Product Spotlight: Bottles

redselig

This is a place for FTMs to ask questions about, S+TMs to share their prior experience with, and everyone to share what they're eyeing in the world of maternity, baby and postpartum products. Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product to help streamline and make it easier to refer back. In this thread we're discussing bottles. 

Please use the prompts below to try to share as much relevant info as you can in a format that is easy for those reading to navigate and respond to.

For S+TMs: 

• Individual (e.g., lifestyle) factors that might influence your choice:
• Favorite bottle:
• Link/picture:
• Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
• What you like and don't like about it:
• Is there a bottle you don't have but are considering? Why?:
• Is there a bottle you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?: 
• Additional thoughts on bottles?:

For FTMs:

• Bottles you're interested in:
• Link/picture:
• Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
• Any questions for S+TMs?:

To view past Product Spotlights or the upcoming schedule, see: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IrF0iah5XaJFdFTHzNVcIEq4ujZTwq_j1bG9W-bovNs/edit#gid=0

princessjenney

• I'm answering as a FTM because DD literally never accepted a bottle 😆 I'm truly nervous that Teddy will reject a bottle too, or end up liking the bottle more and rejecting the breast 🤦‍♀️ Since I'll be working and pumping, I'm praying for that perfect scenario of a baby who switches back and forth seamlessly... STMs please tell me it can happen...? lol
• Bottles you're interested in: Nuk Simply Natural 
• Link/picture:
• Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): this set is around $18 on Amazon and seems to be a good value...
• Any questions for S+TMs?: How many different types of bottles did you have to try out before settling on a preference? So far we've been gifted a few Dr. Brown's and Tommee Tippee's. If we add these Nuks, would that be a good starting point??

sunny_native14

@princessjenney I think that's a great start! We tried both Dr. Browns and Tommee Tippee and DD definitely preferred the Tommee T for some reason...she really only had a bottle occasionally in the evenings from dad while momma got some extra sleep. Also- I remember trying different nipple sizes/flows made a big difference as opposed to necessarily a whole different bottle. 

princessjenney

@sunny_native14 thank you! I will keep that in mind. 😊

I'm not really looking forward to washing bottles this time.... so any tips on that part would be appreciated. 

mvt2003

I registered for Dr Browns mostly because I think they're recommended for preemies, and my girls will most likely be on the smaller end. I'll probably grab a bottle box too just so I have options. 

juliebeannn

I've read a hack that I thought would be useful for this: try to sign up for as many free baby things (ie. set up registries at a lot of places to get their welcome packages) that way you have a lot of different brand bottles to try out on kiddo.  Once he/she takes a liking to one kind, you can buy more of those.  

DS wasn't picky about bottles and was exclusively bottle fed after his first month, so I'm glad this was never a fight.  We used the Avent Natural bottles (wide neck) and really liked them.  We saved the bottles and plan on just buying new rings.  Hopefully, this babe isn't picky either.  

redselig

I really need to get baby used to taking a bottle so SO and DS can experience the joy of feeding plus I get a break. DS took the bottle when he was a couple of months old. We went to Canada for an extended period of time and I forgot my hand pump. Fast forward to when DS went to daycare at 11 months old - he refused every single bottle I bought. I must have bought five different kinds. I won’t make that mistake again! 

manillabar

@princessjenney I think that's a good place to start too
My daughter was picky about her bottles- hated avent, the ones that came with my spectra pump, and tommee tippee. She only accepted Dr Brown's, or those ready made formula bottles we got from the hospital after she was born. Starting off with Dr. Brown's this time but I have a few others just in case. 

clevans1

My first luckily took the first bottle we gave him and we never had a problem with them (Medela). My second was more picky - we tried 4-5 different bottles before he finally took Dr. Brown's, but only with the premie nipple. He never moved up to another size. We nursed until he was 15 months and weaned from the premie bottle nipple to a sippy cup at 12 months without any issues.

redselig

Ok moms, plastic or glass? Does it even matter?

finnflan

@redselig it never mattered to me, but I know some people prefer glass due to concerns of plastics leaching some stuff. I’m not aware of the evidence behind that and honestly didn’t even consider glass because I didn’t want to have to worry about them breaking when I washed them or when they’re inevitably knocked over or dropped. 

princessjenney

I've started leaning towards Comotomo, which are silicone. Also changed the Nuks on my registration to the glass version... we will still use the tommee tippee ones we already have (plastic) if he takes to those better. Ultimately we're gonna give him what he'll take, lil guys gotta eat. But I'm gonna try the silicone ones 1st.

juliebeannn

@redselig I had initially bought glass ones but ended up returning them for plastic ones because I found them to be heavy and didn't want them to break.  Especially when baby starts to hold the bottle on their own, I feel like it would be harder for them, making it more likely for them to dropped.

firsttimemamabear9

We went through a handful of bottles with my first baby before we found one that she latched onto easily and would actually eat from. She did not like Avent, Mam or Dr. Brown's. I didn't like Mam or Dr. Brown's because of all the pieces to clean and having some leakage issues after using a bottle warmer. She ended up loving these Evenflo bottles we happened to get as a baby registry sample, which were easy to clean and cost around $3-$4 per bottle.



For my boy we are expecting in March, I've kept the Evenflo bottles, but also signed up for more free samples. In case he doesn't take to the Evenflo we have a Nuk, Mam, Avent and Dr. Brown's. My next go to would be Tommee Tippee because they also look easy to clean lol.