Talk to me about bottles

megbmeg · September 2014

Hey all - Instead of being able to sleep, I'm figuring right now is an urgent time to find out about bottles. Makes sense, right? Something similar happened last week when I couldn't sleep and I did 90% of our xmas shopping. In September.

Anyhow - I had been thinking I'd go with plastic but BPA free bottles, but now I'm worried that even that might not be the safest option. I'd like something safe and easy to clean. Any advice?

FWIW, I did search for this but didn't find any posts. I may just suck at search.

ebilbao · September 2014

Avent or Dr. Brown's, but Dr. Brown's have an extra part to clean. Lots of people love the Playtex drop-ins.

megbmeg · September 2014

Thanks @ebilbao and @nikkimn143. I checked out Lucie's list and she recommends the Avent Born free which does come in glass and Dr. Brown's which also comes in glass, but says Dr B's is mostly worth the extra cleaning hassle if baby happens to have a lot of issues with gas/spit-up, etc. So I could wait and see on that. Am I over-thinking it on the BPA free plastic vs. glass?

megbmeg · September 2014

Okay and I have another question which is probably a dumb one. If you use glass bottles but are nursing, what are you storing breastmilk in. Plastic?

ebilbao · September 2014

Hmmm...usually plastic bags, but BPA free ones, no?

brookey79 · September 2014

I have no prior experience, but my SIL had a baby 6 weeks ago and loves the Comotomo (also on Lucie's list). They are a bit pricier, but supposedly really easy to clean!

drpayne · September 2014

I like drop ins

marriedinaugust · September 2014

If we end up using bottles we will be doing glass (probably Life Factory), we used plastic Dr Browns last time for the few months we needed them.

Ihope · September 2014

Playtex drop ins

beachy6 · September 2014

We are using Avent glass bottles this time. We used the regular (BPA included...) Avent bottles with DS and loved them. This was before they knew about the safety issues with heating BPA/plastic.

I am probably over reacting, but with my endo, any extra estrogen that is given off (when plastic is heated. Also, gives off carcinogenics) isn't safe. I'm trying to protect our baby girl from suffering like I did. Even if it doesn't work, at least I tried all I knew to try.

You can't protect babies from everything, but it doesn't hurt to try when you know something isn't safe.

NELSMD · September 2014

ebilbao said:
Avent or Dr. Brown's, but Dr. Brown's have an extra part to clean. Lots of people love the Playtex drop-ins.

Another possibly dumb question, but can you use any bottle with the drop-ins?

path75 · September 2014

If you plan on daycare, I don't think you can use glass bottles but you would have to ask. I am not using glass bottles but have registered for like 4 different kinds of bottles and will figure out what the LO might need. My sister used the playtex drop ins because her son had issues with gas. But she said your LO might have different plans so I wouldn't set your sites on just one right now in my opinion. If you are breast feeding, I just saw a post yesterday on the kiinde twist system. It is worth reading up on and I added to my registry. If someone doesn't buy I am going to buy it because this looks like a good system. I am FTM so I am just going based on advice I have been given. I would try a couple different brands if you can't choose and see what works best for LO. Good luck.

ZAP12 · September 2014

We used the evenflow basic bottles. Z took anything and we went with price. They make glass too. I wouldn't go too crazy with bottles, though, until you know if you will be breast feeding/bottle feeding or until you know what your baby will like. I would hate to spend a ton on something like Dr Browns and then find out my baby would have been fine with the cheap store brand.

megbmeg · September 2014

Thanks, all! It sounds like it is a good idea to:

Not buy very many of any 1 kind of bottle until we see what LO goes for. I'll probably put a couple of options on my registry.
Go with my gut and get the glass bottles. Originally, I was thinking I was fine with plastic that was BPA free since I knew BPA was the potentially toxic chemical that leaches out of plastic when heated. But I just can't say with certainty that there aren't other harmful chemicals in plastic that leach out when heated. So mostly for my own peace of mind and just in case, I'll use the glass.
Not stress over storing breastmilk in plastic bags as long as I don't heat them.

FWIW, I do have one glass bottle someone gave to me, and with the silicone sleeve, that sucker is pretty indestructible.

beachy6 · September 2014

bvsbabymomma said:

So aren't the BPA free bottles just as safe as glass then? Since BPA is the issue?

Not when it comes to estrogenic chemicals that are released when plastic is heated. The plastic, when heated, releases estrogen into whatever food/liquid is also being heated. For most people, it's not a huge deal. For someone with an estrogen dominant illness, it's a huge issue. I certainly don't know if my daughter will have endo, but my mom did and I do. So, odds aren't really in her favor, unfortunately.

Edited to add: There is another 3-letter abbreviated chemical that is also in plastic that also leaks carcinogens, but I can't think of it for the life of me.

megbmeg · September 2014

beachy6 said:

bvsbabymomma said:

So aren't the BPA free bottles just as safe as glass then? Since BPA is the issue?

Not when it comes to estrogenic chemicals that are released when plastic is heated. The plastic, when heated, releases estrogen into whatever food/liquid is also being heated. For most people, it's not a huge deal. For someone with an estrogen dominant illness, it's a huge issue. I certainly don't know if my daughter will have endo, but my mom did and I do. So, odds aren't really in her favor, unfortunately.
Edited to add: There is another 3-letter abbreviated chemical that is also in plastic that also leaks carcinogens, but I can't think of it for the life of me.

This was making me wonder about using plastic but not to heat things. Would you still have the leaching problem just from running it through the dishwasher? I can't tell if I'm being a bit paranoid here...

leoandethansmom · September 2014

PPs have offered great advice. We registered for tommee tippee with DS (because of the real breast like features) and he hated them. We made the mistake as first time parents of only registering for one kind so we ended up with a ton of bottles that were never used and had to keep buying different kinds until we reached one he liked. Turned out he liked the Avent which we should have just registered for in the first place because that was the pump I was using.

I purchased the kiinde twist system off zulily yesterday (50% off, couldn't pass it up!) and will try that this time. I've also registered for glass bottles but I'm not dead set on using only glass if LO doesn't like them.

megbmeg · September 2014

@alissendis I'm sorry to hear about your mom!

ginalisa28 · September 2014

If ur going to breastfeed first I have been told that u need to find a bottle closest to your nipple so baby finds it comfortable. I used avent bottles and only avent bottles. My son still uses avent bottles at night. I guess he likes them too much.

ginalisa28 · September 2014

My son didn't like the tommy tippee either. We Bought avent and the Tommy tippee and only used the avent.

ginalisa28 · September 2014

I cleaned my bottles the old fashioned way. And I still have the same bottles 3 1/2 years later to use. I washed them by hand with one of those stick sponge things to get the inside which I would change once a month. Then I would boil in a huge pot all the bottles and all the accessories like my breast pump stuff as well as nipples etc,
over the stove once a week for a few to five minutes.

AllTheTeaInChina · September 2014

The FDA banned the use of BPA in baby bottles so any plastic bottle bought new will be BPA free.

We used Avent bottles and will again. I always hand washed bottles and pump parts to avoid heating the plastic too much. Never microwave bottles. I still don't heat up DD's food in plastic only glass. Even BPA free plastic can leach chemicals so I try when I can to avoid heating plastics.

smack427 · September 2014

FTM here. This post is extremely informative. We did some research and chose Tommie Tippie bottles after researching and recommendations from family. I'm still thinking about trying different options to see what our LO does the best with.

emmyjoy11 · September 2014

I want to use glass doctor Browns if I can't bf. But I can't find them Walmart doesn't sell them anymore.

[Deleted User] · September 2014

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jlamb1206 · September 2014

FTM so can't speak to which bottles I've use successfully. HOWEVER, my husband has a PhD in Organic Chemistry and works at a petroleum/plastics company and based on his understanding of plastics manufacturing as well as the medicinal chemistry he has worked on in the past he felt very strongly that we should use only glass or silicon bottles.

I was shocked! This is the man who wants to always get the cheapest option, HATES my glass "tupperware" and my barely humors my desire to eat organic when possible.

In addition to what PP have mentioned he was also concerned about variances in manufacturing that could lead to unreacted starting materials ending up in the final product and then make it into whatever is stored in the bottle. Even I was winching at the price of silicon and wondering how glass would work once baby gets to the able-to-throw-stuff stage but he thought it was worth the price and giving glass a try.

jpagano113 · September 2014

alissendis said:
We're using glass bottles. The ones we got (Born Free) came with silicone holders which are supposed to help prevent any breakage. From what I've read, though, the glass is strong enough that the occasional drop from a high chair/standing height shouldn't break them.

The concern with plastic isn't that you're touching it ever, it's the heating. I store things in plastic Tupperware all the time, but I never heat it up even when it says microwave safe. I plan to do the same thing with storing breastmilk. It's fine to store it in something plastic, as long as it isn't being heated.

It's honestly really up in the air about whether plastic (even BPA free) is safe. We know BPA is bad, but there's some evidence out there that even the "safe" BPA-free plastic is leaching harmful chemicals when heated, so for us we just decided to go with glass. The extra cost is offset by the fact that you need fewer bottles when breastfeeding.

This. I've also heard thy bpa free is not safe and might be even worse. Since I don't know for sure in going with dr browns glass bottles. Heard they are good

nesenotes · September 2014

Dr. Browns did nothing for gas for dd but she did well with Avent. This time I'm doing Avent Glass.

melrhamilton · September 2014

Do any STM's have any thoughts on Medela bottles? I have also registered for Avent and dr. B's but was curious about Medela's bottles as this will be the pump I am using once returning to work.

Beansjjo · September 2014

Anyone use life factory bottles? Im breastfeeding and may only use them if baby is with the grandparents for the night but even if we dont they can be used for sippy cups, storage containers and seem to be multi purpose.

Cadg0986 · September 2014

I registered for the Playtex Ventaire bottles with the Naturalatch nipples. I hope to breastfeed so they appeared to be the best option for me (who knows if they'll be the best bottles for the baby or if I'll even be able to breastfeed-FTM). However, many people I know used the Dr. Brown's bottles and their baby's loved them.

megbmeg · September 2014

Beansjjo said:

Anyone use life factory bottles? Im breastfeeding and may only use them if baby is with the grandparents for the night but even if we dont they can be used for sippy cups, storage containers and seem to be multi purpose.

I haven't used them, but we happen to have one of their bottles (it was a gift) and DH dropped it yesterday from a very a high shelf onto the hardwood, and it was no problem. Hooray for those little silicone sleeves!

amieeyoung · September 2014

With my first I used drop ins, which were convenient with breast feeding as well since you could pump into the closeable bags and either store in fridge or freezer. I hope to do the same this time.

ginalisa28 · September 2014

melrhamilton said:
Do any STM's have any thoughts on Medela bottles? I have also registered for Avent and dr. B's but was curious about Medela's bottles as this will be the pump I am using once returning to work.

I used the medela pump and then I would store the breast milk in the medela bottles, the first month I used medela for feeding and then i used avent bottles.

ginalisa28 · September 2014

My son is extremely picky with his bottles and he used medela and avent

AbsolutelyAyrianna · September 2014

I'm having trouble understanding those pf you worried bout heating bottles when you dont microwave formula or breastmilk. Also seeing how most plan on BFing the most heat the milk ever goes under is a few minutes of warm water and I doubt anyone here plans on using scolding hot tap water and anything less wouldn't compromise the BPA free safety of the bottle. I was never one for boiling the actual bottle with the BM or formula inside of it.

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