Infant Formula

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Today’s post might be a bit of a controversial one. Inevitably, this topic seems to be a hot-button issue for a lot of people. Every expectant mother makes the decision whether to breast-feed or formula-feed their babies. There is a lot of research out there that supports breast-feeding as being the best decision for babies. This may be the case, however, it was not the right decision for me. I did not have the desire to nurse, and I knew that I would have to be very patient, diligent, and driven in order to succeed with nursing. I knew from the beginning that it was not the right choice for me. After I made that decision, I had to decide what the best formula choice for Emily would be. It was an “eenie-meenie-miney-mo” choice between Enfamil and Similac. I chose Similac, but I noticed that, as a member of both Enfamil and Similac’s mailing lists, I received much more valuable savings from Enfamil in the mail. Occasionally, I walked out to the mailbox to find a sample size jar of formula inside! SCORE! I stuck with the name-brand formula until she was about 7 months old, and then felt comfortable to switch to a more cost-effective brand. I, of course, made this transition with the support of my pediatrician. The guidelines are simply to find formula that contains DHA and ARA for babies’ brain and eye development. As long as these ingredients are present, the formulas are the same, except for the label, and of course, the price! By purchasing name brand formula, you are likely to spend nearly DOUBLE what you spend on store-brand formula. Parents Choice formula was my personal preference, but I also purchased formula from Sam’s (Member’s Mark), and Target (Up and Up) on occasion. The store brands are also coming out with more and more varieties of formula to meet your needs such as Lipil formula, and formula for sensitive bellies. Whether you intend to nurse your baby or formula feed your baby, you will probably make the transition to formula sooner or later. Do NOT feel pressured to buy expensive, name-brand formula until you have tried it for yourself. When you read the ingredients on the back of the cans, they are the same! Just another way to keep costs down!