Baby feeding costs
How Much Does Formula Feeding Cost? | Little Bundle
Our goal at Little Bundle is to sell the best, organic formulas available. We know the price of supplementing or formula feeding may feel overwhelming. The good news? Purchasing organic, European baby formula is not as expensive as you might think!
Read on to learn the costs associated with different feeding choices and see how European formulas compare.
Have you heard someone say that “breastfeeding is free?” This is a large factor in why some moms choose to breastfeed! The truth is a bit more complicated.
If functioning optimally, breast milk production follows a supply-and-demand model: the more the baby feeds, the more breast milk is produced. Many moms will tell you, however, that breastfeeding is not this straightforward! As a result, there is a booming industry of products, services, and supplements for purchase that promise to increase milk supply and make breastfeeding easier.
Breastfeeding moms may spend money on:
- A breast pump and/or related pump accessories not covered by insurance ($30-$500+ estimated cost)
- Lactation consultant services ($200-$350 estimated cost)
- Lip or tongue-tie revision surgery to improve latch ($500+ estimated cost)
- Lactation supplements or cookies ($20-$30/mo estimated cost)
- Nursing pillows, nursing pads, nipple creams, nursing or pumping bras, nursing covers and more ($5-$50/each estimated cost)
In addition to these direct expenses, breastfeeding also has an indirect cost -- the amount of time it takes. If a mother exclusively breastfeeds for an entire year, she’s likely to spend 1,800 hours or more nursing. That’s nearly as many hours as a full-time job!
For many moms, time spent away from work to breastfeed or pump is not paid. This means that breastfeeding “costs” whatever wage she could have earned if she had not taken a break to pump or feed. For a woman who makes $15/hour and needs to pump at work 3 times a day for 20 minutes at a time, she may sacrifice $300 each month in lost wages.
This calculation does not apply to stay-at-home moms or those paid a salary, and there are certainly benefits of breastfeeding that outweigh the direct and indirect costs for some mothers. Even so, breastfeeding is not as “free” as advertised for many families.
Parents should expect to spend between $1,200-$2,000 if exclusively formula feeding during their baby’s first year. Speciality formulas, such as those that contain hydrolyzed proteins, may cost even more. While this is certainly a lot of money, keep in mind that this equates to roughly $3-$6 per day when spread across a year.
Formulas that are offered as generic brands from bulk retailers like Walmart tend to run cheaper-- sometimes as low as $0.11 per fluid ounce.
Keep in mind, however, that generic U.S. formulas can be sold for this low price because they use an inexpensive carbohydrate source-- corn syrup solids or sucrose (aka table sugar) instead of lactose (which is the carbohydrate source found in breastmilk and is more expensive).
More well-known brands such as Similac and Enfamil range from $0.18 to more than $0.30 per fluid ounce depending on the retailer and formula type. Some of these name-brand formulas also contain carbohydrate sources that are not ideal, such as Similac Total Comfort which contains less than 1% lactose.
European formulas are better quality, certified organic, and use appropriate carbohydrate sources as regulated by the European Commission. As such, they are typically perceived to be more expensive. In reality, many European formulas are comparable to name-brand formulas found in the U.
S. based on price per fluid ounce! Here’s what you can expect to pay for stage 1 infant formula for our top three European formula brands:
Holle
Holle offers both cow milk formulas and their famous goat milk formulas. Holle Bio, a cow milk formula, can be purchased at $0.24-$0.26 per fluid ounce, while Holle Bio PRE is available for $0.26-$0.28 per fluid ounce. Holle’s stage 1 goat milk formula typically costs $0.31-$0.35 per fluid ounce.
HiPP
The cost for HiPP formulas varies widely based on country of origin and whether they address a speciality concern like reflux. Here’s the breakdown of costs per fluid ounce for each formula type in stage PRE or 1:
- HiPP AR and HiPP Comfort: $0.26-$0.29
- HiPP HA and HiPP HA PRE: $0.28-$0.32
- HiPP UK: $0.20-$0.22
- HiPP Dutch: $0.21-$0.24
- HiPP German: $0.23-$0.25
Kendamil
Kendamil is a research and development-led infant nutrition business with 60 years of experience and you can now find their Stage 1-3 Organic Formulas offered on our website.
Packed with essential nutrients, made with full cream milk, vitamins, prebiotics plus ARA and plant-based DHA, and you’ll never find palm, soy, or fish oils in their formulas as they use algal oil instead — making their products vegetarian-friendly. This formula costs $0.24 per fluid ounce
Lebenswert
Lebenswert, which is produced by Holle, offers a single line of ultra-clean formula that is certified to Bioland standards. This formula costs $0.23-$0.25 per fluid ounce depending on the size of the order.
As you can see in the chart below, the cost of European formula is very comparable to name-brand U.S. formulas. In some cases, it’s even cheaper!
If you are committed to using a European formula for your infant but are concerned about the cost, we recommend HiPP UK or HiPP Dutch. Both are nutritionally-complete formulas that are organic and contain DHA and prebiotic fiber. HiPP Dutch also contains probiotics, though many parents choose to use a probiotic supplement if they purchase a formula that does not include them.
HiPP UK and HiPP Dutch formulas, which run $0.20-$0.22 per fluid ounce, are the most comparable in price to the name-brand formulas you’ll find at your local grocery store.
No one likes to spend more than they have to! Here are five ways to save money on the cost of your formula if you buy from Little Bundle:
Overwhelmed? We’re Here to Help!
Our team of Certified Infant Nutrition Technicians are moms and caregivers themselves who are formula feeding experts. They’d love to talk with you about selecting a formula and to give you advice about how much to purchase! Reach out on live chat, send a message, or email at [email protected] to get expert insight and support.
The Cost of Baby Formula
The cost of baby formula in the U.S. has skyrocketed – and that’s if you can find any. Whereas in 2019 name brand baby formula cost American parents anywhere from 9 cents per ounce to 32 cents per ounce, by the first half of 2022 the price of such products had soared to a range of 54 cents per ounce to $1.15 per ounce, or higher if you’re not shopping at a discount outlet like Costco or Sam’s Club. Such costs and scarcity are driving some parents to buy generic brand formula from online vendors, turn to milk banks or just do without. Here’s why the cost of feeding a baby has shot up so dramatically.
Consider working with a financial a family-focused financial advisor who can guide you through these and other costs associated with the journey of raising a child.
Baby Formula Cost Per Month: A BreakdownTo understand the real cost of baby formula, the first step is to estimate how much milk your baby will need. Certified breastfeeding specialist Kelly Bonyata estimates babies consume an average of 25 ounces of milk per day during their first year.
Calculating the cost of baby formula will also require you to find out how much your preferred brand costs per ounce. Based on our research, you can expect to pay 54 cents per ounce for the cheaper brands. The higher-end brands will run you around around $1.15 cents per ounce or more.
If your baby currently consumes 25 ounces of milk per day, you can expect to spend between $821.25 and $2,920 in your baby’s first year – depending on the brand you choose.
Here’s how we calculated the cost of baby formula per year.
54 cents X 25 = $13.50
$13.50 X 365 = $4,927.50
$1.15 X 25 = $28.75
$28.75 X 365 = $10,493.75
If you want to figure out the cost of baby formula per month, simply take the price of baby formula you calculated for a year and divide by 12. Based on the above calculations, your monthly cost is going to range from about $411 to about $874. If you’re buying from a milk bank, of which there are about 30 in the U.S., expect to pay about $6,000 per month.
Now, whether the infant formula you purchase is worth the cost depends on your individual situation and preferences. But now that you know what to expect, you can calculate your budget to account for the cost of baby formula.
Of course, your baby would likely need more baby formula in the middle of the first year of life as she grows before gradually cutting back as she starts eating more solid food.
To give you a better picture of how the cost of baby formula will fluctuate over time, the table below from Bonyata breaks down the recommended ounces of milk a baby should consume throughout her first year, from minimum to maximum.
| Daily Amount of Baby Formula Required in Ounces | |||||
| 0 weeks – 2 months | 14 – 21 | 28 – 32 | |||
| 2 – 6 months | 24 | 40 | |||
| 6-9 months | 24 | 32 | |||
| 9 -12 months | 18 | 32 | |||
But price shouldn’t be the only factor you’re weighing when it comes to choosing the right baby formula for your child. Some types may be vastly healthier than others.
Why Baby Formula Is ScarceThere are only four major producers of baby formula in the United States and one of them, Abbott Laboratories, accounts for a little more than 40% of the supply. After a whistleblower complaint following a few instances of babies getting sick, the FDA ordered Abbott to suspend production until it could verify that there were no contaminants.
That verification was completed on May 13, the same day the administration unveiled a website for parents seeking formula: hhs.gov/formula.
One reason for the concentration of formula producers is because of protective tariffs, up to 17.5%, on imports. Further, critics assert that FDA labeling and ingredient requirements dissuade non-U.S. producers from entering the domestic market. Another factor is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) for low-income mothers. About half of all baby formula in the U.S. is purchased with WIC benefits. However, the range of brands available using WIC benefits is limited, something the administration says it is working to broaden.
Why Cheaper Generic Baby Formula Isn’t Always BetterWhen it comes to saving money on the products we need, we sometimes resort to generic versions to save a few dollars or cents. But you want the best for your child’s health, and the cheapest baby formula on the shelf may not help you achieve this goal.
Several companies offer organic baby formula with no added sugars. One example is Huggable.
In fact, the U.S.-based company says its products are from European countries where regulations around the ingredients used in baby formula are a lot stricter than in the U.S. Huggable’s prices compare to the costs of the higher-end brands on American shelves. But the company aims to justify the cost through its potential health benefits.
“A lot of the baby formulas you’ll find in the U.S. use high fructose corn syrup, glucose syrup solids or just plain sugar as the base for the carbohydrate,” Huggable CEO Madhu Punjabi said. “It’s no mystery, then, why there’s a childhood obesity and diabetes epidemic right now in the U.S.”
The main carbohydrate in breast milk is lactose. Punjabi added that a high quality formula would ideally try to mimic breast milk as close as possible.
“High-quality formulas should be based on organic cow’s milk or organic goat’s milk, because, like breast milk, these have lactose as their carbohydrate base, instead of sugars,” she said.
Huggable and similar infant formulas also contain probiotics, which experts at the Cleveland Clinic say can reduce the amount of infection- and inflammation-causing bacteria in your baby’s gut.
The Huggable website notes that with “nearly 1 in 5 children in the U.S. having obesity, it’s never been more important to carefully read the ingredients list of the formula you choose for your little one to make sure it doesn’t contain added sugar.”
But while weighing the costs and health benefits of different baby formulas, some may consider not going down the formula route at all to nourish their children. Many nursing mothers, of course, subscribe to the idea that “breast is best.” Organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recommend exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months of a child’s life. It’s often touted as a money-saving options, because the milk is free. But breastfeeding is not without costs of its own.
The Costs of Breastfeeding vs.
FormulaFor various reasons, some women may not be able to breastfeed their children. And those who can may need help, which can cost money. For instance, you may need a lactation consultant. A home visit from this expert lasting about two hours can cost several hundred dollars. A single office visit can also climb to $350. It’s a good idea to check with your insurance, as some or all of this cost may be covered.
You may also need the following, though these products are not always necessary:
- Nursing bra: Starting at about $12
- Hand pumps: $5 to $35
- Nursing shirt: Starting at about $10
- Double electric pump: $120 to $350
- Nursing dress: Starting at about $20
- Nursing pillow: $10 to $50
In addition, this doesn’t factor in the cost of a breastfeeding mother’s time. This includes economic loss that breastfeeding may take depending on your profession. If you earn sales commissions, for instance, the time you spend in the lactation room may diminish the amount of time you’re able to spend closing deals.
So from an economic standpoint, which is best for you – breastfeeding or formula?
Remember, you can expect to pay $10,000 for higher-end baby formula in a year. The cost of breastfeeding is a lot harder to measure, however, because many of the costs are optional. And whether you require them depends on your individual situation.
But let’s say you have two at-home lactation consultations in a year, totaling $600. If you purchase all the products listed above without replacing them, you’re looking at a breastfeeding cost of $847 (we selected the most expensive choice for the products for which we reported price ranges).
Without taking into consideration the cost of a breastfeeding mother’s time, this estimation shows breastfeeding is about 30% the cost of formula. Ultimately, the decision is yours based on time, physical ability, health considerations, personal preferences and money.
How to Save on Baby FormulaBecause some mothers may find breastfeeding difficult, time consuming or even impossible, they want to make sure they are making the right choice when it comes to formula.
They also want to be mindful of their wallet when deciding on their brand of choice. But if you use baby formula, there are plenty of ways to slash the price tag. After all, the cost of raising a child is high enough.
“Always buy in bulk, and make sure you have a list when you walk into the grocery store,” said Neale Godfrey, a financial literacy expert.
She added that this list should prioritize the items you need for your baby. For instance, organic products that you need would go at the top. Lists are useful to have when you’re browsing the aisles, but they can be especially handy while you’re shopping online. That way, you make sure you’re getting all that you need and watching your budget.
Here are some additional tips to reduce the price of baby formula.
Comparison shop online: E-commerce websites don’t have the same overhead as physical stores, so they can often reduce the price of your favorite baby formula – especially when you buy in large quantities.
Buy in bulk: These days, you can find several stores and websites that offer discounts when you buy baby formula in bulk. While there, you can also cut down on other products you need for your baby.
Use coupons: While you can still clip paper coupons from the Sunday paper, the internet is loaded with websites dedicated to coupons. You can also download apps onto your phone that can find baby formula coupons for you.
Ask your doctor for free samples: Major brands often provide doctors with free batches of their products, so ask if your doctor has some on hand.
Sign up for mailing lists: If you visit your favorite infant formula brand’s website, you can likely sign up for a mailing list. Companies often send welcome packages with free samples. And you can get coupons and other discounts sent to you periodically.
Use powdered formula: Across brands, powdered infant formula tends to be cheaper than liquid forms.
Check with your insurance provider: If your baby needs a specific kind of formula, your insurance provider may cover it. Depending on which type of insurance you have, you can open a health savings account (HSA). These help you invest for your baby’s medical expenses while enjoying unique tax breaks.
Earn rewards: If you’re using your credit card to purchase baby formula, you can earn some money while doing it. Shop around for the best cash-back credit cards. Some of the best checking accounts around offer this perk as well. Even 1.5% cash-back on purchases can put some significant money back in your pocket over time.
Look into WIC: Depending on your circumstances, you may qualify for government assistance. Women, Infants and Children (WIC) provides federal grants to states. Their services help low-income women who are pregnant, breast-feeding or using formula access food and healthcare.
The TakeawayFeeding your baby can be costly, whether breastfeeding or providing formula.
Baby formula costs can rise especially high, but there are plenty of ways you can save. Try buying in bulk, surfing the web for deals and asking your doctor for free samples. Cost shouldn’t be the only factor that determines the type of baby formula you use. The formula you select can affect the health of your child. It’s important to pay close attention to the ingredients in that formula to capture a true picture of the cost and benefit of the food you provide for your child. It’s a good idea to discuss your decision with your child’s pediatrician.
- If you just had a baby, you may be concerned about what the costs of college may be when your little one is ready to leave the nest. But you can start preparing now by opening a 529 college savings plan. These help you invest in your child’s future college expenses while you enjoy some tax breaks. Each state sponsors at least one, and most require no minimum contribution.
We also published a report on all you need to know about college savings plans. - The average cost of raising a child through age 17 is close to a quarter of a million dollars a year, according to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But there are plenty of ways to save and invest in your child’s future, including getting professional help.
Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Photo credit: ©iStock.com/Laikwunfai, ©iStock.com/jubaphoto, ©iStock.com/pinstock
Disclosure: SmartAsset prepared this post in partnership with Huggable.
Javier Simon, CEPF® Javier Simon is a banking, investing and retirement expert for SmartAsset.
The personal finance writer's work has been featured in Investopedia, PLANADVISER and iGrad. Javier is a member of the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. He has a degree in journalism from SUNY Plattsburgh. Javier is passionate about helping others beyond their personal finances. He has volunteered and raised funds for charities including Fight Cancer Together, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Expenses for a child in the first year of life
How much does the first year of a child’s life cost
Even when preparing for a joyful event, you will have to spend money on clothes for the expectant mother and the necessary “dowry” for the baby in the first months of life.
Clothing and footwear
You should buy clothes in advance: sliders, bodysuits, undershirts, blouses, socks. Do not forget about warm clothes: the child needs warm overalls, hats and booties. Around the age of 11-12 months, it will be time to choose the first shoes.
Furniture
When planning the cost of money for a child in the first year of life, do not forget about furniture. Buy a crib with an orthopedic mattress and a set of linen. A changing chest or board will help to remove the extra load from the back of a young mother. A high chair makes life much easier, but it will come in handy from about six months. This purchase can be postponed a little, but it is not worth saving on it.
Stroller and car seat
To ensure the comfort of your child on a walk, be careful when choosing a stroller. Modern 2 in 1 models combine a bassinet and seat unit, and a car seat has also been added to the 3 in 1 set. Please note that it is not allowed to transport children in a car without a restraint, so a car seat is a mandatory purchase. You can buy it separately or together with the stroller, but don't skimp on safety.
Care and hygiene
For a newborn, you will need to purchase an impressive list of hygiene products: diapers, wet wipes, powders, creams and ointments, bath foam and baby soap.
For bathing, you will need a baby bath and a special water thermometer.
Nutrition
When you calculate how much money you need for a child under 1 year old, do not forget to take into account the cost of baby food. Breastfeeding your baby can help save money.
Starting from six months, complementary foods in the form of cereals and mashed potatoes are introduced into the diet. Since it is optimal to feed with special baby purees of industrial production, this will become a separate item of expenditure for a child.
Toys
Do not rush to buy expensive mechanized toys or a children's play center - a newborn will do without them. However, it should still be borne in mind that several bright comfortable rattles will be needed already in the first half of the year - by about the fourth or fifth months of the baby's life.
How to budget for a baby in the first year of life
Use common sense. Choose quality products, but do not overpay. On the Internet, it is easy to find a calculator in which you can select expense items at your discretion.
The cost calculator for a child in the first year of life will help you calculate how much you will spend on a child. If you are just planning a pregnancy, start saving money for upcoming expenses in advance.
Savings
Smart savings will help reduce the cost of a child in the first year of life.
- Some things can be bought from ads or "wear" for acquaintances, of course, subject to hygienic safety measures.
- If you think over your purchases in advance, you can save a lot by buying on sales.
- Do not buy a lot of clothes and shoes. Toddlers grow up fast and don't have time to try on the whole wardrobe.
- Plan your budget. Make a list of everything you need in advance and gradually enter the prices in the table.
- Shop while pregnant. At this stage, you can pick up things with pleasure and leisurely. Moreover, purchases cheer up, and this is so important for a future mother. It is possible that after the birth of the baby there will be no time for a thoughtful choice.
- Make a list of things your baby needs. Relatives and friends who want to make a useful present for you or a child will be happy to choose something from your wish list. This will make it easier for loved ones to choose, avoid unnecessary or duplicate gifts, and reduce your spending on a baby.
Expenses: mandatory, fixed, variable, incidental and other
- Personal/family budget planning
- Expenses: mandatory, fixed, variable, incidental and other
- Income: fixed, occasional, investment and other
- How to learn to regularly save money
- Contingency fund
Expenses: Mandatory, Fixed, Variable, Incidental and Other
When planning a budget, it is important to be clear about which expenses in it are absolutely necessary and which ones we would just like to afford.
Mandatory expenses are such payments, the timing and amount of which we cannot influence
(at least it can't be done quickly):
- taxes;
- loan payments;
- payment for utilities and/or rental housing;
- fee for kindergarten, etc.
Often, in a difficult financial situation, such payments are postponed, thinking to pay off the debt later, but it is infinitely impossible to do this: penalties and fines are added to the amount of the principal debt. Over time, the case may go to court, the seizure of part of the property to pay off the debt, and in case of debt on housing and communal services - disconnection from the relevant services (for example, electricity and sewerage).
The next group of expenses is fixed
Everyone needs something to eat, something to wear, use transport and communication services. Some need to constantly buy medicines. It is impossible to reduce these costs to zero, but to some extent their size still depends on us: we can choose food and clothes, change modes of transport, tariffs and telecom operators. All other expenses, in fact, depend on our capabilities and desires. This does not mean that they should be immediately abandoned completely.
They determine the quality of our life, our psychological state may depend on them. But if money is already scarce, it is better to neglect such expenses or postpone them for a while - there will be no catastrophe.
Part of the expenses can be called variable - they have to be made relatively rarely
This includes, for example, the purchase of furniture, household appliances and electronics, vacation expenses or apartment renovations. Often we are talking about expenses that cannot be afforded “from one salary”, which means that they need to be planned in advance, gradually saving money. Consumer loans for these purposes are often too expensive.
Try to form a separate “fund” for “random purposes”, the money from which you will not spend monthly
We make some of the optional expenses completely by accident. We either did not plan to do them, but the temptation turned out to be too great, or we planned later, but suddenly an opportunity turned up.
In some situations, these expenses are quite rational (for example, when the product you need is sold at a big discount), and in some situations, they bring only short-term happiness of the purchase.
Try to form a separate “fund” for “random purposes”, the money from which you will not spend monthly and beyond which you will never go (for this purpose, you can use a bank deposit with the possibility of partial withdrawal of funds without loss of interest). Such a decision is a compromise between the objective need to control costs and the desire to provide yourself with psychological comfort: if you constantly deny yourself spontaneous actions, you can feel insecure.
Money for entertainment and small pleasures is another type of optional expenses that can be allocated in the budget as a separate line. It is better to form it according to the residual principle - after you have determined how much you will spend on everything else, and directed part of the funds for long-term savings.
Personal experience
Calculating your own expenses is an extremely exciting activity, although not as simple as it seems. You will have to overcome laziness and develop the habit of constantly writing down your purchases. I downloaded a special program to my phone and fill it with information immediately after paying at the checkout. By the way, I know that many people write down their expenses, but the point is not to write them down, but what to do with these figures later. One of my colleagues, for example, used the notes for educational purposes. She showed her son: they say, that's how much I spend on you, and you have to study well and enter a university for a budget place.
But this is not the only way to use expense records. As a result, I received data that is really useful for me and for my family.
Food inflation, about which so much is written, turned out to be noticeable for us, but not catastrophic. The largest item of expenditure for our household is food - about every fourth ruble spent is spent on it.
At the same time, over the past two years, this amount has grown by as much as 22%. Or only by 22% - after all, if you count according to Rosstat, then it should have turned out much more. Although, maybe we, without noticing it, have changed our preferences. In general, we are great - we know how to live within our means.
Interestingly, utility bills, including telephone and internet, grew by only 3.5% in two years. Obviously, LED lamps, turning on the washing machine and dishwasher at night, when the tariff is more profitable, and other good habits, obviously played a role. I will continue to follow the latest in science and technology!
Our expenses for children are not so great, at least for now: the eldest girl is 2.5 years old, the boy has just been born. But here it plays a big role whether to feed the baby with breast milk or mixtures, whether the baby is healthy or requires constant supervision of doctors, etc. And it is also important whether the family has left diapers from the older generation!
In connection with the beginning of the summer season, the issue of giving has become relevant.
We don’t have our own yet, and we decided to occupy our parents’ dacha. They do not mind, but it immediately turned out that putting it in order so that you can live with two small children is a big expense. It took to buy some furniture, to patch the roof ... In general, it ran decently. Could we rent a dacha already “with all conveniences” for the whole summer for this money? It probably wouldn't cost more. Yes, and it’s stupid to give your money to strangers - it’s better to invest in your parents’ farm. As they themselves like to repeat: “The grandchildren will get everything!”
I also analyzed the costs of mobile communications, as I like to follow tariff changes and choose the most advantageous combinations of services and options. It turned out that it gives me nothing but sports passion. Ultimately, all my struggle for savings with cellular operators leads to a benefit of only a tenth of a percent.
But I calculated how much a trip to the tax office would give me to receive all the deductions due to my family.
