Formula vs Breastfeeding Equipment What You Actually Need for Each Approach
An honest, practical breakdown of the equipment needed for breastfeeding, formula feeding and combination feeding — with the real cost comparison, what to buy before birth, and what to wait on until you know your feeding path.
The Honest Upfront Note
Feeding decisions are deeply personal and frequently change after birth regardless of what was planned. Many parents who intend to breastfeed exclusively encounter difficulties and move to combination or formula feeding. Many parents who plan to formula feed find breastfeeding possible and choose to try. Some combination feeders move entirely one way or the other. The equipment you need depends on the approach you end up using — not always the approach you planned.
This guide is structured to help you understand what each approach requires, what to buy before birth versus what to wait on, and how to avoid spending money on equipment for a feeding method you may not end up using. There is no recommendation on feeding method here — that is a personal, medical and practical decision that belongs to you, your baby and your healthcare team.
① Breastfeeding Equipment
Breastfeeding itself requires no equipment — it is anatomically and biologically self-contained. Every item below is either a support for comfort and convenience, or specifically needed for expressing and storing breast milk.
A note on breast pumps
Breast pumps are the largest variable in breastfeeding equipment cost. A manual pump (Haakaa, Medela Harmony) from £30 is adequate for occasional expressing and relief. A single electric pump (Medela Swing, Philips Avent) from £120 suits regular expressing for a return to work. A double electric pump (Medela Freestyle, Spectra S1) from £200–£300 is for high-frequency expressing or mothers managing low supply. NHS prescription pumps are available via some trusts for mothers of premature babies — ask your midwife. Pump hire is available from the NCT and some hospitals for short-term needs.
② Formula Feeding Equipment
③ Real Cost Comparison — First Year
The cost comparison below is the area most misrepresented in pregnancy content. The equipment costs are modest for both approaches — the significant cost difference comes from formula itself.
| Item | Breastfeeding | Formula feeding |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing bras ×3 | £45–£90 | — |
| Breast pads (year’s supply) | £30–£50 | — |
| Nipple cream | £10–£20 | — |
| Feeding pillow | £30–£60 | — |
| Breast pump (electric) | £0–£250 | — |
| Milk storage bags | £15–£30 | — |
| Bottles ×6 | £0–£54 (if pumping) | £54–£80 |
| Steriliser | £0–£60 (if pumping) | £45–£65 |
| Formula (12 months) | — | £490–£710 |
| Estimated first year total | £130–£560 | £590–£855 |
The breastfeeding range is wide because the breast pump is the major variable — a mother who does not express at all needs no pump, bottles or steriliser, keeping equipment costs under £200. A mother who pumps regularly for a return to work approaches £560. The formula feeding cost is dominated by the formula itself — approximately £500–£710 depending on brand. The equipment cost difference between feeding methods is small. The formula cost is the meaningful difference.
④ The combination feeding kit — what it actually looks like
Combination feeding (breast milk and formula, or breast and expressed bottle feeds) requires equipment from both columns above — but not all of it. The practical minimum for combination feeding is: nursing bras, breast pads, nipple cream, a breast pump (if the combined feed involves expressed milk), 4–6 bottles with slow-flow nipples, and a steriliser. Many combination feeders find the MAM self-sterilising bottle particularly convenient as it removes the need for a dedicated steriliser unit when bottle use is occasional rather than every feed. The most important equipment decision for combination feeders is choosing bottles with very slow flow rates (newborn or size 1) to avoid the baby developing a preference for the faster, easier bottle feed — see our baby bottle guide for the bottles best suited to combination feeding.
⑤ What to Buy Before Birth vs After
Buy before birth regardless of feeding plan
A basic formula starter kit is the one recommendation we make regardless of feeding intention. If breastfeeding works well, the kit sits unused and can be returned or kept for emergencies. If you need it on day three at 2am, not having it is acutely stressful. A starter kit: 6 bottles with newborn nipples (£50–£60), an electric steriliser (£45), two tins of first infant formula (£20) and a box of ready-to-feed cartons for the hospital bag (£10). Total: approximately £125. If breastfeeding is established successfully, most of this is returnable or can be sold.
Also buy before birth if breastfeeding: three nursing bras (sized at around 36 weeks, allowing for one cup size increase post-birth), disposable breast pads (a large box), nipple cream, and a feeding pillow. These are all useful regardless of how feeding unfolds.
Wait until after birth before buying
Breast pump: many mothers never need one (exclusive breastfeeders who are always present for feeds). Buy once you know whether expressing is needed — which becomes clear in the first 2–4 weeks. NHS prescription and NCT hire are options if you need one immediately.
Specialist items: nipple shields, supplemental nursing systems, nipple formers — buy only on the recommendation of a midwife or lactation consultant. These are solutions to specific problems, not pre-birth purchases.
Lots of bottles: start with 4–6 and add more only if feeding patterns demand it. Many families accumulate more bottles than they need.
Buy the basics for both approaches before birth. Keep your options open. Decide what else you need in the first two weeks when you know your feeding reality.
The industry around feeding equipment — particularly breastfeeding — creates an impression that more equipment produces better outcomes. It does not. Breastfeeding success is determined by positioning, latch, frequency and support — not by the brand of nursing pillow. Formula feeding success is determined by correct preparation and appropriate feeding volumes — not by the steriliser brand. Buy the minimum before birth, assess what you actually need in the first two weeks, and add to your kit purposefully rather than pre-emptively.
The most valuable breastfeeding resource is not any piece of equipment — it is a skilled lactation consultant or midwife who can assess your latch in person. If breastfeeding is difficult, ask for a referral before assuming the problem is equipment-related.
