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Baby Bottle Basics
When I was pregnant with my first son, I had no idea what baby bottle would work the best. I loaded up my cabinets with every brand of baby bottles and nipples you can find. There are so many to choose from. Here are the basics on choosing bottles and accessories.
Nipples come in either silicone or rubber. The rubber ones are softer than the silicone. Both should be inspected on a regular basis to make sure they are not deteriorating in any way. Once your child develops a few teeth, they sometimes chew on the nipples causing them to get holes. You should also make sure your baby is not allergic to latex. If they are you’ll have to switch to the silicone nipples.
Nipples also come in different flow speeds. You start out by using the slow speed one and then you move on to the faster flowing nipples. When you notice your child fussing more during bottle feeding that might be a sign he is ready for the faster flowing nipples. For my son that was around 4 months. Nipples come in different shapes such as regular and orthodontic. It’s a good idea to buy a few of each and see which one your baby prefers.
Choosing a baby bottle is a bit more confusing as there are so many brands. Bottles come in either plastic or glass. Plastic ones are great because they can’t break. There are bottles that are designed to prevent your baby from developing gas as well as bottles designed to imitate breastfeeding, and bottles that have disposable liners. I liked the Playtex Nurser bottles with the disposable liners the best. I found my children had less gas.
The only down side is the expense of having to continually buy liners. Some bottles are small and some are larger making them easier to wash. You might want to choose a bottle that is dishwasher safe. This will cut down on the amount of time you spend cleaning so that you have more time to spend with your baby.
Don’t forget to buy some of the bottle accessories you’ll need. Bottle brushes are helpful in getting to the hard to reach areas when washing. There are also bottle sterilizers, bottle carriers and bottle warmers. These all help to make feeding time easier. After giving some bottles a try, you will be able to tell which one is best for your baby.
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