Nipple size/flow?

Moosesoar · October 2013

When do you know when to switch the nipple on the bottle to a faster flow?
I'm off to google but wanted your opinions.

TIA

CupcakecutieRN · October 2013

We are almost 13 weeks and still on the preemie nipple. It takes her about 15 mins to finish a bottle. I've read that some people (and I think it's mostly people who are breast feeding) never switch the nipple.

girlmama83 · October 2013

They usually have an age range on the package.

I read recently that if breastfeeding stay with the slow flow nipple because it best mimics the flow of the breast, so that's what we will be doing.

EmR22 · October 2013

We only switched with DD's when the nipples got old ( after a while they got almost sticky from multiple washes). Since we had to buy new ones we switched to "age" appropriate ones.

SarahinMD · October 2013

If breastfeeding, use slowest flow LO will tolerate. Otherwise, I guess use age range (def do not use age range if breastfeeding). We used slowest flow for a long time and only ever went up one more flow speed

V&G101808 · October 2013

You don't have to switch really unless you think your baby is getting frustrated with the current size. I'm scared to switch because already with the slow flow, Nicholas can down his bottle in 10 minutes. Any faster and he'll be chugging that thing in just minutes and I don't think that's a good move for us...

carrotcake06 · October 2013

V&G101808 said:
You don't have to switch really unless you think your baby is getting frustrated with the current size. I'm scared to switch because already with the slow flow, Nicholas can down his bottle in 10 minutes. Any faster and he'll be chugging that thing in just minutes and I don't think that's a good move for us...

This for us too. They finish bottles super quickly with a level 1 still. They also get frustrated when nursing and the flow isn't fast enough for them (my let down is super fast and when it lets up, they protest that they aren't getting milk as quickly) so I don't want to increase nipple size and exacerbate the nursing frustration.

PB102012 · October 2013

We have LO on level 1 for Dr. Brown's bottles. I believe that's a newborn nipple, and she takes a while to finish a bottle but doesn't seen frustrated so we won't switch until that happens. We had her on avent bottles previously with a size 1 nipple and she was choking because of the fast flow, so at that time we had her on slow flow as well. She is 2 months, 1 week.

Slpafford · October 2013

DS would take 30+ minutes to drink a 4 oz. bottle so we moved up a nipple and it now takes him about 15-30. DS takes any bottle so we have a variety. With the medela bottles he was starting to collapse the nipple and was obviously straining to get more out so we knew it was time for a different flow nipple. We were able to go a size up with the Avent bottles and those work well. We also have the playtex ventaire and the next size nipple flows too fast and he chokes on it so we are still on a slow flow for that brand.

AmeliaKris · October 2013

Lo was on the newborn size forever but started getting mad if it was too slow so we went up to the next size. I do have fast letdown so maybe it doesn't matter so much for me? Not sure. She goes between bottle and breast fine.