While there is no denying that breast milk is the best possible food for babies, not all of us are able to nurse exclusively. Despite my best efforts, including seeing a lactation consultant, I was only able to nurse for a few short months with both of my toddlers. I pumped and pumped and pumped some more, and still found that I had to supplement their feedings with infant formula because I couldn't provide all of the breast milk they needed. My pediatrician swore that this was just fine, and that I didn't have to beat myself up over it. (I did anyway, though.)

There are a ton of different options available when it comes to infant formula. Most of them have one thing in common: They are expensive! After talking to my pediatrician at length about the best choice for my babies, she told me that cheaper does not mean lesser quality when it comes to formula, and to consider using store brand formula. I was surprised, since a lot of moms mistakenly assume that brand name means better. My doctor told me that all infant formulas made in the United States must provide complete nutrition for growing babies and meet FDA requirements for safety, nutrition, and quality. In fact, store brand infant formulas are nutritionally equivalent to similar national formula brands such as Enfamil or Similac, but cost half the price, which can save you about $600 a year. Now I don't know about you, but for my family, $600 in a year can go a very long way!

So while my babies were still on formula, we decided to try Target's Up & Up Infant Formulas, made by Perrigo Nutritionals. This company manufactures store brand formulas like Up & Up, Parent's Choice,(Walmart) Comforts for Baby,(Kroger) and Simply Right (Sam's Club). They have a wide variety of formulations to accommodate even sensitive tummies and lactose intolerant babies, and the value is wonderful. Both of my kids made the switch seamlessly, and we saved a ton of money. Not only did my babies get the same nutrition found in name brand formulas, they thrived on store brand formula.

A study was conducted recently that outlined the feelings of new moms. The results were intriguing. Did you know that:

• Baby-related advertisements strike an emotional chord with moms - nearly one in four feel overwhelmed (23%) and one in five feel anxious (20%) or confused (20%)
• 53% of moms admit thoughts of their baby product budget plague them on a daily basis
• 37% of moms feel guilty if they cannot afford a specific product for their babies
• Moms are willing to purchase store brand over the counter medicine for their baby (42%) and store brand pharmaceuticals (44%), but only 21% of moms are willing to buy store brand infant formula.

Perrigo Nutritionals store brand infant formulas, available at retailers, such as Walmart (Parent´s Choice), Target (Up & Up), Kroger (Comforts) and Sam´s Club (Simply Right), adhere to the highest quality standards, so you can feel confident that you have made a smart choice for your baby and save money for the family. But you don´t have to take our word for it, clickhere to hear about the benefits of store brand formula from one of the country´s leading pediatricians, Dr. Jennifer Trachtenberg.

*All results are taken from the Perrigo Nutritionals "Brand" New Mom Study

So if store brand infant formulas are just as beneficial as the pricier name brands, why aren't more new parents catching on? Probably because they haven't tried them yet! I would definitely recommend researching store brand formulas and talking to your pediatrician about them. You may be pleasantly surprised like we were!

I can attest as a parent who used formula made by Perrigo Nutritionals for over a year that these products are just as good as the more expensive brands. If you compare the nutrition labels, they are basically identical! I also noticed that while my babies were using Target's Up & Up brand, they spit up less, had more "normal" looking bowel movements, and were generally quite happy. Other pluses? When mixing the formula, it didn't "foam" like some of the big brands, so there weren't as many air bubbles getting into baby's tummy. I also noticed that the store brand formulas didn't smell as offensive as the brand we had switched from. They stained less, too, which helped save my laundry!

If you haven't checked into using store brand formulas, I highly suggest that you try it. With many different options available, such as soy or gentle formulations, you're sure to find the right fit for your baby. In the process, you'll save your family tons of money! While breast is always best, if you make the decision to formula feed or need to supplement, I think that the store brand formulas made by Perrigo Nutritionals are the smarter choice.

To learn more about store brand infant formulas, please click HERE.

WIN IT!

One lucky reader will receive a prize pack from Perrigo Nutritionals, which will include:

• Perrigo Nutritionals store brand infant formula (LARGE cans of Parent's Choice AND Up & Up)
  
• 8oz  baby bottle
• Fleece baby blanket
• Baby bib

Please use this easy Rafflecopter form to enter.


This giveaway is open to US residents 18+ until 12:00AM on February 27, 2012. No PO Boxes. Winner will be drawn using Rafflecopter's Random Number Generator. All entries will be verified, so play fair! I will notify winner via e-mail and they will have 48 hours to reply before I am forced to redraw winners. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. This contest is not affiliated with Facebook in any way. Thanks for entering, and Good Luck!

***Disclosure: Prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by Perrigo Nutritionals through MyBlogSpark.. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***