How much does formula and nappies cost per month?

[Laac]

I am expecting our first child and was having a chat with a colleague who has two kids about the cost of formula and nappies/ wipes etc at the start. I'm hoping to breastfeed but aware not everyone can.

He said that a £9 tub of formula lasted 4 days- is that right?

How much do you spend a month on formula and/ or nappies, wipes etc?

Thank you this is all really helpful. Does everyone get child benefit? DH is self employed and his income is variable so I won't know for certain what he earns from one year to the next.

No, if you earn over £65k you don’t get child benefit (I think it’s a sliding scale from £55k?).

I get CB and I'm pretty sure that you don't have to declare your income on the forms.

I'm sure you don't get child benefit over a certain amount - you get less the more you earn.

Firstly congratulations. X

I mixed formula and BF until little one was about 5 months, then solely formula until weaning stage (6months). Had to use SMA as the only formula that agreed with LO. Was £11 a tub. There were some weeks I did not use formula as BF was all he needed but when solely on formula used nearly 2 tubs a week.

I also brought a large flask, formula pots and bottle warmer pouches, so when I was out for the day I could boil the kettle in the morning and fill the flask with this and filled pots with required amounts of powder. Would leave with one bottle filled with freshly boiled water in bottle warmer, this would then be cooled down enough by time ready for feed (just add powder). That way I could make up bottles as and when needed. Also easier to ask for cold water to cool down then to have bottle heated.

Used Aldi's nappies which were great £5 for box of 100 for newborn. Older LO gets similar cost just less nappies. Baby wipes, keep an I out for deals, you can usually get mamia ones for approx 55-60p per packet in boxes of 12 from most supermarkets.

Probably spent on average £50 a month. X

When DS was being FF we went from 2 to 5 tubs a month, the increase was due to him increasing feeds. So max of £50 a month. Nappies I get in Lidl/Aldi, probs £5 a month, I use washable baby wipes which were £45 and have lasted me a year now. There’s donkeys years left in them as well.

I get CB and I'm pretty sure that you don't have to declare your income on the forms

If you earn over a certain amount you have to fill out a self declaration and your CB will be clawed back the following year through tax.
We certainly aren’t eligible for it.

Child benefit has always covered nappies wipes and formula (although I breastfed to 8 months) and any extra new clothes he needs. If you aren't entitled to child benefit then you can probably afford milk and nappies.

Aldi do really cheap nappies and wipes! With ref to breastfeeding, only a very small % of people can't physiologically BF but there can be challenges- advice here would be to try and get support from midwives and HVs in the early days as I think the first few weeks are crucial in building confidence and getting through the initial problems. Definitely easier in the long term!

Like everything, what you want to/ can spend will vary. Breastfeeding was certainly a saver for me, but I wasted money on follow on milks trying to tempt my steadfast bottle refuser to have some. Ditto various bottles/teats. I was given a second hand breast pump and used cheap primark vest tops under baggy tshirts/tops instead of feeding specific tops. Look up where your local breastfeeding cafes/support groups are and so you can get support, company and advice on breastfeeding if you want to. I didn't think about this in advance and was just lucky hat some of my NCT friends had and knew where to go.

Initially I bought pampers nappies but Lidl/Aldi are fantastic and I regret spending so much on pampers! If you have the space to dry them/a tumble dryer and are planning more than one baby reusables could work - I often see sets for sale for good prices on local Facebook sites. Would totally recommend second hand purchases to keep spends down!

Breastfeeding certainly wasn't free for me. Plus I needed lots of extra food. I know it can be "free" for some though.

We are now using hipp organic formula. £8.50 a box which lasts about a week. So less than £40 per month. I wouldn't bother with aptamil. Try the cheaper milks first. They're all pretty similar. Aptamil is marketed as a premium brand. It is made in the same factory as cow and gate.

Use Asda or Lidl nappies. Prob about £15 a month.

Big box of Asda wipes. £5.70 for a box of 12. Prob lasts 4-6 weeks.

Started weaning last week. Preparing food myself to avoid paying a fortune for jars and pouches. Plus obviously better for baby.

You need a pram.

Babys don't have to cost lots of money.

Ps yes you do have to declare income for CB if either you or your partner earn over 50 grand. If either of you earn over 60 grand you won't get any CB. Still have to apply though and opt not to receive payment.

I use aldi formula at 6.99 a tub, lasts a week. the nappies (size3) are £4.39 for a pack of 98 and wipes are 49p a pack. me and my partner aren't high earners (probably less than 40k a year between us) and we manage. babies are as expensive as you make them

Do make a note of the numbers of local breastfeeding support groups NCT & ABM & La Leche league, as IMO breastfeeding help is sorely lacking in many areas, and very often it's just a little assistance needed that can make all the difference to successfully breastfeed.

For nappies it's well worth considering reusables, many local authorities offer incentives to use them (look on your local council website). You can buy a complete kit for birth to potty terry nappies for as little as £130
Either way, definitely use washable wipes. Rather than buy some you could even cut up old Tshirts and flannelette sheets.

Breastfeeding doesn't have to cost much, you certainly don't need to buy bottles sterilized and pump. Although I remember picking one up in the boots sale for £5. Our local store tends to sell of baby stock to make room for Christmas stuff.

We used cloths nappies a great saving as I used them on both children. They don't need to be expensive ones either terrie nappies work great on newborns and are easy to wash thanks to washing machines.

Baby wearing is great and my oldest hated her pram. We had to turn it into the pushchair fairy quickly, so it was a waste. A good sling and a pushchair you can use from birth will do.

Don't overlook seconed hand baby sales, look in your local paper/website and Facebook pages. You can often pick up hardly used baby equipment at really cheap prices. Save you a fortune, you may even have a second hand baby shop around somewhere. Really most of the things like bouncy chairs, play mates, even cots (Although you'll need a new mattress) hardly get used as they aren't used for long.

Oh and for those saying about carring babies and back problems. My physio was very pleased I was baby wearing, he said pushing parks was often worse for backs. You just have to have the right type of carrier, that is a proper one that spreads the weight. Something like a tula was really good for me or a streachy wrap for a new born.

Do claim Child Benefit even if tax would take it back. Because then you will be credited as a carer for NI purposes towards your eventual state pension.

Prams that was dam phone auto correct

We use the Sainsburys formula which I think is £7. I like to have a tub on the go and a new one ready, and usually buy one a week. I got the bottles etc on special offer, Tesco often have them. Using the same sterilizer we had with DD, got that on special offer from Argos.

And we use Lidl nappies for DS (and their pullups for DD), they're great. They get more expensive as they get bigger, but you can get the huge bags that last a lot longer. I usually get the big multi pack boxes of wipes (12+ packs) whenever they're on sale, any brand. At the moment we're using Boots ones. We've got DD (4) as well and use them for wiping her face and hands as well, so they go a bit quicker than if we just had DS.

And we make plenty of use of both our sling and our buggy (buggy was DD's). Totally personal preference but I couldn't carry DS all the time, it'd do my back in.

I bought nappies and wipes in bulk when they were on offer. I didn’t stick to one brand, just used what was on offer. Seemed expensive when buying in bulk but worked out much cheaper in the long run.

@zzzzz that is ridiculous not everyone can breastfeed or milk dries up. posts like yours annoys people. Not everything is free but you can certainly get things cheaper or second hand who on earth wants to carry baby around 24:7 I certainly don't and didn't!

I want to carry mine 24/7, I enjoy the extra snuggles and them sleeping on me.

@zzzzz I'm not going to turn this in to another breastfeeding vs formula feeding debate. It pisses me off though when people say BF is free. It isn't for a lot of people.
Ps an extra healthy small meal and/or snacks can certainly add money on to your food bill.