Do the Math: A Cost Analysis of Expressing v. Formula-Feeding

I don't think anyone would disagree that breastfeeding from the breast is cheaper than formula-feeding.

But what about us Expressive Moms who bottle-feed breastmilk? Is there still a cost-advantage?

I did a cost analysis (what? I am a business-woman and an MBA candidate) focusing strictly on financial figures and found the following:

Cost to be an Expressive Mom:

• 100% expressing: $423
• Expressing + 1x Bottle per day Supplement: $608

Cost to formula feed for one year:

• Generic brand formula: $749
• Brand name formula: $1,258

If you continue to feed your baby breastmilk until age two (as recommended by most health organizations other than the US government), you can save an additional $178 by not buying whole milk.

Notes and assumptions:

• Calculations were made on average feedings, based on this chart (which have been quite accurate, according to my experience).
• I assumed ZERO waste ... as in every drop of every bottle is consumed. Remember, formula goes bad after an hour, so this is likely a VERY conservative estimate.
• Growth spurts were not accounted for - and it's been my experience that consumption can increase by as much as 20% during growth spurts!
• I used the largest containers of powder formula for this analysis - they are the cheapest - so the figures inflate for different sizes, pre-made, portable variations.
• Included in 100% expressive figure are Medela brand hands-free breast pump, storage containers, cleaning wipes, and freezer bags. These are definitely some of the more expensive items, so costs can be cut further by using cheaper brands (ie. Lansinoh, Simplisse, etc)
• Supplementing 1x bottle per day uses generic powder formula costs
• Assume feeding 16 oz of whole milk from age one to two per day, with a cost of $3.89 per gallon
• Cost for bottles, nipples, bottle cleaners, and anything else related to bottle-use are the same for expressing and formula-feeding, so they are not reflected in these figures.

Generic formula used for analysis was CVS Milk-Based Powder Infant Formula 0-12 Months (cost: $15.49 // 23.4 oz). Brand name formula used for analysis was Similac Advance EarlyShield Powder with Iron (cost: $25.79 // 23.2 oz). 

... and, remember if you have more than one baby the costs decrease with each child, since pumps and containers are reusable!