Newborn feeding series: Bottles

emmylou78

Let’s talk bottles! 

Suggestions for particular brands? Particular shape or set-ups like inserts or nipple attachment thingies? Advice on nipple flow? Do you use different types as our babies grow older? Is there a difference in bottles for formula vs. bottles for breastmilk? Are different kinds of bottle recommended to manage any conditions in our babies like reflux or nipple confusion? And what kind of accessories do we need for cleaning and/or sanitizing and/or storing bottles? Any tips on cleaning? 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mqlBWywDw6uR06rrrZZ0pQ5FdUpa5hMt4aB6jpO4ha4/edit

CapricaAndrea

My best tip for bottles is to be prepared to try different kinds because you’ll have a preference, but baby will have one as well. So add multi packs of bottles to your registry, but also a variety of single bottles. Only open/clean/sterilize the individual ones, that way you can return the gift packs of whatever brands don’t work out. 

There are some bottles/nipples that are meant to more closely resemble the shape of a breast to (theoretically) make it easier to get breastfed babies to use them. 

Most bottles have different flow levels of nipples, and it will make a difference as baby gets older. The one exception I know of is the Medela bottle; it has a unique design where the flow actually increases the harder baby sucks so it naturally speeds up as they get older/stronger. 

My personal fave for bottle brushes is the OXO Tot that has a nipple brush inside the handle, and has its own stand to hold the brush. The suction cups meant to stand up the brushes never seem to work in my experience. 

Also a big fan of the Boon Grass and accessories for a drying each though there are some others that stack more vertically that are good too if you don’t have much counter space. 

Love Dapple dish soap for bottles, I dint know if it works as well for formula but for breastmilk holy cow does it help break down the fat that clings to bottles much better than regular dish soap. I’m told it’s great for wine stains too but I don’t know personally. 

BourbonBiscuits

Ugh I think I need to buy all new bottles for this baby. The other ones held up well for DS and DD (with just replacement nipples for DD), but now they're past the point of no return. DS and DD loved the avent bottles, but did fine with anything we had on hand. I think we'll get more of those wide-lipped bottles rather than the skinny ones (like medela - those are tough to pour into sometimes), so avent, como tomo, etc. 

Also a fan of the oxo tot brush and boon grass. With the boon grass - don't forget to toss it (top and bottom) in the dishwasher every once in a while. With DS I was not thinking straight and didn't realize that the water that drips from the bottles/grass just settles into the tray at the bottom and gets disgusting. So remember to pop that in your dishwasher every once in a while!

pickle-chips

I agree with getting a few different types of bottles. We got a few free samples when we signed up for a registry at BRU and somewhere else? and we ended up finding the winning bottle from the samples. It was the LATCH baby bottle by Munchkin. They are also a nice wide at the top bottle which is easy for pouring.

Clobert

I agree to not buy too many of one type until you know that your baby likes it.  My babies have not liked taking bottles but both did better with the narrow classic nipples.  My lactation consultant actually recommended that kind.  I used Medela  which was very convenient with the pump and storage bottles for my 1st.  Then my second only took a bottle after about 6 months but liked the glass life factory.  I had to buy new nipples but the bottle is still perfect and ready for my third.

Kenneylynn3

So I had a preference for avent and ds didn't care. I got a variety from different baby boxes (Amazon, target, ect) and ended up only using avent.

For nipple flow, if you plan to breastfeed, I've been told to keep the flow slow no matter their age and learn to place feed. DS didn't get get a preference for bottles and switched well between the two. Also DS also never went past 4 oz per a feed for a bottle. But he only had 1 bottle a day before bed. 

I loved the wide bottles because I was less likely to make a mess and they matched well with the spectra pump. 

cyanope

Seconding what everyone else has said! Have options. Some babies have preferences and some do not!
With DD, I went back to work 7 weeks PP (a travesty, if you ask me, but don't get me started on mat leave in the US), and she absolutely refused to take a bottle. It was torture. I used to have to speed over to daycare on my break just to nurse her, and race back. We tried EVERY bottle on the planet. Then a friend recommended the Como Tomo. Literal life saver. It was the ONLY bottle she would take.
DS would take ANY kind of bottle. As long as it was dispensing milk, he was happy. 
With DD, I had all the "stuff" for steam sanitizing the bottles. That was way too much work! Hot water, a bristle brush cleaner (small ones too for the nipple), and soap. That's all you really need.
For drying bottles, I LOVE this roll up dish drying "mat." I'm not a fan of the clunky ones that sit on the counter (I hate having crap on my counter). If you're the same way, this may be a great option for you!
https://www.amazon.com/Surpahs-Multipurpose-Roll-Up-Drying-Inches/dp/B08196DX71/ref=sr_1_3?crid=BSNVWHH4AO2D&dchild=1&keywords=roll+up+drying+rack&qid=1618502189&sprefix=roll+up+drying,aps,215&sr=8-3

loloyoyo26

I second the advice on getting singles to use.  I started organizing a registry on Babylist just to keep myself organized, and definitely added the sampler box they had since this kid won’t have the luxury of being born during my summer break and we will need to be on the ball with bottles early. 

I keep seeing stuff pop up for nanobebe products.  They look weird, specifically, the breast milk specific bottles.  However, the weirdness is due to the fact that are shaped like a breast, so it has piqued my interest.  

I also have been shifting to glass for my overall food storage so I’ve been toying with the idea of trying it for bottles too. I just feel like it’d be easier to sanitize also.  

We have a dishwasher now, so I’ll probably invest in a dishwasher rack thing for anything that is safe for that.  

ashsowers2020

I’m planning on exclusively breastfeeding but want to introduce a bottle around 6-8 weeks so that my husband and I can go out and not worry about our boy being hungry. I couldn’t produce enough with my daughter so I’m determined to make it work this go around but I’m in no way opposed to bottle feeding and want my daughter and husband to also be able to bond with/ feed him from time to time. With my daughter I used nuby brand (I don’t think the brand exists anymore) and she also loved the medela bottles. I’ve gotten a few sample boxes with Mam brand bottles and I think those will work just fine so that’s the brand I’m choosing to start off with for my son. I have some medela bottles given to me by a friend that I will use for milk storage and also will have nipples on hand to try those bottles out as well. And the pump I have is spectra, it came with a few bottles as well as a third option.