Meet the millennial mom: Same infant feeding concerns, savvier about savings
(BPT) – Mothering styles can be as unique as the moms themselves and vary from generation to generation. A millennial mom would never think of putting her baby to sleep on his stomach, or using a laundry basket to transport her newborn in the car — yet those were accepted mothering practices in decades past. And while some new-mom concerns are universal, like questions about feeding baby, millennial moms are answering those questions in their own unique way.
Millennials — people between the ages of 18 and 33 — constitute the largest portion of the American workforce, and they’re the largest generation since the baby boomers, according to Pew Research. Also known as “Generation Y,” millennials are rewriting every aspect of American life, from how they bank to how they parent. A study by BabyCenter found a millennial mom is more likely to seek parenting advice from friends, family members and doctors than Generation X mothers, is more focused on value and relevance from the brands she buys, and spends far more time on her family than on herself.
And a new “Pulse of Pediatricians” survey by Perrigo Nutritionals, makers of Store Brand Infant Formula, shows that even though millennial moms are concerned about the same things that have worried mothers of every generation, like how their babies eat, sleep and poop, they definitely have their own approach to parenting.
The survey suggests that millennial mothers — and millennial pediatricians — may be a bit savvier about savings and nutrition than other generations. Still, mothers of all ages are leaving money on the table when it comes to their choice in baby formula, the study found.
Infant formula perceptions vary by age, even among doctors
Seventy-nine percent of millennial pediatricians agree that Store Brand Infant Formula and nationally advertised brands of formula are nutritionally comparable to each other; just 63 percent of older pediatricians knew this fact. All infant formulas must offer complete nutrition and meet the same strict FDA standards. Older doctors are also more likely to provide free formula samples than millennial pediatricians — 67 percent versus 51 percent. What’s more, when they give a sample, 39 percent of older pediatricians say they are specifically recommending that formula brand for continued use. Only 19 percent of millennial doctors intend the sample to be a recommendation that moms continue using that same brand.
Just as formula perceptions vary by age among doctors, millennial mothers have different views than older moms. Among millennial-age mothers, just 26 percent perceive a formula sample as their pediatrician endorsing the brand, whereas 41 percent of older moms believe a sample comes with their doctor’s endorsement of the brand. Perhaps consequently, millennial moms are significantly more likely to try different formula brands during their baby’s first year than older moms — 75 percent versus 60 percent.
Still, even though 67 percent of all mothers know big marketing budgets drive the higher costs of nationally advertised formula brands, just 16 percent save money by purchasing Store Brand Infant Formula — even though they could save up to $600 per year on formula that meets the same FDA standards.
“While many moms and all doctors agree breastfeeding is best for babies, the reality is in our busy lifestyles that’s not always possible or in a family’s best interests,” says Dr. Jamie Wells, a board-certified pediatrician and child expert named among America’s Top Pediatricians. “It’s refreshing to see the change in approach from millennial doctors and millennial mothers when it comes to recommending and choosing formula that’s best for infants’ nutrition and families’ budgets.”
Visit www.storebrandformula.com to learn more about Store Brand Infant Formula.