https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 10 May 2026 19:56:30 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula/page/2#post-701376 Tue, 09 Apr 2013 08:16:02 +0000 littleveesmommy 701376@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Breastfeeding was cheaper for us. I calculated out how much formula DD would have need for her first year and it came out to $1350 for Similac Advanced (though it would have been more expensive for us since she had lots of allergies that made her eczema flair up and I was on an elimination diet for many months, so she would have needed special formula).</p> <p>Pump and parts: $250 but gifted by my sister<br /> Spare Bottles / Parts: $50<br /> 2 Hands free pumping bra: $60<br /> Storage bags/camis/nursing bras: $50<br /> Mother's Milk Tea / More Milk Plus: $50<br /> Boppy / pads / lanolin: gifted<br /> Total: $210 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula/page/2#post-701136 Tue, 09 Apr 2013 04:17:09 +0000 Ree723 701136@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Definitely breastfeeding! I'm not sure of the cost of formula as I've never bought any, but BF'ing has cost so little, it's definitely the winner.</p> <p>Single manual pump -$80<br /> One mini tube of Lanolin -$6<br /> One box of unopened breast pads (never needed them) - $10</p> <p>I started wearing nursing bras whilst pregnant, so I don't count those as a BF'ing cost. Bottles and liners we would have needed anyway, and would probably have had a lot more than the three bottles we currently have (but never use). And the boppy was a gift that I definitely could have done without but used as it was there.</p> <p>So altogether, BF'ing has cost us less than $100 and we are almost 10 months in. Next time, we won't have the expense of the pump, and hopefully I won't need the nursing pads again, so maybe we'll be able to get by on $6 or so for BF'ing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula/page/2#post-701098 Tue, 09 Apr 2013 01:41:16 +0000 googly-eyes 701098@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think BFing would have been cheaper but I had resorted to pumping exclusively and the time it took was crazy. Maybe if I'd gotten the handsfree pump though! I have gone through three brands of bottles, and the cost of formula changes based on LO's age, cheapest at first and then most expensive around 5 months and has dropped a little since LO is on solids too and she dropped some oz (which ped says is ok.) Still I think FFing is more expensive, but worth it. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula/page/2#post-701088 Tue, 09 Apr 2013 01:19:34 +0000 iheartleopardprint 701088@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am a sahm, so breastfeeding is cheaper for me. It costs nothing, I do have a pump which I had from when DS was little but I think I have used it once? </p> <p>Bottle feeding is a nightmare to me, all those bottles and things to sterilise as well as the formula to buy. I want to avoid bottle feeding if possible. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula/page/2#post-701075 Tue, 09 Apr 2013 00:48:21 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 701075@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>hmm let me add up what i spent on breastfeeding:<br /> simple wishes hands-free bra ($35)<br /> medela PISA ($250)<br /> boppy ($39)<br /> mother love nipple cream ($9)<br /> honeysuckle breastmilk storage bags - 100 count ($20)<br /> first years breastmilk organizer ($16)<br /> dr. brown bottles ($20)</p> <p>total = $389</p> <p>FORMULA<br /> baby's only organic formula - pack of 3 ($35)... i'm assuming if i needed 6 cans per month for a year... it would total to be $840 on formula alone without including all the bottle gear.</p> <p>breastfeeding is cheaper for me! and the second time around, i got my breastpump for free. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula/page/2#post-701072 Tue, 09 Apr 2013 00:35:05 +0000 LittleFox 701072@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Breastfeeding is cheaper for us. I bought a manual pump tp help build my supply early on, an extra boppy cover (pillow was a hand me down), some super cheap nursing bras (Zulily) and tanks (Walmart), breast pads (cheapest reusable I could find + some disposables), and a nursing cover. I also bought lanolin, but in 3.5 months have not needed it. I didn't spend much, but could have spent even less. If I really had to, I could do without the boppy (use regular pillows or nothing), the cover (blankets or nothing), and the tanks. I needed new bras in pregnancy anyway, so that would've been an expense regardless. I am thankful it has gone well so far. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula/page/2#post-701063 Tue, 09 Apr 2013 00:13:53 +0000 78h2o 701063@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Breastfeeding is cheaper for me.<br /> Double electric pump - free from insurance co.<br /> Storage bags - free from insurance co.<br /> Storage bottles (extra) - free from sister<br /> Nursing bras - $60, but I bought them and needed them during pregnancy anyway<br /> Hands free bra - 40?<br /> Lanolin, booby tubes, etc. - free - shower gifts<br /> Hooter Hider - $12 via Amazon sale<br /> Boppy - $20 via Mashalls clearance<br /> Supplements (MMP, brewers yeast, etc) - $30 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula/page/2#post-701058 Mon, 08 Apr 2013 23:57:46 +0000 CupQuakeWalk 701058@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@highwire: we went through everything you did as far as bFing AND now we formula feed so we paid both. On top of that: LO was MSPI for 4m so that formula is double the price...FML! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula/page/2#post-701038 Mon, 08 Apr 2013 23:22:39 +0000 sera_87 701038@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Definitely bfing. I received 2 pumps as gifts (nothing fancy, but i only pump the odd time to relieve engorgement). I'm on a years mat leave so no work-stress components. Bought 3 nursing bras at 19$ each, a tube of lanolin (5$?) that I used probably 6 times, and the only ongoing cost is pads, but there again I've only spent maybe 40$ over 8 months on those. </p> <p>FF would be a can every week or so and even at 14$ that would add up quickly. We've always done a mix but primarily bf - I'd say 90-95% bfing, 5-10% formula....currently go through a can a month ? Or so. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula/page/2#post-701035 Mon, 08 Apr 2013 23:21:18 +0000 meganmp 701035@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Breast feeding for sure! Free pump, hospital parts, hand me down bottles and boppy- breast feeding works out to be cheap for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula/page/2#post-700972 Mon, 08 Apr 2013 22:42:27 +0000 AmeliaBedilia 700972@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Very interesting thread! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula/page/2#post-690432 Thu, 04 Apr 2013 08:25:38 +0000 kml636 690432@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Luckily, we haven't had many problems with BF so I know it was cheaper. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula/page/2#post-687571 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:30:20 +0000 MrsStar 687571@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Breastfeeding is cheaper for us. Only costs associated with it for me were nursing bras (only got the cheap ones) and nursing pads. I got given sil's breastpump which she never used and I no longer pump. Haven't had to use formula at all so far although we do have some in the cupboard from when lo was clusterfeeding at 3 weeks and I was worried she wasn't getting any milk. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula/page/2#post-687531 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:24:18 +0000 purrpletulips 687531@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For me it was probably about even. DD was BF/supplemented with formula, DS has been only BF</p> <p>with DD: I bought a pump, nursing bras (would have needed new bras after pregnancy anyways), extra pump parts, supplements</p> <p>with DS: I bought a different pump, nursing bras (was bigger PP this time around), extra pump parts, supplements</p> <p>Since I went back to work around 8w, I had to buy bottles so that is a cost that occurred despite the feeding method used. My sister can get formula from her work so I didn't buy any formula for DD. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula/page/2#post-687510 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:22:52 +0000 DillonLion 687510@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: Diapers and wipes, too! I have very little incentive to be a crunchy momma LOL </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula/page/2#post-687509 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:22:51 +0000 SAHM0811 687509@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>my first baby was FF and my second was BF.</p> <p>i think FF was more expensive.</p> <p>a lot of the breastfeeding supplies i got for 2.0 were covered by my FSA, including hospital grade pump rental fee ($90/month), my new Medela Freestyle ($350ish), and all related supplies (shells, pads, lanolin). i also scored a lot of BF'ing supplies from the hospital. i also think that while BF'ing supplies can add up, a lot of them aren't really necessities to being able to BF (e.g. nursing tanks). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula/page/2#post-687466 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:16:03 +0000 loveisstrange 687466@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Breastfeeding would have been cheaper, but not by that much.</p> <p>We were given formula for WIC for free every month and usually only had to buy 1 extra can at $23 per can per month. I estimate FF cost us less than $500 (including bottles) in the first year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula#post-687465 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:15:59 +0000 Honeybee 687465@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Formula feeding was cheaper with DD, since our daycare provided formula, too. Breastfeeding would have been cheaper with DS, since I became a SAHM after he was born. I exclusively formula fed both kids, though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula#post-687454 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:12:07 +0000 chrispygal 687454@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We calculated our cost of formula to be $6 a day, which works out to $2,190 per year. We were using premixed formula, which is more expensive. Now that LO is not spitting up all the time we are changing it up to powder, which is about half the cost. Even at half the cost that would be over $1,000 a year.</p> <p>Formula was definitely more expensive and would have been even if I could have breast fed. Because I had a breast reduction 19 years ago, insurance paid for my pump rental to help build a supply. I was only getting a couple ounces a day so it didn't work for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula#post-687256 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:27:26 +0000 honeybear 687256@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I bought a pump for about $250 (pads were a freebie with it, but I didn't use them), some storage bags, about 6 bottles, Ina May's BF book, a tube of Lansinoh that I barely used, and three bras. My parents bought me a My Brest Friend pillow that I used a lot. The only LC I used was in the hospital, and I don't think her visit was charged separately in my bill, but I'm sure we paid for her in a mark-up somewhere else. I used the hospital's pump while we were there, but we didn't rent it because we got off to a great start (I ended up BFing LO through the entire post-birth BF class!). We definitely got lucky and did it fairly inexpensively. </p> <p>I also bought some new tops that were more BF-friendly than the ones I owned. Those were totally optional expenses, but I was getting sick of wearing the same two shirts day after day. I figure if I amortize those costs over the 2.5 years we BFed, they're negligible. ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula#post-687229 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:21:51 +0000 tequiero21 687229@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hmmmm I'm guessing formula, but will update when I get around to calculating it! Btw, pump was gift so considering it free.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula#post-687226 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:20:53 +0000 SugarplumsMom 687226@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Honestly, I don't know because I bought all the gear and 2 pumps for breastfeeding and it didn't work out for me. I guessing that formula feeding is more expensive though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula#post-687217 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:17:18 +0000 mole 687217@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't know how much formula would cost, but BFing has been pretty inexpensive so far: Medela double electric pump (free with insurance), four nursing bras (80), four nursing tanks (70), nursing cover-up (35), storage bags (free from SIL), lanolin (shower gift -- used only once so far!), Boppy (shower gift), hands-free pumping bra (35), assorted bottles (shower gifts). So six weeks in, I've spent 220 bucks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula#post-687182 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:08:36 +0000 looch 687182@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I calculated the cost of formula alone for us to be the equivalent of $600 for the year LO was on it. I could have actually gotten it cheaper by employing border shopping, which I didn't know until LO was about 10 months old. But then the cost of gas would have had to be figured in there too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula#post-687171 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:05:17 +0000 lovehoneybee 687171@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Breastfeeding. We were given our (used Medela PIS) pump from my SIL. I bought new tubing and an accessory set (~$30). Our Boppy, lansinoh lotion (didn't need) and nursing pads were gifted. By the time I finished the box of pads I didn't stopped randomly leaking all of the time. The only on-going cost I have is breast milk storage bags, but I'm a SAHM and really only pump 2-3x a week so I go through them slowly (pack of 100 for $18). </p> <p>I haven't researched how much formula would be but I can only imagine it would have been more expensive for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula#post-687137 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:56:40 +0000 duckduckkristen 687137@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Formula for us would have been $1300 for a year (we switched at 9 months) and I spent probably $500 on BFing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula#post-687073 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:42:49 +0000 NovBaby1112 687073@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>neither would have been too expensive at all- we got a free pump, so all i've had to buy were some nursing pads, bottles, pump parts, etc. and my doctors office has free formula of each and every brand in the waiting room, but we have never taken any. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula#post-687009 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:31:39 +0000 ladyfingers 687009@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Breastfeeding is cheaper for us. My biggest expense was my double electric pump. Then there were the little expenses -- nursing bras, lanolin, breast pads, breastmilk storage bags. Maybe $300 in all (plus the pump so around $500).</p> <p>Versus formula, which our daycare doesn't provide. I've read estimates that formula costs up to $3,000/year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula#post-687007 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:31:24 +0000 rattles 687007@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>BFing. I don't count things I'd have to buy anyway (like bras which i replace every 6 months, A&amp;As I use as covers, bottles, etc), so an LC visit, $10 tube of lanolin, nursing pillow, 2 packs reusable pads and a pump. Maybe $500? BUT, all of those besides the LC were shower gifts which is a financial benefit, since I would have borne the cost of formula and didn't bear the cost of BFing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/which-would-have-been-less-expensive-for-you-breastfeeding-or-formula#post-686995 Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:29:30 +0000 Smurfette 686995@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not sure since I don't know how much formula would cost. I got my pump through insurance but I am guessing I have spent $200-$300 on bras, nursing tanks, pumping supplies, Nursing pads, nipple cream, etc. </p>