Make The Switch To Store Brand Formula

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of PBM Products. All opinions are 100% mine.

I'm a mom of three kids.  My oldest is going to be 15 in a couple of weeks, and some days I can not believe it. Where did my little boy go?  He's turning into such a wonderful young man.  There are some days when I think I might want to have another baby, but then reality sets back in and I realize what a crazy thought that is.  Babies are so expensive.  So are teenagers.  Having both in the house at the same time would probably send my poor husband over the edge.

If I were to become pregnant again, I would have to find ways to save money, and one of the easiest ways to do that would be to use store brand formula.  Most people don't realize that the store brand formulas have to meet the same FDA nutritional standards as the name brand formulas, so they are just as good for babies. They are also a lot cheaper than the name brand formulas. In fact, buying the name brand does not always guarantee your child's safety.  We all heard about the recent formula recall, and that was a name brand.  Maybe now is the time to switch to generic formula.

Parent's Choice is one of the store brands that many parents are now giving their babies.  Not only can it be found in Walmart and Sam's, it can now be found online.  You can find cases of ready to feed and powdered formulas on Walmart.com's Baby Center, and there is no additional charge to have it shipped to your house.  This is a great time saver for those busy moms out there who don't have the time, or energy, to go shopping.

I know I would use this service if I found myself with a newborn.  I'm almost 40, so I know I wouldn't have the energy to do anything, especially shopping.  So let's all hope that I am done having babies.

All Infant Formulas Are Nutritionally the Same

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of PBM Products. All opinions are 100% mine.

I want all of my readers who have infants, or who know someone who has an infant, or if you plan on having a baby anytime soon, to read what I am about to write, especially if they feed, or are planning to feed, their babies formula.

Wow, that was a mouthful.

I have written in the past how store brand formulas are just as good as the name brand formulas, and now I have proof that I am right. PBM Products sued Mead Johnson, the makers of Enfamil, for false advertising, and won. It seems that there were advertisements out saying that the store brand were inferior in nutritional value, and that people should buy the store brands.

Turns out that the only significant difference between the two is the price. You can pay about 50% less if you buy the store brand over the name brand, and when you have a baby, every cent you can save helps tremendously. I would be a little upset if I was one of the parents who bought into Mead Johnson's claim and spent hundreds of dollars that I didn't really need to.

The bottom line is that buying the store brand formula is an excellent way to save money, without taking any nutrition away from your child.

Breastfeeding Versus Infant Formula

Eight more day and I will be an Aunt, again. I am so excited to meet this little girl or boy. When my sister decided not to find out the sex, I was disappointed. I mean, I make baby blankets, and I needed to know if it should be blue or pink.

I made a gender neutral multi-colored one.

Her timing for this baby is perfect, because it puts her on maternity leave for the Holidays. I am looking forward to helping her make the transition from one child to two. Wait, that sounds wrong. I mean I am looking forward to doing whatever she needs me to do to make her life a little easier the first few weeks with the new baby.

There, that sounds better.

The only thing I won't be able to do is feed the baby, because she plans on breastfeeding. That was always my favorite time with my kids when they were infants, especially the night feedings. I loved being the only two awake, sharing quality time. Weird, I know, but the truth. It was especially true with Brandi, because I worked during the day and didn't have a lot of one on one time with her. Maybe that explains her separation anxiety.

I tried the breastfeeding thing three times, and all three times I failed. I truly believe that it was because my boobs were too big. I did pump for the first couple of months for all of them, but after that they were strictly fed formula. Brandi drank the lactose free, and I just recently recommended the same thing for my nephew. My sister said she switched him to soy formula because of gas problems, and I suggested trying the lactose free first, because I have heard that the milk based formulas are better on babies tummies than soy based ones. (I do not know that this is a fact; it's just something I heard somewhere) I know she buys store brand formula to save money, and that is such a smart thing to do. I do know that this is a great idea, because all baby formula has to meet the same nutrition guidelines, and they are strictly regulated. I was on WIC with my kids, so they got the name brand formula through that, but I always had to buy an extra can or two every month, and I would buy the generic.

Why waste money where you don't have to?

Breast feeding Is Best, But...

I know you guys are probably tired of hearing me talk about all the babies that are coming into my family soon. My sister Tami is having her baby in just a couple of weeks. This is her fourth son. She has never breastfed her kids; they are strictly formula fed babies. My sister Colleen is having her baby at the end of October, and I'm not sure what she is going to do. She did breastfeed her first son for the weeks she was on maternity leave, so she may do that again. My brother's wife has always breastfed her babies, and she is now pregnant with twins, and is due in March. I am not sure how she is going to manage breastfeeding twins, but I am sure she will find a way.

I tried breastfeeding my three kids, but I never had any luck with it. I was determined to have them have my breast milk, so I pumped for months for each of them. I had to supplement with formula, but they drank mostly my milk. By three months they were formula fed only, because my milk dried up. Luckily, I received WIC for all of them, so I didn't have to pay out of pocket. In case you don't know, WIC stands for Women, Infants, and Children, and it is a federal agency that provides food, nutrition counseling, and access to health services to low-income women, infants, and children. This program provided all the baby formula I needed. Recently, they have introduced a package designed to encourage women to breastfeed. They have also reduced the amount of formula they give to qualifying women by 13%. This means that women who formula feed exclusively can no longer depend on WIC for all their babies needs. They will have to purchase some formula out of pocket.

To satisfy my own curiosity, I wanted to see how much money I would have to spend now on formula if I had another baby, which, by the way, will NOT happen. I used the formula Brandi was on, which was lactose free. As you can see, the name brand is about $12 more per can than the Walmart brand.

I am going to let you in on a secret, though. They are pretty much the same thing. You see, there are very strict guidelines that must me followed. "The truth is all infant formulas are subject to the same regulations governing manufacturing and ingredients as stipulated by the Infant Formula Act” said Dr. Barbara Levine, Weill Cornell Medical College. If I were to buy the "generic" Walmart formula for the 9 months I would exclusively formula feed, I could save $52.16 a month, or $469.41 total. If you want to calculate your savings, use the Parent's Choice Savings Calculator like I did.

If you want to save up to $2000 that first year of life, skip the formula and strictly breastfeed. Most doctors recommend this anyway, but I know it is a very personal choice, and there are women like me who physically can not do it. If you are like me, or if you choose to formula feed, don't waste money on the name brands. The store brands are just as good, and can save you so much money.