What is the cost of Formula?
Prices from Corpus Christi Chain Grocery- Oct/ 2008 from one major brand for comparison
| Formula | Amount/package | Makes this much(ounces) | Price | Cost per oz. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plain powder | 25 ounces | 188 | $26.58 | 14 cents |
| Concentrate | 13 | 26 | $4.88 | 19 cents |
| Ready to feed | 32 | 32 | $5.99 | 19 cents |
An average baby needs a quart (32 ounces) of formula PER DAY if not breastfed
Costs of formula per month:
Cheapest -- 14 cents per oz. X 32 oz. Per day = $4.48 per day
$4.48 per day X 30 days per month = $134.40 per month
Most expensive routine formula—19 cents per day X 32 ox. Per day = $6.08 per day
$6.08 per day X 30 days per month = $ 182.40 per month
Note: There are cheaper formulas, which your pediatrician may not recommend. Your baby may take less (or more) than a quart per day. Some require a special formula (if allergic) that costs up to 20 cents per ounce! ($192. per month), or very severe allergies (Alimentum), ready to feed costs even more- up to $275/mo.
OUCH!!! That’s a lot of money that could be used for diapers!
Most health professionals are unaware of these costs, because the formula companies provide them with FREE FORMULA so they will be more likely to recommend their products to you, not having stopped to figure out what it costs.
Formula companies do a good job at selling their product! They have doctors and nurses working to sell their product for them. They also give free formula (and other gifts) to the hospitals (even in starving nations) so they will promote their product, especially in those first few days when breastfeeding is so critical to get started. Later of course if breastfeeding is not well-established, the babies will be dependent on formula, which will no longer be free, but very expensive.