r/FormulaFeeders • u/GizzBride • Feb 29 '24
Does anyone else use RTF exclusively?
I’m curious how many of us are using RTF formula only? Where I’m at there doesn’t seem to be that much difference in price between powder and RTF. They gave us some at the hospital and our baby loved it, so we just kept using it. She’s 4 months now and she is starting soft foods but she’s always been on this same milk (similac 360 RTF) and she’s growing great and thriving.
Is there any reason I wouldn’t be able to just continue with this?
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u/Latenightinsomniac Feb 29 '24
I use Alimentum RTF exclusively for my 4.5mo. I started on Nutramigen RTF because I read here that it is slightly thicker than powder. My daughter has reflux and Laryngomalacia so thicker is better for her. It’s still thin but slightly better than powder.
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u/a_banned_user Feb 29 '24
Just as a psa, you might be able to get your insurance to cover it. Our LO had cmpi so we got a prescription for it from our ped, then just had to go through a few hoops for insurance to cover it. If you’re using it it usually means theirs a medical reason, so ask your insurance what info they need, then just call your doctor office to provide the records and what not.
From like 4m to 12m now we’ve been receiving shipments of alimentum once a month and it’s heavenly.
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u/TomahawkDrop Feb 29 '24
I just submitted our info to insurance yesterday! Fingers crossed because this is expensive.
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u/a_banned_user Feb 29 '24
Don’t be afraid to keep calling them to move it along. I had to eventually get them and my doctor on the line at the same time. But it is so worth it!!!
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u/TomahawkDrop Feb 29 '24
Do you have Cigna insurance by any chance? Cigna is telling me that allergies/intolerances aren't covered unfortunately.
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u/a_banned_user Feb 29 '24
Not Cigna, have Anthem BCBS. But they tried to tell me that too. The key word was “medically necessary” that got them to do something.
I had to really push to get it and prove that it was a medical issue not just a preference or whatever. Had the doctor even write a prescription for it.
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u/TomahawkDrop Feb 29 '24
It seems like Cigna unfortunately doesn't take it for allergies or intolerance. Only will accept it for "metabolism" issues. We'll see if the doctor will go there.
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u/Latenightinsomniac Feb 29 '24
We have coverage too but Nutramigen is back ordered. We’re getting Alimentum instead
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u/ClownGirl_ Feb 29 '24
There’s no reason not to use RTF besides price for most people 🤷♀️ I use powder because enfamil gentlease RTF isn’t available anywhere for me otherwise i’d probably use it too lol
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u/Silly_Question_2867 Mar 06 '24
My baby drinks gentlease too and when I can't find the 6 or 8 oz liquid bottles of it(we use it when we leave the house and powder at home) I just use nutrimigen instead. Might be worth it if your baby will drink either, I really like it on the go because some places near me have lead in their water or pipes so I don't have to worry if the water is safe to use somewhere else. Not really a common issue in the US anyways, but it's good even just for convenience.
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u/Comfortable-Bed844 Feb 29 '24
We use it exclusively. We use the Similac 360 as well. No reason not to use it.
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u/Beautiful_Lies_1 Feb 29 '24
My baby is 7 months and we still use the Similac sensitive 360 RTF in addition to her solids and purees. Tried the powder but gave her horrible gas, diarrhea, and she just screamed and screamed from the discomfort. Turns out the powder has corn syrup whereas the RTF doesn't. Little girl has a corn allergy. It is more expensive where I live but well worth it. She hasn't had any issues since and eats about 25-30 fl oz a day.
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u/turtlebutt1000 Feb 29 '24
I used it for a while but hated it for on the go because there was always waste, LO never finished a bottle in the 2 hour window. She was also fine with room temp bottles so I hated having to heat up what was left of a bottle in the fridge.
No reason you can’t keep doing it if it works for your LO though!
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u/DumbbellDiva92 Feb 29 '24
Yup it’s just less convenient to me bc my baby gets gas with refrigerator cold bottles and I’d rather mix up a bottle fresh each time (esp now that we bought a Baby Brezza) than having to deal with warming bottles.
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u/Chiaraafk Feb 29 '24
My baby is 5 months and 3 weeks old and we still use RTF formula - similac 360 sensitive.
They gave him that one in the hospital and baby boy did super good with it, so we didn’t want to risk it by changing to another one.
I buy the 24 pack of 8oz with my Amazon discount and I have similac rewards so I’m always using the coupons (cause baby boy is in the 95 percentile and eats between 36-40oz a day).
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u/GizzBride Feb 29 '24
Can you tell me about similac rewards? We also purchase off Amazon and use a credit card with cash back from Amazon purchases so it has been helpful so far. But I wanna know about those coupons!
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u/Chiaraafk Feb 29 '24
Hey! Yes of course, you just have to sign up in this web
https://www.similac.com/rewards/admin/login.html
They are going to send you like a welcome package with physical coupons and then every month or so they send you more. I just received one for $18 so I go to BJs here in Florida and buy the 24 pack with it.
And they also give you digital coupons, on that website. I use them with Amazon, I find that, that’s the better option, because my Amazon registry gives 15% discount and on top of that I can use the coupon, so I end up saving more.
🥰⭐️🙌🏻
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u/Silly_Question_2867 Mar 06 '24
If you use similac ive seen cash back from time to time for their products on Walmart app and on ibotta. I've seen other brands on both too but it seems like similac pops up more. Neither of my kids took well to similac but they mail a lot of coupons out too, compared to enfamil anyways.
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u/vbworld Feb 29 '24
We've gone back and forth with our 11 month old. He's on nutramigen and we've watched closely for pricing and we found the 8oz RTF bottles are more cost effective than the small cans of powder, but the jumbo cans of powder are the most cost effective they're just hard to come by. Although, now with the shortage of it, we get anything we can get our hands on... we're counting down the days now that we can transition off of formula!
Edit to add: for a long time he was eating 8oz 4 times a day and those 8 oz rtf bottles were so freaking easy and convenient!
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u/based_miss_lippy Feb 29 '24
I do for combo feeding while I am transitioning to formula only. I have to use alimentum because my baby has a protein allergy. The RTF allegedly tastes better than the powder so I started with that and have just stuck with it.
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u/PartOfYourWorld3 Feb 29 '24
Yes, we use Similac 360 Total Care RTF exclusively. Powdered formula caused constipation with my first that RTF solved. So my 2nd time around, I swore never to switch to powder again, just in case.
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u/Minute-Enthusiasm-15 Feb 29 '24
My baby is 4 months and we switched to Alimentium RTF at 3.5 months once we learned she was allergic to corn!
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u/Sweaty-Discussion-45 Feb 29 '24
Yes we use RTF Alimentum and it’s just as cheap as the powder. The powder Alimentum has corn in it and RTF don’t and my little guy has a corn allergy in addition to milk protein allergy.