Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Formula for Success!

We all know that "Breast is best" when it comes to feeding the newbs.  But, there came a time for me, with both boys, that enough was enough.  Trust me...I had milk to spare.  But there was just a time when it was more of a pain than pleasure.  With Hunter, he wanted to do everything BUT feed....there was just to much to look at.  Even in a quiet room with nothing around.  The only time he really concentrated was those 3 am feedings when the room was almost pitch black.  For Jagger, everything was going fine, but with 2 under 2, I couldn't run after Hunter with Jagger latched on, and I felt much more confined to the house.  Not because I have a fear of nursing in public, it was just a little more difficult.  I tried to pump...but just couldn't find the time to do it.  Yeah, yeah....excuses excuses.  Trust me...I feel guilt about stopping.  Which I shouldn't.  I'm still giving my wees love and attention and food.....just not from the boob.  Plus, on a selfish note, I never felt like myself when I would breastfeed.  I would have anxiety, feel shaky and nervous, and get light headed.  It was weird.

So with choosing a formula...I really just went with Similac since that's what was provided at the hospital and at my doctor's office.  But one night, when I had to make a late night run to Target because we were low on formula, and it was the end of the month so we were low on funds.....I perused the back of the Up and Up brand.  Generic....formula?  Could I?  I mean...I felt like I was depriving my little son of natures milk...should I really deprive him of a name brand too?  I looked at the ingredients, the amounts of vitamins and minerals, and the price.  Wow....$18 for 292 oz.  Um...that's unbelievable.  And the formulas are practically identical.  What the heck....I tried it. 

I came home looking completely guilt ridden.  Sonny raised a brow asking what was up and I showed him the Up and Up.  He didn't even blink and eye.  "You buy store brand everything else?  Why not formula?  We eat store brand stuff, and I'm sure it has to be approved by the FDA....and if he takes it well and likes it....it save us a ton of money every month!"  How come husbands act like we are the expert with kids and they can't even find a diaper....yet they make a statement like this that makes you feel like you were such an incompetent.  Well....Jaggs took it great!  He's growing, thriving, and it's actually made his poopies more regular and consistent.  You guys know how newbs are....pooping all the time and blowouts here and there, sometimes runny, sometimes solid...what...tmi?  But after we did the switch, Jaggs is pretty much the same time, same consistency, same color every day.  Amazing!

So...you know that Heather and I totally promote all things Target, and I'm just adding one more to the list.  And just to give you guys an idea...a reg 27.5 oz can of Similac costs about $24 and can make 187 fluid oz (or 31 6oz bottles).  The value size can of Up and Up brand formula can make 297 fluid oz of formula (or 50 6oz bottles) and only costs $18!  Being that I don't have to buy it as frequently and it makes almost twice as many bottles....it's a huge savings!! When you add it all up...it's really a savings of about $60 a month...or $720 a year!  And Up and Up has all the sensitive, soy, and other such formulas for the babies.

All babies are different and all mommies are different.  I'm not saying that I don't wish I could have done BF for longer...but it's hard with 2 kids as it is...and it's harder (for me) when I was BF.  I also no longer feel guilty about not giving Jagger a "name brand" vs. saving a little money.  In fact...the money we are saving is going into his college fund, so it actually kinda all works out.  I guess my moral of this story is don't feel guilty about trying new things out for your kids in order to make life in general easier on yourself.  You never know...you're kiddies may like it better. Mine did!  :)

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for posting this. I'm going through the same dilemma now with my nb!!! :)

    ReplyDelete

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