How much do you spend on formula a week/month/any period of time you'd like to tell me about, please?

[hunkermunker]

Just doing some market research - for a reason you may see one day soon.

Also, which formula do you use? And how much does your baby tend to get through in a week/month, etc?

TIA

[ILoveDigestives]

Hmmm, interesting thread HM. I had NO idea FF was so expensive. I am exclusively BF DD1 (now 6 months), and plan to continue up to a year. I've spent a bit on the "extras" sold to BF mums (oh, the commercialism!), but I was so determined to BF and feel happy doing so wherever I was, so wanted to buy BF tops to make me feel more confident in public (I have never been an exhibitionist!). However, these ARE additional extras (plus I have bought only these BF tops over the past 6 months, so it's the equivalent of what I would have otherwise spent on clothing; I also see them as an investment as I will use them again and again with subsequent children). I guess arguably BF is completely free (although some women would say that breast pads are essentials), and you can't FF without the formula or the bottle

[chloemegjess]

Hello. I also agree that you shouldnt really add bras, clothes etc into cost. I didnt bother and I am sure many dont

I only used breast pads for the first few weeks and even then, I used washables so cost be about £5, still have them now and could even sell them if I really wanted.

I am thinking about changing to bottlefeeding so this is a useful thread. I have to say, reading the cost of fomula, I think I will stay with BF

[becka1]

I only give dd readymade cartons, so as a new born about £17 a week, now at 9 months about £10 which I think is good given I don't have to spend time on making up bottles etc

[emma1977]

4 nursing bras (£60)
Lansinoh (£10)
Disposable breast pads (£3/week)
Washable breast pads (£10-rubbish)
BF nightie/pyjamas (£30-waste of money)
Pump (£5)
Bottles and teats (£30)
Steriliser (£30)
Cushion (£5)
Muslins (£5)

[WriggleJiggle]

Costs of bf (according to dh) - several chocolate bars a week.
Cost of bf (actually) - zilch

[Starstarstar]

I ff twins and worked out the cost for aptamil was the same as when I had them + 2yr old dd on cows milk (organic home delivered so v pricey). So about £25 a month.

[oooggs]

"already I don't breast feed"

sorry the sad face didn't copy & paste

[oooggs]

My dts are 13mths now and are on cows milk, but when they were 17 weeks I posted this:

900g in box = £6.96 - Aptamil

a scoop is 4.6g so 196 scoops in a box
currently on 7floz bottles so box makes 28 bottles

6 bottles a day, 42 bottles a week, & 182 a month

182 divided by 28 = 6.5 box a month x £6.96 = £45.24

now double that as I have 17 week old dts

£90.48 a month on formula

don't want to get into a debate, I am already I don't breastfeed, but with a 3.6 yo I couldn't manage on my own.

I really want to b/f no.4

[lazyhen]

Louise76 I completely agree - best start in life but pain and insanity stopped me continuing. My DH and I had a conversation about this thread after I posted last night and he said he was worried for my mental health. I NEVER thought I could fall as low as I did whilst BF and I was SO determined to get it right that the failure was a bitter pill to swallow, so £60 was something I was loathe to pay for but when you're a risk to yourself and your child it seems like a small price to pay.

[Louise76]

I have just moved my dd on to ff after 19 wks of exclusive bf and we are going through around one tin of aptamil per week (£8.90) plus one or two of the ready made cartons so about £10 pw.

I agree with Caz - everyone says bf is free but I wouldn't necessarily agree. Yes you don't have to pay for the milk but I had to wear breastpads day and night due to serious leakage and bought 5 nursing bras and due to being an awkward size they were around £20 each. I also found that I needed a breastpump, breast milk storage bags, bottles and teats for feeding ebm and a breastfeeding pillow.

I am glad that I gave my dd the best start with bf but am so glad to have given it up as I found it difficult for so many reasons.

To me £10 a week is a small price to pay for my sanity and to have my body back and a bit of freedom!

[belgo]

fabsmum:
'I read an article in a women's mag the other day about how often you should replace your ordinary bras. It said every 12 weeks, as the elastic gives during this time.'

I wonder who advertises in that magasine?

A bra that only lasts 12 weeks is rubbish.

[spugs]

one tub of aptamil a week at £7.98
for the other stuff i have 6 doctor brown bottles £30, steriliser £40, milk tub £5, i used all these with dd2 though as well so suppose you can half it. apart from the cost of new teats which were about £9 and these need changing every few months or changing to the next flow so in say 1 year of ff i'll prob will have spent £27 on teats. also new bottle brush every couple of months as the buggers always end up snapping

[LadyOfTheFlowers]

both my boys drank a whole carton a week so around £24 - £30 pm.
Will try my damnedest to bf again and longer this time, again.

[fabsmum]

Sorry - had to add something. I read an article in a women's mag the other day about how often you should replace your ordinary bras. It said every 12 weeks, as the elastic gives during this time. Gawd, I've got bras that I still wear that are more than 5 years old! And they're hideous - gray, bits of elastic hanging off. Erk!

I just whip them off at night before DH sees what I'm wearning!

[EdieMcredie]

Breastfeeding for me is very thrifty! I bought two very good nursing bras which have lasted and lasted. Didn't need any fancy cushions or nursing tops, my breast pads are dirt cheap and I really don't eat anymore than I did before!! My steriliser was 15 quid and came with free bottles!!

I couldn't afford to spend 30 odd quid a month on milk though...

[zazen]

I must have done everything on the cheap.

For b/f tops I used a cami top under my clothes - pull up outer top, pull down cami. no ginormous belly showing! result.
I used the same bras I had in pregnancy, but sewed some old baby vest poppers so they could be opened and put ribbons in them so I could open them and close them one handed. I basically copied the bras in Mothercare.

extra food:I did buy a carton on soya leicithin for me to sprinkle onto my cereal in the morning to emulsify the breastmilk and stop mastitis and blocked ducts. ?6. The rest of the calories came from the fat stores in my own saddlebags!
I bought a boppy cushion, and it doubled as a prop when my DD was sitting up - 7 months or so. I didn't buy a gym as I didn't need one with the boppy.

I also used ebm and used a handheld avent pump.
For breastpads I cut up sanitary towels I hadn't used for the lochia. I bought them on special offer, and as I had a cesarean birth I had too many of them.

I also ff with soyaSMA using the avent bottles. About 2X3oz a day. A can every two weeks or so ?11.
I used the dishwasher to sterilize bottles and didn't bother with the sterilizer I borrowed, as it didn't fit into the microwave.

It's not that expensive to feed a baby, nappies are another matter, and of course childcare is expensive when / if you go back to work..
I borrowed a travel system and a buggy, and bought a sling. HTH

keep us posted on your research results hunkermunker!

[MrsPhas3]

No idea about cost of ff, but I agree that there seems to be a whole lot of marketing opportunities that have arisen around breastfeeding in the last few years. For those who have bought stuff and then not managed to breastfeed, all the tat probably does seem expensive. But for us, the breastpump has done 3 kids, used daily ish for about 4 months, which works out at about 5p a day. I've been extravagant and bought each baby a new bottle! They only need one. Bras have done each baby too (well they obviously don't wear them!), I've probably bought 2 new ones with each baby, tops are cheap, and probably would have bought new anyway. I would say the biggest expense is nursing pads, I've got washable ones (which seemed quite expensive I thought), but not enough, so have to supplement with disposables. And I eat alot anyway. But am saving loads by avoiding alcohol!

Do we pay VAT on breast pads and nursing bras?

[cazzybabs]

well I have 2 bf bras, only used pads for the 1st 6 weeks. no special tops and did buy a milking machine but then it has done 2 children.

[Nbg]

I use Aptamil number 2 for hungry babies.

Get through a tub just under a week. I think it costs about £7.50 or thereabouts.
Although I had to pay £11 for it when we were on holiday.

[wurlywoo]

Sorry late with the reply here, I use SMA gold get through a tub a bit a week- £7 and I make up 8oz bottles for dd who is 19 wks.

Hope that helps..

[sophiewd]

DD got through 1 tin cow and gate a week about £6.50

[LittleMissBliss]

Surley even non breastfeeding mums buy bigger bras and more tops/clothes after birth as breast get larger through pregnancy? And aren't most women are a few sizes bigger after giving birth?

I haven't brought any bf tops just lots of vest tops from primark and m&s (few pounds each) i just wear these under my normal tops.
I only have three bottles and my hand pump came with sterilising box for £12. All this talk of the cost of extra food for the 500cals, easily just the cost of an extra sandwich a day. Whats that..... two slices of bread and some cheese 30p?

At local breastfeeding groups they'll give you free samples of lansinol(sp) which can be expensive to buy. And disposable breastpads are 98p from asda for 40. I only used one pack.

All in all i would say the costs are minimal for breastfeeding.

[WilfSell]

BF costs: loads of bras, disposable pads (had too many bouts of thrush with washables), Lansinoh, silverettes, a 'just right' dining chair from IKEA when I was really struggling, bendy cushions, electric breast pump, bottles/cups. I had a rough time all three babies so was willing to try anything.

but none of this equivalent to at least 7 quid a week plus bottles, steriliser, coolbags etc.. for 6 months for three kids - I reckon that would have been about a grand at least...?

[belgo]

I didn't buy any bfing tops either - but I did see a wonderful private midwife who helped me overcome bfing problmes - I don't know how much we paid for her but I think it was covered by our insurance anyway.