As a new parent, especially since there are so many options, choosing the right baby bottle can be an overwhelming task. When it comes to feeding your baby, by researching and selecting the right bottle or bottle system now can save you and your baby a bunch of future stress. This comprehensive guide to help you pick the best baby bottle for your baby.
Choose the Right Material
Baby bottles generally come in three different materials: plastic, glass, and silicone. Each material has its benefits and drawbacks; however, I prefer silicone because it is the best of both worlds.
Glass bottles are free of harmful chemicals but are heavier and can break. You’ll have to worry about cleaning up the broken glass should it break.
Silicone bottles can be more expensive than plastic, but are durable, easy to clean, and won’t leach chemicals.
Plastic bottles are lightweight and affordable but can contain harmful chemicals like Bisphenol A (BPA). The older the bottles are the bottles are, the more they can leech toxins into your baby’s milk.
It is very important to pick the right baby bottle material for your lifestyle. If you know that you are probably going to be rough with your baby bottles and maybe even drop them, you might not want to get glass baby bottles.
If you are someone that has experienced issues with endocrine disorders and your hormones, you might want to steer clear of plastic bottles. Silicone bottles can have the ounces marked just the same as a glass or plastic bottle can, don’t discolor, and are able to last as long as your baby needs them.
It will be easier for you to pick the best baby bottle for your baby if you are able to decide on a bottle material early on in your research.
Consider the Bottle Shape and Size
You or your baby might have different preferences when it comes to bottle shapes and sizes. Babies require different amounts of milk at different stages of their development, so you might want to have different sized bottles.
If you have a full term baby, they might not get much usage out of smaller bottles before they need a larger bottle. Premature babies are more likely to get good usage out of smaller baby bottles, just because they are smaller and drink less for longer than a full term baby.
If you are trying to save money, you could just go with a larger size bottle from the start. The weight difference between large and small bottles generally isn’t that different. My son began drinking 8 oz at each session when he was about 2 weeks old, so I’m glad that I didn’t open up the small 4 oz bottles that I had. The larger 8 oz bottles were what we used until he was done with the bottle system as a toddler.
Also, your baby probably won’t be holding their own bottle for a couple months. So by the time that they are coordinated enough to hold the bottle on their own, the small weight difference between large and small bottles won’t matter. What’s more important is that you choose a bottle that is comfortable for your baby to hold and feed from, is easy to clean, and is durable.
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Consider Your Baby’s Age and Developmental Stage
Babies have different feeding requirements at different ages and stages of their development. Also, not all babies develop at the same pace. So your baby might begin holding their bottle on their own, drinking more milk, eating baby food, eating table food, and using a sippy cup at a different time than most other babies generally will.
Newborns, for example, need bottles with slow-flow nipples that mimic the mother’s breast milk flow at their baby’s stage. Some brands even have extra slow-flow nipples that are good for premature and underdeveloped babies. Even if you don’t plan on breastfeeding, it is still a good idea to get a bottle that mimics the shape and flow of a breast because the baby will be less likely to have issues.
As your baby grows, they will require a nipple with a faster flow, and eventually a sippy cup. It’s essential to choose a bottle that matches your baby’s age and developmental stage to ensure they are getting the appropriate amount of nutrition.
You might not care if the baby bottle is a part of a system that can grow with your child. However, it is good to know that is an option before you begin buying baby bottles. Ultimately, all that matters is that you pick the best baby bottle for you and your baby.
Consider the Nipple Shape and Size
If your baby has trouble latching or has reflux, you may want to consider bottles with specialized nipples designed to reduce colic and spit-up. Even if your baby doesn’t have feeding issues, it doesn’t hurt to have a bottle that is easier to drink from.
Sippy nipples are designed to prevent dental issues in older babies. If you are considering a baby bottle system, you might want to consider the nipples that are available as your baby grows.
It doesn’t really matter if you are going to put breastmilk or formula in the bottle, the nipples should be able to accommodate both types of milk without any issue.
With any type of bottle, if your pediatrician suggests that you add cereal to your baby’s milk to help with any reflux issues, you might need to use the next size of nipples so your baby doesn’t have to struggle to get milk out depending on how much thickener your child’s pediatrician tells you to add.
Years ago, there was generally only one size of nipple that you could get for your baby’s bottles. Therefore, parents that had to add thickener to their baby’s milk would have to cut a hole in the nipple so it could flow better. The issue with this is that sometimes the nipples would come apart and the baby could choke on the broken piece of nipple. So if you hear an older mom telling you that you should do that, just know that they are speaking from a time when there wasn’t any other option.
If I were a new mom again, I would only buy the large baby bottles, but I would still choose the baby bottle system I originally picked out. The baby bottle system was very durable and I didn’t have to replace any nipples until my son finally chewed through a sippy nipple while teething badly. Hopefully, knowing this information should make it a little bit easier for you to pick the best baby bottle for your baby.
Consider Your Baby’s Feeding Needs
If you plan on breastfeeding, you may want to choose a bottle that mimics the natural shape and flow of a breast. Look for bottles with nipples that have a wide base and a slow flow to avoid nipple confusion.
Exclusively formula fed babies can pretty much drink from any nipple style during their early months. However, if you are breastfeeding at all, it is very important to pick the best baby bottle for your baby so you can continue breastfeeding without nipple confusion.
Pro tip: If you are planning on formula feeding or even think you might need to, sign up for Enfamil, Similac, and any other formula brand you are interested in. They will generally send you free samples and coupon vouchers so you can save some money.
Look for Special Features
Many baby bottles come with special features designed to improve the feeding experience for both parents and babies. Anti-colic bottles, for example, have unique vents that help reduce air intake and prevent gas and colic. This is one of the most important features to look for in a baby bottle because colic and trapped gas can occur in any baby, although some babies are more prone to it than others.
There are also bottles with angled design to make feeding more comfortable, but these bottles haven’t worked as well as anti-colic bottles in my experience.
Some bottles also come with temperature indicators that alert parents when the milk is too hot or too cold. I wouldn’t waste time on the bottles with the temperature indicator, especially since it become less accurate over time, the wrist test works just fine, and since this is a feature of plastic bottles.
If you want to pick the best baby bottle for your baby, as long as you pick a bottle that has an anti-colic system, you should be ok.
Read Reviews and Ask for Recommendations
It is great that you are doing your research and trying to pick the best baby bottle for your baby. It is good to read reviews from other parents to see what they liked and disliked about specific brands and models.
You can also ask for recommendations from family and friends. They may have valuable advice on which baby bottles they chose and why.
The bottle brand I have used for my children is Boon Nursh. You can read my comprehensive review of the bottle system through toddlerhood here.
Check for Recalls
Although with mandatory recalls the items will immediately be pulled from the shelves, with voluntary recalls, the items can still be sold. Some products seem good on paper, but for various reasons including quality control. When you are trying to pick the best baby bottle, you don’t want to accidentally buy a bottle that could harm your baby. So always check for recalls on any of the baby products you are buying.
Summary: How to Pick the Best Baby Bottle for Your Baby
Choosing the best baby bottle for your little one can be a daunting task, but just know that the most important things are the material of the bottle, the shape, and the system the bottle is a part of. As long as you do your research, you probably will pick the best baby bottle that will work well for you and your baby.
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