The International Code (Article 4.2) obligates health workers to tell every individual who is considering using formula what the "financial implications" are. 
In countries like the US that recommend a year's use of formula, appropriate feeding for 12 months requires an average of 40 kg (88 lbs) of powdered formula, assuming that the infant is exclusively fed on formula for 6 months, and then partially fed on formula with addition of complementary foods.

In countries that recommend only 6 months of formula, its exclusive use requires at least 20 kg (44 lbs), followed by milk in some other form that should be specified (though often it is not.)  20 kgs is a rough estimate of the amount that should be given for adequate intake of calcium and other nutrients in addition to complementary foods. 

I am trying to update my figures, now some years old, for the actual costs in local currency when parents buy the cheapest powdered formula on the retail market. 
Would LactNet users in various countries be able to send me (privately) the current cost of the cheapest formula (and other milk if recommended from 6-12 mos) in their setting?  I would need to know brand of milk, weight of milk in the tin, cost per tin in local currency, and conversion factor for US dollars if possible. 

If you want to go so far as to record costs of other, more expensive formulas, that is welcome but not necessary.

It would also be most helpful to know what the minimum legal urban wage is in the same county, state or country, for a full time female child care worker or home cleaner, and for a full time male factory worker (as that minimum may be different in some settings).  When we did this calculation some years back, we found that costs of formula ranged from 6% to 148% of urban minimum wages in various countries.

Thank you for any help you can give me, and if you express interest in the tabulated outcome of this enquiry, I will be happy to send it to you.
Helen  

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