Is formula more expensive than the portion of the mother’s caloric intake that’s used to produce milk?

Very likely. A container of formula runs about $25 and contains 1800 calories (my count may be off). Considering the mother is often trying to lose babyweight I think you can find 1800 calories cheaper.

The main thing is that for many, formula is paid for via support programs, but unless you're down on SNAP you don't get diapers AFAIK.

Yeah we don't qualify for SNAP (as an aside I'd be curious how many HNers do qualify). My area also has a program called WIC (women infant children) which I'm pretty sure covers diapers but not totally sure.

WIC doesn’t cover diapers, only food, and very specific ones at that.

It’s easy enough to qualify for both even at HN salaries, you just need to have enough kids.

I'd posit that it may be simple, but having more kids is certainly not easy!

No way. This quick math doesn't make sense and seems grossly shortsighted.

(1) You have to ingest more than 1800 calories to get 1800 calories of milk. I'm seeing a 1.25x multiplier at a minimum so 2250 cal.

(2) That's already close to a full daily calorie intake (3 meals).

(3) Kirkland formula is $13 per 2250 calories ($32/5400cal*2250cal). You're not beating $13 per 3 meals unless you're meal prepping.

(4) This doesn't even factor in the vitamin loading via formula.

Every family is different. I haven't been a parent for long but at the end of the day there's no one way to optimize everything. You'll either spend time, energy, or money. Something that saves you money may drive you insane. The $100/mo is not worth your mental health.

My wife breastfeeds and pumps. She doesn't love it, but she doesn't mind it.

Also, I'm no pediatrician but vitamin loading via formula seems off to me. My daughter's pediatrician told us that while breastfeeding is preferable to formula for the bonding benefits, at the end of the day it doesn't really matter as long as the baby is eating enough. We do have to supplement vitamin D in either case, which we do with pumped milk.

I don't think there's a mathematical way to optimize anything in parenting. You just try stuff and see if it works. And maybe it works for a few weeks or months. But then it stops working. Then you adapt! Maybe breastfeeding will stop working soon. Maybe cloth diapers will stop working soon. Who knows? All I know is that I'm not gonna be showing my daughter and wife a spreadsheet to show what is optimal.

You seemed to defend claims that breastmilk trumped formula on price. That's wrong and shortsighted, yet people keep repeating these myths.

Adding new parameters contingent on discretionary priorities and resources is vastly more subjective.

Enjoy parenthood.

I didn't say that. I just said formula is not cheap. I never ran the numbers because I didn't care to.

I am enjoying parenthood, thanks :)

You definitely said that by replying "very likely" to

> Is formula more expensive than the portion of the mother’s caloric intake that’s used to produce milk

You also "ran the numbers" in the same comment.

Maybe you're not getting enough sleep from tending to your kid.

That wasn't me. Do you have a newborn as well? :)

Ha! You're right. That's not your quote.

Though, you did say formula "isn't cheap" in a comment questioning the the ROI. I'm lost because that would imply you had run the numbers to call it expensive.

I agree that every family's different. I'm overly touchy on the phrasing to a fault. You get it. My point is that people seem to lean into this or over worry about breastfeeding at all costs.

Agreed, and you're right that my statement does have that connotation.

We still keep formula on hand just in case (premixed because the powdered formula has a pretty short shelf life). We found that my daughter doesn't really like it, but that's not really relevant. But in any case, the premixed formula is 2-3x more expensive than the powdered formula, which is why it's a bit surprising to me that someone would say that formula is more cost-effective ROI. Anecdotally we haven't really noticed a increase in our monthly grocery bill, and my wife is back to her pre-pregnancy weight and has stayed there for a few weeks.