Picking a Bottle

There are so many bottles on the market and it can be really overwhelming to decide which ones to try! We often recommend Dr. Brown’s bottles for a few reasons:

All babies should have some practice taking a bottle

• As we discuss in the Postpartum/Newborn class, the nipple shape is the most important aspect of the bottle. Ironically, it does not matter that it look ‘breast-y’ - we actually want the nipple to look the way a human nipple looks when it is in the baby’s mouth. This is because the silicone nipple isn’t as easy for a baby to shape as a human nipple is, so it needs to come in the shape that it’s supposed to be in already. Dr. Brown’s nipples are in the correct shape a human nipple takes inside a baby’s mouth when they are drinking milk at the breast.

• We like to see a narrow base of the bottle nipple so that Baby can make a nice seal and strong latch around it. A wide, sloped nipple base is not easy for a baby to hold tightly in their mouth. The Dr. Brown’s (and of course there are others that are similar) nipple has a narrow base that babies can easily get their mouths around and hold onto tightly with a good seal.

• Dr. Brown’s bottles come with an anti-colic insert that helps to reduce the amount of air and bubbles that make their way into babies tummies’ when they are drinking from a bottle. This matters a lot for babies who struggle with reflux and gas, but it’s helpful for all babies drinking from a bottle.

• We like to slow down the flow of milk as much as possible from a bottle to mimic the speed of drinking from the human breast, so we always recommend shifting to a preemie nipple size with whatever bottle you are using. This is only available in some bottle types, and Dr. Brown’s is one that is easily available.

• For families who are concerned about reducing the amount of plastic they are using, particularly if using the dishwasher to clean bottles (which we do recommend!) Dr. Brown’s bottles come with a glass option.

Regardless of the type of bottle you use, don’t forget that the technique of bottlefeeding we recommend is called Paced Bottle Feeding - you can look it up on YouTube for a visual example! This means we hold Baby more upright with the bottle offered horizontally, so they suck from the bottle at their own pace, and are able to take breaks when/if they want.

Whether a baby is drinking formula or human milk, it is important for all babies to practice taking bottles.

~ Naomi, Infant Feeding Expert