Anyone else concerned about Enfamil's new format?

[Minou]

Seems like another case of paying more to get less...

I notice that Enfamil is changing their packaging to a refillable tub. It used to be that the regular Enfamil A+ powder was 730g to a tin. The new tub contains 661g, and it seems to be offered at about the same price as the old format. In the Wal-Mart flyer, it's $28.97, which I'd think would be a regular price. They sell twin-pack refill boxes (each refill is sealed in a rectangular plastic bag for $39.97 (also a regular price, I think), and the two refills are 496g each. So, it's about $40 for 1 kg if you're buying refills. Doesn't seem like much of a deal!

With my first son, I usually tried to pay less than $21.00 after coupon for a 730g tin of Enfamil A+. He went through 10 tins of formula a month for the first seven or eight months, so getting a good price was important. Now, the bigger twin packs mean that only one coupon can be used to knock down that price. At Wal-Mart in September, I picked up a few bonus size 1 kg tins for just under $22 each after coupons.

With a second child on the way, I'm pretty concerned about this. I'm wondering how long the stores will still be stocking the regular 730g tins, and I'm considering stocking up if it does go on sale. I'm also wondering whether it will go on clearance if they really are considering discontinuing the old format.

Any thoughts?

[shmeelady]

I am all for the changing of the tubs, I know that Similac has already done this in the states and I really wish they would do the same here!

All I can say is WOW at the amount of formula you went through with your first child... I would definantly be concerned about price with that amount! My son only goes through 4 728g cans a month.. even when he hit his growth spurt and was drinking an 8oz bottle every 2-3 hours I was only at MAX using 6 or 7 cans a month... Although the price seems concerning... I wouldn't worry about it too much as you have the advantage of stacking, so I would take full advantage of that. I stack for my formula and haven't paid over $.99 per can of formula since he was about 3 months old. I stocked up a month and a half ago and got 7 cans of formula for around $6.

On another note, I have noticed more and more stores putting clearance prices and/or stickers on enfamil cans so I believe it is only a matter of time before they are all cleared out. It seemed to change overnight at walmart, and I had never noticed a clearance on the old enfamil packaging. However over the past month SDM and RCSS has put ALL of the enfamil with older packaging on clearance. SDM had enfapro A+ on clearance for $15 a can and with the $12 coupon that's floating around out there you got yourself a deal that's almost as good stacking!

[keri32]

lol,wow! i cannot believe you went through 10 cans either!l Then again i never had a boy before and i formula fed a tiny bit but mostly bf. When i say it it was like 37 or something( think it was at shoppers though), i wondered if it was even worth buying,you would think it is suppossed to be cheaper since it is a refill,right? I realize there is probably double in it but jmo, i didn't do the math but doesn't seem too much cheaper.

[Pinkypie]

Holy sh*t! So glad I breastfed! I'd be in the poorhouse!

[shmeelady]

lol,wow! i cannot believe you went through 10 cans either!lWhen i say it it was like 37 or something( think it was at shoppers though), i wondered if it was even worth buying,you would think it is suppossed to be cheaper since it is a refill,right? I realize there is probably double in it but jmo, i didn't do the math but doesn't seem too much cheaper.

I believe that you are getting a $10 discount per 2 pack box of refills... Somewhere around there. So it's almost as if you are getting $5 off per package anyways.... the only catch is having to buy two at a time.

[RegulusLeonis]

Ditto the breastfeeding comment Nothing beats free!

[Minou]

Ditto the breastfeeding comment Nothing beats free!

No kidding! Unfortunately, I'm a breastfeeding failure. Even with medication, I was only able to produce about 300 ml a day at most--not enough for the hungry, screaming kid! I'd love it if things magically started working this time, but I'm not holding out much hope. I need to have formula in reserve!

[Shwa Girl]

Holy sh*t! So glad I breastfed! I'd be in the poorhouse!

Coincidentally, this is world breastfeeding promotion month in Ontario.

[Shwa Girl]

No kidding! Unfortunately, I'm a breastfeeding failure. Even with medication, I was only able to produce about 300 ml a day at most--not enough for the hungry, screaming kid! I'd love it if things magically started working this time, but I'm not holding out much hope. I need to have formula in reserve!

That's understandable. Not everyone is able to breastfeed.

[RSAS]

No kidding! Unfortunately, I'm a breastfeeding failure. Even with medication, I was only able to produce about 300 ml a day at most--not enough for the hungry, screaming kid! I'd love it if things magically started working this time, but I'm not holding out much hope. I need to have formula in reserve!

Just because you were unable to produce enough for one child, doesn't mean you wont be able to for a different one! I couldn't produce enough for my first, so he was only exlusivly BF for 4 months, but my second has never had a bottle in his life and he is just about 2 years now! I get wanting to have some formula in reserve, but I would really encourage you to give breastfeeding a honest go of it. There is a ton of support out there. llli.org and kellymom.com are great resources. They both have great mom to mom forums.
In regards to the cost of formula too, compare the labels of the store brands. You may find one that is the same compositions of Enfamil. We used the Safeway brand formula for DS1. 4 years ago, it was $12 a can!!! DH also worked there at the time so we got a 10% discount too. We found that it was pretty much the same as the $30 can of name brand formulas.
Good luck with your upcomeing little one!

[cricky]

I had the same problem with breastfeeding. Not enough milk even with medication. I'm expecting my second and I'm hoping it goes better this time. But I'm still stocking up on formula. Good luck I hope it goes better for you this time.

[RegulusLeonis]

Can I ask you guys at what point you stopped breastfeeding? If you are measuring the amount of milk by pumping, this is a terribly inaccurate way to tell if you are under producing. Pumps are nowhere nearly as effective at getting milk out compared to your baby I can only pump MAYBE 1 ounce/day even now at 6.5 months. Also sometimes babies get frustrated that the milk isn't letting down quickly (mine did this for nearly 2 months) and cry and fuss. Also during the first few months babies are known to nurse for looooong periods of time and often, which can give the impression of low milk supply. I know Oliver would nurse some days for 1hr+, and somewhere around 12-15 times a day.

I am not trying to say your babies were not getting enough milk before, because I don't know your exact situations, just trying to offer some support and encouragement

Here are two wonderful sites for anyone experiencing breastfeeding issues or who want to prepare for nursing:

http://www.kellymom.com
http://www.drsears.com

[Minou]

2 weeks attempting to breastfeed with the use of tube supplementation after the first few days along with pumping. No sign of milk for a week. Several nights of a constantly screaming infant who was losing more than 10% of body weight.Toward the end of that two weeks, even with the medication, about 100 ml a day could be pumped at that time outside of breastfeeding. Baby would no longer latch properly with the tube system after the 2nd week (causing huge pain), and would scream, thrash, and cry without it. Had to switch to bottle and pumping. 300 ml a day at most. Was able to give him some pumped breast milk for the first 3 1/2 months, at which point he received formula exclusively.

Believe me, I tried. I am not a lazy, poorly-educated person who does not know any better, and blogs, public health nurses, doctors and residents, and breastfeeding consultants with their commonplaces like "breast is best" really didn't help much.

I'm definitely going to try again this time, and will expect to see a breastfeeding consultant before leaving the hospital. Maybe by some miracle it'll work this time. Maybe things are better primed with the second. Who knows? It didn't work last time, though, and I'm not willing to undergo the same level of stress as I did last time in trying to make it work. I later learned that my maternal grandmother had been unable to breastfeed her two children, either.

It does bother me, though, that a question about new formula packaging and pricing needs to be politicized I'm thinking I need to find that Old Navy bottle-feeding "Formula Powered" onesie that the company was forced to pull off of its racks due to pressure from those lucky enough to be able to breastfeed.

[shmeelady]

Can I ask you guys at what point you stopped breastfeeding? If you are measuring the amount of milk by pumping, this is a terribly inaccurate way to tell if you are under producing. Pumps are nowhere nearly as effective at getting milk out compared to your baby I can only pump MAYBE 1 ounce/day even now at 6.5 months. Also sometimes babies get frustrated that the milk isn't letting down quickly (mine did this for nearly 2 months) and cry and fuss. Also during the first few months babies are known to nurse for looooong periods of time and often, which can give the impression of low milk supply. I know Oliver would nurse some days for 1hr+, and somewhere around 12-15 times a day.

I am not trying to say your babies were not getting enough milk before, because I don't know your exact situations, just trying to offer some support and encouragement

Here are two wonderful sites for anyone experiencing breastfeeding issues or who want to prepare for nursing:

http://www.kellymom.com
http://www.drsears.com

I could have been able to breastfeed. My doctor was lame and never advised me that I needed to take my piercings out and let them heal throughout my pregnancy so I could breastfeed. SO I took them out at the hospital but ended up with infections. I was unable to breastfeed because of the continuing risk of infection being passed to my son so I ended up formula feeding. It was kind of really weird because I continued to have green discharge out of the original piercing holes. Milk was coming out of everywhere and soaking through everything, but I had nothing to do with it it sucked. The piercing holes only started to heal up once I stopped producing milk, the doctor has no explanation for why it happened. I mean the holes didn't even close up, I was still able to put my jewelry back in.
Sorry for the gruesome little story there.

[RegulusLeonis]

That's not gruesome to me I have had 25 piercings including those I've had my share of nastiness!!!

That was really lame of your doctor, though!!