None of the baby formulas in Bermuda claim to be as good as or better than breast milk.

There are a wide variety of formulas available and many boast the inclusion of DHA and ARA — proteins found in breast milk that have been proven to aid in sight and mental development.

Good Start Supreme claimed to have “comfort proteins” which it said are “easy to digest” while Enfamil’s A. R. LIPL (red label) said it was good for use with babies who spit up frequently because it is thickened with rice starch.

Enfamil actually market their LIPL with iron, DHA and ARA (yellow label) formula as “our closest formula to breast milk”.

The three biggest brands sold in Bermuda, Enfamil, Good Start and Similac, each offer mixtures with and without iron and a soy version. Additionally there are lactose free and hypo allergic mixtures.

Nutrilon, one of the least expensive on the market, is produced in Argentina for the Dutch company Nutricia. Some outlets have some cans produced in Argentina and some in Holland.

Similac’s low iron formula in a white and green canister is produced in Ireland while all other varieties of Similac on the shelves were from the US.

The main ingredient of most of the soy formulas were corn syrup solids, then vegetable oils, and then dried soy protein. Baby’s Only was the sole brand that listed brown rice syrup, then organic soy protein concentrate.

It’s worth shopping around for the best price for the formula you choose. Mothers say they need about three canisters a month. In July that would have meant $19.35 at the lowest end of the scale with Good Start Supreme w/iron bought from Lindo’s in Warwick.

For mothers trying to calm their baby’s stomachs a month’s supply of Enfamil’s A.R. LIPL would run them $63.90 at People’s Pharmacy or the Phoenix.

Price information in the tables was collected on July 18 and 20 and may have changed by the time this was published.