skip to main |
skip to sidebar
I talked about the type of formula we use here. My doctor recommends the Enfamil Lipil, and we get the generic kind. In today's economy, many people are trying to make their money go further than ever, and are pinching pennies until they scream. Here's what we do to help take that already-a-whole-lot-cheaper-formula go even further.
As many pregnant women know, baby samples are fairly easy to come by. You get them by registering (I know we got a ton when we registered at Babies 'R Us), you can get them from your doctor, and you can get them by checking out sites like www.freebies4mom.com and www.moneysavingmom.com. A good friend told me that as long as you don't mix soy formula with milk-based formula, you can mix in a little bit of a sample with your baby's formula. She suggested a 1 part sample to 2 parts of your baby's regular formula.
I usually use her formula down about 1/3 of the way, dump in the sample (make sure you take out the measuring spoon first!), and shake. This does a decent job of mixing the formula and my babies have never had any problems with it. It doesn't help a lot, but it helps a little, and I've found that doing lots of little things can help a lot.
Take a look at this article from Medline Plus.
This article really made me think. It suggested that because there aren't a lot resources out there for bottle feeding moms (true) so women turn to friends and family for advice (awesome) and sometimes get bad/wrong advice that can be harmful to babies (yikes).
I try to be careful about being too bossy here. I try to encourage readers to talk to their doctors and use their best judgment. But more than anything, I think readers should use common sense.
So here's a little common sense:
1) Measure your baby's formula right. Really read that can the first time you use it and make sure that you're mixing correctly. Not doing so can result in your compromising your baby's nutrition.
2) Don't prop your baby's bottle. Hold your baby when you feed her. Just because you can prop the bottle up on a pillow doesn't mean you ever should.
3) Don't put cereal in your baby's bottle. There are dozens of reasons why not to, but the two biggest are that it's a choking hazard and that it teaches the baby to eat more at a time than she needs.
4) Never put your baby's bottle in the microwave. EVER.
5) All formula is regulated by the same FDA. Generic brands will save you a bundle and your baby won't know the difference.
The three most common words to appear on this blog are....
anyone?? I need hands here, people.
Oh, wait. School doesn't start for another month and you guys are NOT my students :)
The three most common words to appear on this blog are....ASK YOUR DOCTOR!
Seriously, you need to ask your doctor about what kind of formula he or she thinks is best for your baby. My doctor recommends Enfamil Lipil. The stuff's expensive, but there are ways to get it on the cheap.
The first is to register with the company. The easiest way to do this is to register at Babies R Us, Motherhood Maternity--anywhere like that. They'll contact the company for you, and voila, free samples and coupons.
One way to score the coupons that's probably slightly less than honest is to pair up with breastfeeding mama and steal her samples. My lovely sister-in-law gets the samples and the coupons and she's generously shared them with me & Boo.
The best way to save money on formula, though is to join Sam's Club. You can purchase "a can and a half" of Member's Mark generic Enfamil formula for around $15. This is cheaper than even the Parent's Choice Brand at Wal-Mart. The great thing about gernics when it comes to formula is that they are all regulated by the FDA, so they are totally safe. Translation: Your baby gets the exact same formula (check the label, they're identical) for about half the price--sometimes less.
How do you save money on formula? Let us know!
Posts
