Which Bottle?
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Best bottle for a breastfed baby?
Nov 2006
Are there any parents or lactation consultants out there with recommendations about brands of bottle/nipples to use for a primarly breastfed baby? My first two babies did well with playtex drop-in and associated ''breast-like'' nipples. However, I have not been able to consistently find those products and need a new suggestion as I prepare to return to work and begin the glorious pumping routine. Thanks!
We used Avent. I tried other nipples that were for breastfeeding, but theirs was the only one that 1. didn't confuse my son, and 2. didn't cause him to chop down on me hard when switching back and forth. sarah
I used Avent bottles and nipples, and they worked great. I worked and pumped and breastfed for four months (after three months at home). My son was happy with bottle and breast all the way through. Good luck! anon
I have a 2 1/2 month old who is breastfed, and I have successfully given him bottles of BF milk since 3 wks old. I have had the most success with The First Years, Breastflow bottles (Babies R Us). It has a nipple inside of a nipple design, that makes the baby ''work'' a little more -- making it more like breastfeeding. I tried the Avent Naturals, which were OK..but he would get milk all over, and burp...burp alot. The Breastflow bottles/nipples gave him virtually no gas. I have also heard good things about Dr. Browns, but no personal experience. --Good luck!! Breastfeeding in Oakland
My kids were both very very picky breastfed kids and Dr. Brown's bottles worked great for both of them (we tried lots of alternatives but that's what they liked). Available at Rockridge Kids or Babies R' Us. love Dr. Brown's
I also breast feed and just returned to work. I use the Platex Nurser system with the drop in liners. They have the ''slow breast-like'' nipples. My son has not had any problem going back and forth between bottles and breast with the Nurser. Target in Albany has most everything you need. I also purchases several of the One-Step Breast Milk Storage Kits - from Amazon.com. They are storage tops for the liners so you can pump directly into the liners (it comes with converter for pump). I then either use the milk the next day or freeze it for later use. This way there are no bottles to clean, just pump parts. Good Luck! Pumping Mom
The nipples we used were great for the transition between breast and bottle. My baby never rejected the breast and took his bottles with no problems. We used the NUK nipples-easily found at Target (you can use them on any bottle)and the Medela breastmilk storage and feeding set (the nipples are just like the NUK ones) Hope this helps! M.R
Our second baby arrived just 4 weeks ago. The lactation consultant at the hospital recommended Playtex slow flow nipples (which I have been unable to locate, except online). With my first child, Avent nipples were recommended and we had good luck with those. Start with the slowest flow nipple, and be sure the baby's lips surround the wide part of the nipple, not just the tip (to better simulate nursing at the breast). Best of luck! Leslie
Trying to select bottles and freezing containers
June 2005
I am trying to select some feeding bottles and freezing containers. As a first time mother-to-be, I don't have any knowledge on this. Could anyone please give me some advice on the number, brand, size, shape of bottles and containers? Thanks June
The number of bottles you need will depend (as you obviously know!) on how frequently you use bottles to feed. If you pumping and storing milk in the fridge and don't want to constantly wash bottles you'll need at least five small bottles or four big ones.
Initially we started bottle-feeding our 4-week old 5-6 bottles a week (i.e. not quite one a day). I pumped straight into the bottle and my son fed right away. I found that a two-pack of Avent 4 oz bottles was fine as long as we washed them and had clean ones available regularly.
Now, at nine months, he takes two bottles of 5-6 oz a day. But because I am pumping in place of his feedings and like to have a ''bank'' of pumped milk in the fridge, I find I like to have four 9 oz Avent bottles and three or four 4 oz bottles. That way I can pump (use a bottle) and feed (use another) and have back-up in the fridge (there's at least one other) and some in the dishwasher (etc.).
I like Avent because they are wide and easy for my son to grasp. The Medela bottles, however, are great for when I pump at work because they are slim anbd easy to transport. (BTW, the Medela pump in style takes Avent and Medela bottles.)
As for freezer bags, I've used Gerber and Medela interchangeably and they both seem fine. But take a look at the reviews of bags on store.babycenter.com--lots of opinions there! Happy nursing!
you'll need (at minimum) four 4ounce bottles for each pumping session away from your child: 2 to leave at home from the previous day and two to fill. An extra four bottles for freezing is also a good idea. I did three feedings away from home and 16 bottles were adequete. I would recomend a bottle that fits on your pump and you can use to store, feed and freeze: both glass and polycarbonate work for that, with glass transferring less toxins to milk in the warming process. lansinoh and evenflo make glass bottles. evenflo makes a nice wide nipple that fits on ''universal'' bottles. anon
Congratulations on your new one!
I highly recommend Avent bottles and Medela breastmilk bags. I found that the curved shape of the Avent bottle made it easier for my first child to go back and forth between the breast and the bottle. (My second child wouldn't take a bottle from me at all, but she did fine with the Avent bottles at daycare.)
As your baby gets older, you can change the type of nipple (slow or fast) and adapt the bottles to your baby's changing needs. You also can swap the nipple for a beginner's sippy cup top.
The Medela CSF breastmilk bags were easy to fill, easy to store (I dumped the ice out and filled the ice container in the freezer with frozen breastmilk) and easy to pour the thawed milk from.
I also used the Gerber bags, which were available at the local drugstore, in a pinch. They weren't too bad.
You'll find that different moms swear by different bottles and nipples. In the end, I don't think the type of nipple or bottle meant as much as the consistency of using the same type.
Here are the links to the two products at Amazon, but they're available elsewhere on the web:
50-pack breastmilk bags http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000056JEG/qid=1118122673/sr=8-2/ref=pd_csp_2/002-8838150-6736835?v=glance=baby=507846
Avent 4-ounce bottles (also have 9-oz and a whole set of bottles, that includes the sippy cup tops and storage tops) http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/baby/B000056JND/qid=1118122784/sr=2-3/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_3/002-8838150-6736835
Gwynne
I'd recommend Dr. Brown's bottles. They are very good in helping to prevent gas/colic. Buy the regular shaped ones so you can connect them to your pump. I like Gerber freezer bags for freezing milk. anon
I didn't start my baby on a bottle until 6 weeks to avoid nipple confusion. I am using the Medela breast pump that has a feezer compartment (i use an ice pack) and it is workingout great. I tried to use the Playtex bottles and nipples but they were just too long- my baby though she always prefers the ''real deal'' has done best with the Medela orhtodontic nipple. I am using the Gerber freezing bags, easy to date and keep on it's own shelf in the freezer. Probably the best thing i did was to have my mom- she watches her while i work- give her the bottle that way baby knows i am strictly breast. good luck! feel free to email with any other questions. kriz
We just used the bottles that came with the breast pump (Ameda), which are a standard size and accept a variety of manufacturers' nipples (sold separately). They were 4 oz and came with a locking ring (which holds the nipple) and a disc (which you put in place of the nipple when you are storing milk). Later we got some other similar bottles as hand-me-downs and they are all interchangeable. I don't think there's any reason to buy special bottles or 'feeding systems' unless there's a persistent problem.
For freezing we used disposable breast milk bags (any brand is OK). These items are all available at specialty baby stores, the Kaiser (HMO) store in Oakland, the internet, a few big drug stores and supermarkets, and possibly even your diaper service. Usually the instructions say to boil reusable items for 2 minutes before their first use. Anon.