For those of you who are surveying your local prices - read the labels on
the powdered versions. They don't all mix up to the same volume of
consumable formula. The actual cost is the cost of the reconstituted
formula, not the per-ounce of powder. The slight variations can make a
difference in long term costs.

The other consideration is finding out how much the 'average' baby would
consume in one year, given growth rates, judging need in ounces per pound
of body weight, throw out of unused or spoiled formula, etc. When I did my
survey, I used the Ross numbers, following the lead of BSC several years
ago. Someone mentioned another somewhat lower annual estimate from another
source. Then again, it could be calc'd by the +/- 2.7 oz per lb of body
weight, but how long does any baby stay at any given weight? How do you
figure spurts & stalls of weight gain?

Do we really need to be bothered with all that? I think we should just
settle on an agreed figure from a published source so we (or Pat Young) are
all coming up with the same comparisons.


--- Phyllis Adamson, IBCLC
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