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Similac is one of the most trusted and well-known brands when it comes to your baby’s formula and this Similac Advance review is proof enough that for all of your infant’s’ nutrition and your growing baby’s needed vitamins and minerals, it might be one of the best choices you can make, even for premature infants who need to keep gaining weight and getting their nutrients and vitamins to grow strong.
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Similac Advanced Infant Formula
The compound nutrients that are used in Similac Advance Infant Formula are DHA, which helps in developing your baby’s brain, lutein, which is used for eyesight strength, and Vitamin E, often associated with overall growth and development.
In short, Similac Advance is made with all of the right ingredients to nourish your baby in the right way, all throughout their first year.
And since it’s a well-known brand that plenty of parents prefer, it’s more than likely that you’d be able to find a container of Similac Advance at many different drug stores and grocery chains. This means that if you happen to run out in the middle of the night, your favorite 24-hour drug store might just have some for you to rush out and get in time for that 2 a.m. formula feedings.
Finding the right formula for your baby and your baby’s development is one thing, but finding a brand that you can actually buy in-store without relying on the internet, is a whole other aspect that’s still plenty important. Even so, on Amazon, a 1.45-pound container of Similac Advance Formula is $29.
Similac Advance Infant Formula is a nutritionally complete, milk-based formula for your baby's first year with all ingredients carefully selected to meet our high standards
Features
- Similac Advance is a nutritionally complete formula providing nutrients and vitamins for babies up to 12 months of age.
- It claims to be as close as possible to actual breast milk, as far as its nutritional benefit are concerned.
- The Similac AdvanceBaby Formula also now contains 2’-FL Human Milk Oligosaccharide, an immune-nourishing prebiotic that was before only found in breast milk.
- It comes in either a powder form to mix yourself or a pre-mixed one-quart ready-to-feed canister.
Pros
- While it doesn’t provide all of the nutrients your six to a 12-month-old baby will need, Similac Advance does provide enough nutrients to take the place of breastmilk for the first year of your baby’s life.
- When the powder is mixed with the appropriate amount of measured water, it dissolves completely and quickly.
- It contains Similac Opti-Grow, which is the brand’s special mixture of DHA, Lutein and Vitamin E for your baby’s health and development.
Cons
- Although the Similac Advance formula does have plenty of vitamins essential for a baby’s growth, some babies’ stomachs might not take to it right away.
- The cost of the standard canister of powder formula might be considered a little pricey for some parents.
- Although it does provide important nutrients, Similac Advance doesn’t provide all of the needed vitamins for babies ages six to 12 months, even though Similac Advance 2 does.
How Others Compare
Gerber Good Start
One of Gerber Good Start’s biggest advance to the formula game is their Comfort Proteins, which are the needed proteins in the formula, but broken down small enough to make digestion easier on babies. And like Similac Advance, Gerber Good Start is the popular brand’s answer to parents looking for the closest option to actual breast milk.
It also contains DHA and the probiotics are there to aid in your baby’s development. Gerber itself is a brand that parents already know and trust enough to try their formulas, so naturally, Gerber Good Start is one that stands out. And it’s also recommended to use from birth up to 12 months old.
This gentle formula features a blend of DHA, prebiotics, and comfort proteins, small proteins that are easy for tiny tummies to digest It's our closest formula to breastmilk.
Pros
- The Comfort Proteins means the breakdown of the formula’s nutrients make for a less fussy and gassy baby.
- It’s also non-GMO, meaning that Gerber Good Start isn’t made with any genetically engineered ingredients.
- Gerber Good Start powder dissolves fairly easily, leaving behind very little bubbles, which in other formulas, often interfere with preventing gas in babies.
- It’s a widely known brand, therefore it’s also a widely available product.
Cons
- The nutrients may prevent gassiness and constipation, but in some babies, it could have an opposite effect with diarrhea.
- The price, at $34 for one canister, is a little steep for some parents.
- The formula works well enough early on, but as time goes by and your baby grows, so does their taste and there’s a good chance that in time, Gerber Good Start is no longer as gentle on his or her stomach.
Earth’s Best Organic Infant Formula with Iron
Unlike most other baby formulas, Earth’s Best Organic Infant Formula with Iron is made with organic soybeans and contains Omega-3 DHA & Omega-6 ARA fatty acids. That’s where Earth’s Best compares so well to the other formulas, including Similac Advance.
It’s also the brand’s closest option to breast milk and can be used by your baby for their entire first year, whether you choose to eventually switch to real milk or not. In fact, it’s whey to casein ratio that is very close to mother’s milk.
Even though it’s considered an organic formula option, Earth’s Best is still formulated with iron and the kinds of nutrients to be comparable to Similac Advance as well as many other formulas.
Pros
- This Earth’s Best formula is designed to help ease and reduce spit-up and gas in babies.
- It’s perfect for babies who already have sensitive stomachs or extra special sensitivity to milk products.
- Since it contains both DHA and ARA nutrients, you can be sure of your baby’s developmental health as you feed them.
Cons
- Since it bubbles relatively easy when mixed, the Earth’s Best formula might inadvertently cause gas and fussiness in babies.
- Being iron fortifies, the taste might be something your baby either takes a while to get used to or rejects altogether.
- Sometimes when mixing the powder formula with water, too many clumps surface, making it hard to mix.
Enfamil Enspire
Enfamil Enspire is also the brand’s closest formula to breast milk and can be used for babies up to 12 months old. The formula contains MFGM for cognitive development, lactoferrin to support your baby’s immune system, DHA, and choline, which are brain-nourishing nutrients, and PDX and GOS, probiotics to support immune system development.
Because of the formula’s nutrients for the development and general health of your baby, it’s one that can be trusted if you’ve chosen to formula feed or if you’ve decided not to exclusively breastfeed.
First and only baby formula in the US containing the ingredients Lactoferrin and MFGM making Enfamil Enspire one of the closest ever infant formulas to breast milk.
Pros
- The many nutritional benefits of Enfamil Enspire give you peace of mind when choosing the right breastmilk for your baby.
- The lactoferrin and MGFM nutrients aren’t found in many other Enfamil formulas.
- Some parents might find the smell of the Enfamil Enspire to be a lot easier to deal with than the smells of some other formulas.
Cons
- The cost of the standard canister of Enfamil Enspire averages out to almost $2 per ounce, which is more than a lot of other formulas of the same caliber.
- Some parents have reported their babies to be gassier once they began with the formula.
Final Thoughts
When it comes down to it, different babies react in different ways to all of the formula brands and varieties out there, so while it might take some trial and error, you’re bound to find the right one for you. And for many parents, that right one is Similac Advance which is even advised by every pediatrician.
Obviously, there are plenty of options that compare with this particular formula, but the cost, taste, or even nutrients might not necessarily work in favor of what you need for your baby.
Similac prides itself on its nutrients and special probiotics in their Similac products and with Similac Advance, the same care in the ingredients was put into it to give your baby the healthiest first year and provide all they need for development and growth.
Similac Advance Infant Formula is a nutritionally complete, milk-based formula for your baby's first year with all ingredients carefully selected to meet our high standards
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