The Mom's Cost Comparison Of Infant Formula

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I’ll be here awhile, if anyone needs me…oh, wait. i’M A MOM.

I remember the first time I went to the grocery store to choose a baby formula for my son. I stood on the baby aisle for at least 10 minutes just staring at all the baby formula options through hazy eyes. I spent the next half hour reading through labels, Google-searching the ingredients, and comparing prices. I had intended to breastfeed my son, but with some significant issues during the first few weeks - including not enough milk for my baby - I found myself staring emptily at rows of nicely labeled containers.

While infant formula is a $50-70 billion industry, with a lot of effective marketing and sales (we received a package from Enfamil in the mail for my son’s first birthday - a toddler formula along with a birthday note), many major brands of baby formula do redirect to breastfeeding. Several labels read, “Breastfeeding is recommended. However, if breastfeeding is not possible, company name has a formula for your baby.” Obviously, breastfeeding is the cheapest option because it’s free. But some moms don’t have the option to breastfeed or choose not to breastfeed, and baby formula becomes a new line item in the family budget.

Formula for babies with allergies are more expensive - but could be worth it

So, just what is the cost of baby formula? With the increase in dairy and soy allergies or intolerances, many moms are now turning to organic baby formulas, which have a pretty price point compared to your old-fashioned cow milk formula. When we were babies, soy was the only alternative to cow milk formulas. Now, the alternatives include goat milk formula, hypoallergenic formula (made of cow milk proteins that are broken down in advance for baby - or hydrolyzed), and elemental formula (made of amino acids rather than proteins to alleviate immune responses, i.e. allergies). In this article, I compare the main types of formula nutritionally (including homemade formula options for moms who want to avoid the commercially prepared route), but here let’s focus on the cost analysis of baby formula.

How much formula do babies need per day?

Most babies need between 24-32 ounces of breast milk or formula per day during their first year of life. Usually, formula intake drops slightly as babies get the hang of eating solid foods and snacks, but it’s advised to feed them at least 20-24 ounces of formula until you begin to wean and switch to whole milk around the 1-year mark. For the figures below, let’s assume baby drinks an average 30 fluid ounces per day of prepared baby formula.

Containers of baby formula come in all different sizes, but most make between 90-150 fluid ounces of prepared formula. This information is usually provided for you on the back label! For the figures below, I’ve calculated average sizes for baby formula containers in each category. (Liquid concentrate and ready-to-feed versions of baby formula drive these price points higher by an average of $0.05-2.30 per ounce).

Here are the costs of baby formula per ounce, day, and month:

Cow milk formula

E.g. Enfamil Infant, Enfamil Newborn, Gerber Good Start, Similac Advance

$15-17 per 12.5oz. container. That means you pay $0.17 per ounce, $5/day, $150/month.

*Specialty formulas, such as partially hydrolyzed baby formula, formulas with whey concentrate, and “sensitive” baby formulas for easier digestion, generally cost closer to $0.20 per ounce. Examples of sensitive baby formulas include Similac Sensitive, Pro-Sensitive, Pure Bliss, Total Comfort, & Spit Up; Enfamil Enspire, Gentlease, A.R., & Reguline; Gerber Gentle and Gerber Soothe.

Organic cow milk formula

E.g. Earth’s Best, Plum Organics, Happy Baby Organics, Honest Co. Organic

$25-30 per 21oz. container. That’s $0.20 per ounce, $6/day, $180/month.

*There’s a wider selection of organic baby formulas at health food and farmer’s market stores. Organic standards mean that the ingredients in organic baby formula have been through more rigorous testing and held to higher standards, just like all organic foods. For example, there should be no GMOs, or genetically modified ingredients in organic baby formula. As you will notice on many labels, GMOs are found “in trace amounts” in non-organic baby formulas. (For more info, see this post on the nutrient makeup of baby formula.)

Soy formula

E.g. ProSoBee, Soy Isomil

$17-20 per 12.5oz. container. So, you’re paying about $0.19 per ounce, $5.50/day, $165/month.

From what I’ve gleaned in my research over the years, soy formula is not worth the extra cost because better alternatives to cow milk formula are now available. Studies are still mixed on the exact effects of soy on hormones, but it’s the “soy protein isolate” which is the main concern - not just soy itself. Soy is a phytoestrogen which is interpreted as estrogen in your body. A little is fine - we eat phytoestrogens in plants all the time - but a concentrated amount over time is speculated to have adverse effects. (See this post for more info.)

Goat milk formula

E.g. Kabrita, Holle, HiPP, Mt. Capra, Nanny Care, Sammy’s Milk

$32-70 per container (greater range in sizes and must be ordered online). That’s $0.32 per ounce, $9.60/day, $288/month.

*Kabrita goat milk formula is the only U.S. option. Holle and HiPP goat milk formulas must be ordered from the U.K.

*The other U.S. option is a homemade goat milk formula from Mt. Capra farms, which costs about $0.13 per ounce, $3.90/day, $117/month. It is not “homemade” with raw, unpasteurized milk; instead the recipe uses pure goat milk powder and pure goat milk lactose powder along with 4 other ingredients. If you’re interested in this type of goat milk formula, learn more here.

Goat milk is quickly growing in popularity as nutritionists are realizing the health benefits of goat milk over cow milk - including that goat milk is less allergenic and less inflammatory than cow milk (two very common problems in the current American diet).

Hypoallergenic formula

E.g. Alimentum, Nutramigen, Pregestimil

$38-45 per 19.8oz. container. You’re paying about $0.30 per ounce, $9/day, $270/month.

*Hypoallergenic formulas are covered by some insurance companies with a note from your pediatrician, or they can be ordered wholesale from Sam’s Club or a medical supply company.

Hypoallergenic baby formulas are made with partially or fully hydrolyzed proteins and/or amino acids (the building blocks of proteins). What this means, ultimately, is that a hypoallergenic formula is “pre-digested” to make it more compatible with your baby’s digestive system. Because milk proteins are so large (think about the size of a typical cow!), hydrolyzed, or hypoallergenic, formulas offer the protein in smaller, more digestible forms for babies with allergies or intolerances.

Elemental formula

E.g. Puramino, Elecare, Neocate

$40 per 14oz. container. That’s $0.40 per ounce, $12/day, $360/month.

*Can be covered by some insurance companies with a note from your pediatrician or can be ordered wholesale as well.

Elemental formula has been called the “super-hypoallergenic formula,” and that’s certainly one way of looking at it. This formula is specialized to care for the baby with serious nutritional deficiencies or medical needs. They are also often used for babies who are very premature. These are usually only obtainable through a prescription from a pediatrician, so it’s important to talk to your pediatrician if you think your baby may need an elemental formula. (For more detailed info, go here.)

Homemade Formula

E.g. Weston A. Price Foundation

Homemade formulas vary by price, but two easy-to-follow options are the Goat Milk Formula by Mt. Capra (mentioned above at $0.13/ounce) and a popular recipe from the Weston A. Price Foundation, which costs about $0.10-0.15 per ounce, depending on which protein source (cow milk, goat milk, or even liver-based) and where you shop for ingredients.

Of course, we all know the warnings with homemade formula. (You may have even seen stories on the news or been warned by a nurse at your pediatrician’s office - true story). But when handled expertly (yes, by moms who are perfectly capable of safely and accurately mixing ingredients), homemade formula can be a great nutritional choice for your baby. Particularly for babies with digestive sensitivities, homemade formula can be beneficial because it doesn’t contain the preservatives, emulsifiers, and other additives that commercial baby formulas contain in order to be shelf-stable.

This is not to say that we should borrow our neighbor’s recipe. Groups like Mt. Capra and the Weston A. Price Foundation have developed their recipes based on years of study and compliance with FDA Formula Act requirements (even if the FDA won’t approve them since they’re “homemade”). You can also read thousands of testimonials from families who wanted a healthy, safe homemade formula.

If you are conflicted about which formula is best for your baby due to allergies, intolerances, or sensitivities, this article covers choosing the right formula for your little one!