of formula to use? just go with one and see how the baby likes it?

We want a dairy based (not soy) and want Omega 3/6.
The three major brands seem to be:

Similac Advance
Enfamil A+
Nestle Good Start



Is any one better then the other?

Also all these sites seem to offer a "sign up package" where they offer you a bunch of free swag, coupons and formula. Is it worth it to sign up for these sites with multiple addresses to get multiples of the free stuff? I could use my parents, brothers etc addresses?

Originally Posted by scoop

This brings up another good point. How do you choose the brand of formula to use? just go with one and see how the baby likes it?

We want a dairy based (not soy) and want Omega 3/6.
The three major brands seem to be:

Similac Advance
Enfamil A+
Nestle Good Start



Is any one better then the other?

Also all these sites seem to offer a "sign up package" where they offer you a bunch of free swag, coupons and formula. Is it worth it to sign up for these sites with multiple addresses to get multiples of the free stuff? I could use my parents, brothers etc addresses?

I didn't know Enfamil and Similac had sign ups. I wish I knew that a few months back. I did sign up to Nestle online, and Nestle at Thyme maternity and we got 2 backpacks, 2 Avent 9oz bottles, 2 cans of powder formula (soy or regular) depending on what you pick, some coupons, a freezer pack, a reusable change pad, baby on board, etc. They also send coupons every once in a while, and I did get some samples of Nestle cereals too now. It is definitely worth signing up once if not multiple times.

I'm amazed that anyone in this day and age still voluntarily gives their children formula. I can understand if you are in the very small minority of people who physically can't breastfeed, but planning for formula before even trying? The benefits of breastfeeding are major, and well documented, there is not even a debate about it. Why deprive your child of a head start in life unless you absolutely have to?

Originally Posted by Bullseye

I'm amazed that anyone in this day and age still voluntarily gives their children formula. I can understand if you are in the very small minority of people who physically can't breastfeed, but planning for formula before even trying? The benefits of breastfeeding are major, and well documented, there is not even a debate about it. Why deprive your child of a head start in life unless you absolutely have to?

Good to know your thoughts. Id appreciate you starting your own thread if you like so we can keep this one on topic.

TIA

Originally Posted by Bullseye

I'm amazed that anyone in this day and age still voluntarily gives their children formula. I can understand if you are in the very small minority of people who physically can't breastfeed, but planning for formula before even trying? The benefits of breastfeeding are major, and well documented, there is not even a debate about it. Why deprive your child of a head start in life unless you absolutely have to?

Just as I am amazed that anyone would force an ideal onto anyone else in this day and age and where we live? Not being physically able to breastfeed obviously is a good reason not to, but it doesn't make it the only reason. People are different and have differing reasons, whether physically or emotionally to breast feed. Please show me to the documentation that includes hard facts that the benefits are major, I know there are benefits, but I don't believe they are major. I do believe there can be a debate.

A good read. Basically stating what I said above, benefits yes, but how much nobody really knows and to what extent. Too many variables and methods to be sure, and most data is old. Besides just because I talk about using formula does not necessarily mean that my baby did not get breast milk. In fact my baby was on breast milk, but we had reasons that we needed to supplement with formula.

http://www.stats.org/stories/breast_..._jun_20_06.htm


Sorry to get off topic.

Originally Posted by scoop

This brings up another good point. How do you choose the brand of formula to use? just go with one and see how the baby likes it?

We want a dairy based (not soy) and want Omega 3/6.
The three major brands seem to be:

Similac Advance
Enfamil A+
Nestle Good Start

We started using the Similac Advance, because that is what we were given in the hospital. (*Note to the nipple nazis, my wife has a medical condition that does not allow her to BF, and we opted to feed our baby)

We used it for about 6 months, and were pleased with it. Here in Alberta it is hard to find, and then Walmart increased the price from $29 to $38 per case of 12 cans of concentrate.

We switched to the PC brand of concentrate with Omega 3&6 and accoring to the labels they are virtually identical.

They can be found at RCSS/Loblaws for about $24 per case.

If you baby will tolerate it, this is another option for you.

We also found the liquid concentrate to be cheaper, and easier than the powders. The powders never really mixed fully so you have to shake the bottle before feeding, making it full of bubbles which caused gas.

For convenience we have a can of ready-made in the diaper bag.

Gaf

PC is made by Abott Labs.

They also make Similac, Similac Advance, Similac NeoCare, Isomil , Isomil DF, Gain

Just came across this comparison by Sam's Club tooting Member's Marks horn

http://www.membersmarkformula.com/co...t-formulas.asp

Originally Posted by vistaliving

PC is made by Abott Labs.

They also make Similac, Similac Advance, Similac NeoCare, Isomil , Isomil DF, Gain

I had a hunch that they were made by the same manufacturer since all the values on the label are almost identical. They even smell the same.

Good to know, and I like the fact that the PC stuff is cheaper by about $14 per case.

Gaf