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Breastfeeding is not exactly free. Me and my wife spent 250 dollars for a pump, 50 dollars for a pump rental, and about 100 dollars to have more items to help her breast feed more effectively. My wife must pump because she works during the day. Even though she works at a supportive employer most employer don't have proper lactation rooms. Most women who work end up pumping in the bathroom during their breaks even in a 'supportive' environment. The truth is we still needed to supplement with formula.

To compare at Sam's club a 3 lb can of formula costs 30 dollars, so that would 13 cans or 39 lbs of Formula.

No, you are SO right. It is NOT free! I rented a pump for 4 months at $49.00 per month and bought the kit to go with it (which thankfully they do NOT rent because that would be *icky*) for $25.00 and then the bottles and Ice packs to go with etc...

Generic Formula purchased from Albertsons on sale is about $13.99 for the same size can as the ones at Sam's Club and Costco. I took this into my pediatrician's dietician who said it was just fine and it includes an enzyme that has been found to be an important part of breast milk (Similac etc.. do not have this enzyme.. I am not sure about Sam's Club etc...)

TO all of the breastfeeding enthusiasts out there... Yes, I have to work. But even for the first few months when I was on leave it was horrible. We went to the lactation specialist every day for a week. My 9 lb. 13 oz. baby was losing weight and becoming SO FRUSTRATED with nursing that they had my husband hold him up to the breast and latch him on. If not, he would turn away from me and cry.
I tried the nipple shields, the supplemental feeding tube that you hang down your breast so that the child can get something to eat while still getting the "bonding" part of breast-feeding. So.. I pumped, and pumped and pumped. This includes feeding your child for 20-30 minutes per feeding and then pumping for another 20-30 minutes at least! There is no..."sleeping between mom and dad" and just rolling over when the child is hungry! We live in Washington. This is "Le Leche central". If you don't breast feed your child you are really looked down upon! (not to mention hippy central where there is no discipline, are no rules and getting your child on some sort of feeding/sleeping routine is practically child abuse)

So... to all of the BREASTFEEDING enthusiasts out there, I absolutely think you are right in maintaining that breastfeeding is the best way to nourish your child. But let us stop short, please, of deciding that bottle-fed babies are not properly bonded. And also, try not to look down your noses TOO much at me when I am not whipping out the boob to feed my children. I am NOT lazy and you don't know the whole story just by "catching" me with a bottle!

FLAME AWAY!!

(ps.. perhaps I am just too dumb though, I never completed my college education and we don’t make that much money. Although, we do have a $250k house and own both of our cars.)