I switched brand loyalties
When I first fed my baby formula, she was 5 months old and seemed to like Similac better. Once she turned one, I switched to the toddler formula since she wouldn't drink cow's milk out of a bottle (only out of a cup) and even when she did drink milk, it was VERY slowly.

The problem with the Similac Go & Grow powdered formula, however, was that it constantly clumped at the bottom of the bottle, causing my daughter to gag and choke when she drank. It also had this strange tendency to foam and bubble (no matter how little or how much I shook the bottle) which was so dense that it would prevent me from being able to tell how much of the bottle my baby drank. Even when she finished all the liquid contents of a 4-6 oz. bottle of formula, there would remain 2-3 ounces of foam. So, I switched to Enfamil Next Step Lipil.

The Enfamil Next Step also foams (I suspect that it's the increased calcium content of the toddler formulations), but not nearly as much as the Similac. When my daughter completes a 4-6 oz. bottle, there may remain 0.5-1 oz. of foam at the bottom. But more importantly, I've found after using several canisters of the powdered formula that I've had very little problems with the powder clumping at the bottom of a bottle. No gagging baby means no spit-up or vomiting. And that, to use Martha Stewart's words, is a good thing.

Less $$$ than other brands
I've also discovered a mini-side bonus. The Enfamil is cheaper than Similac or Carnation Good Start. Just to begin with, I've seen the 24 oz. canisters sell for anywhere between $18-24. But the $18 price is not a rarity, often offered when you have a grocery club member card. Moreover, I've seen Enfamil coupons (for $1 off or even Buy 1 Get 1 Free) with much more regularity in store circulars and in the mail than any other brand. Sometimes, I've seen stores sell canisters of the Enfamil Next Step Lipil with 20% more free, that's 28 ounces.

Packed with good stuff
Granted, this is VERY expensive compared to cow's milk. But if finances aren't constraining, the Enfamil Next Step Lipil provides as much calcium and vitamin D as cow's milk, plus includes iron, vitamins C and E, and DHA and ARA -- nutrients found in breast milk which aid in brain and eye development.

This can be very good for parents of picky eaters. Most of us know toddlers who refuse to eat anything for months except for raisins and cheerios. I think every single parent of a toddler has a stage when they think that their kid's diet is so poor, they might not make it to kindergarten. For the paranoid parent, like myself, feeding Enfamil's toddler formula alleviates some anxieties since it guarantees that your child is getting some nutrition on those days when you've only been able to persuade your kid to eat 4 french fries, a jelly bean, and an Oreo cookie.

Not generally recommended by pediatricians
My understanding, however, is that pediatricians don't like these toddler formulations. There are a couple of reasons I have heard.

First, the additional nutrients provided by the formula may not be necessary. Research has shown that kids who are regarded as "poor eaters" versus children who are so-called "good eaters" are generally in the same health condition. They say that these toddler formulas are just a gimmick to get paranoid parents to fork over their money.

Second, it may encourage children to take in too much formula. This can lead to a number of other problems. There's baby bottle-mouth syndrome where the sugar from the formula is left on the baby's teeth and causes decay. But you combat this by making sure that the baby never sleeps with a bottle and by brushing his/her teeth. But more significantly, drinking too much formula makes the child feel full, meaning that they will eat less solid food. And that's precisely what you don't want. Doctors have recommended that paranoid parents of picky eaters to simply include a multivitamin supplement in their child's diet, if they fear malnutrition.

Conclusion
I think that a responsible parent can take steps to prevent some of the problems that can arise with the use of a toddler formula. Thus, I feel that giving my daughter Enfamil Next Step Lipil can do more good than harm. I would highly recommend it to any other informed parent who has the means to provide it to their formula drinking child aged 9-24 months.

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 18