Baby Bottle Reviews

Recommendations ON WHAT YOU ACTUALLY NEED!

Before Toys’R’Us went out of business, I remember walking into the bottle aisle to register for one of these obligatory plastic confections and being really confused. How is it even possible that so much variation is necessary? Turns out there are many bottles out there with very subtle differences. I ended up finding a bottle that worked for my son based on a lactation consultant’s recommendations (and it turns out he’ll drink from anything and is not particular anyway).

I initially had no idea that the nipples came with different flow rates, and gave my two month old some milk with a bottle that had something like a six month nipple on it. I felt really bad and confused when he basically choked the whole thing down and ended up with terrible gas. I thought I had everything solved after that learning curve, but when my daughter came along she decided to switch things up. Silly me for thinking more bottles were the last thing I needed for Baby #2!

Because my daughter is a bit particular, I did have the chance to try a variety of bottles in search of one that would work. Here are some that we tried, and how they worked for us. Unless otherwise stated, they are available with nipples that provide a variety of flow rates, so no need to repeat my mistakes. I hope this post gives you more insight into bottle feeding and choosing a bottle than I initially had!

Nanobebe

#5. This bottle might be what your baby is seeking if he is really having a hard time being away from mom. Pros: It is shaped like a breast and is surprisingly easy to hold for parent or baby while feeding. It also allows you to pump straight into the bottle and comes with adaptors for this. The concave base allows for rapid heating in a warm water bath (essential for middle of the night feeds). Cons: the base attaches to the bottle via a silicon grip. It seems that with repeated use (and especially over multiple kids) it may not hold up to be as leak proof over time. These are stackable without the nipple attached, but otherwise their larger footprint can do a number on your storage space.

Mimijumi

#4. This bottle is on the list because it is the only one my daughter will (sometimes) take. Pros: cleaning is very easy, and there is only one recommended nipple for 0-12 months (no need to transition every few months with a new one). Also, this is the only bottle on the market-that I can find-that offers a textured silicon nipple that mimics the feeling of skin. This was a game changer in our house for my daughter! This bottle also vents appropriately for young babies (<3 months). Cons: This is a ridiculously expensive bottle, hence its placement on this list at #4. The base and cap do not stay on, and there is no option to securely transport milk in this bottle without spillage.

Dr. Brown's Options Bottle, Wide Mouth

#3. Trying this type of bottle was an attempt at a different shape of nipple for my daughter. She didn’t go for it, but I do like the wide bottle option, and the wider nipple base does replicate mom more. Pros: It’s great for baby’s little hands to hold, and with the ventilation system in it is the best on the market for controlling ingested air. It also has an option to transition into a sippy cup with a nipple, making it multi-purpose. Cons: I recommend against using this bottle without the vent, so there is no need to hope that you can clean fewer parts as baby gets older. There are six total components that require a bottle brush, nipple brush, and straw brush to clean (Note: most bottles require at the least a bottle brush and likely a nipple brush). Overall, this bottle is a strong contender, especially if your little one tends to swallow air but wants to hold his or her own beverage.

Como Tomo

#2. This sleek and simple bottle is a beauty, and that’s not where its advantages stop. Pros: Cleaning could not be more simple with these bottles. The base is silicon and one can easily fit a hand in to scrub it with soap without the use of a bottle brush (although one is helpful for fully cleaning the nipple). Their venting system works well even for young babies with gas issues and they have multiple nipple flow options to accommodate babies new to bottle feeding and onward. It only has three pieces, and can easily transport milk in the bottle with the provided cap. This is by far my favorite bottle for babies 2 months and older. Cons: The only reason this bottle is not the winner is that it does not have a nipple to accommodate really young babies, and therefore is less versatile if you need to utilize a bottle from birth.

Dr. Brown's Natural Flow

#1. The winner is…this bottle! It is amazing for new little ones all the way thru the transition to cups with progressive nipple flow rates. Pros: This bottle is great for any stomach upsets (first hand experience here!). It is available with a preemie nipple perfect for even full term newborns and has the same top notch venting system as the previously described wide mouth Options version. The only downside: there are six (6!!) components to clean daily. This can get to be overwhelming and is why we switched to Como Tomos after awhile.

Other items that help make bottle feeding as easy as ABC:

• An electric kettle. In the middle of the night it can take awhile for hot water to get to the faucet. An electric kettle will heat up water fast. In the middle of the night you can use the hot water mixed with cold to get your optimal bottle temp fast. During the day, if you are working with frozen milk you can submerge the bag or bottle in the hot water to thaw fast because baby does not want to wait!

• Diaper Liners. These are incredibly absorptive and work better than any other burp cloth on the market because of this.

• Bottle Brush. We have used this brand for three years, and I love how durable they are. The sponge part does not disintegrate with regular use! Although they still need to be replaced as they wear out eventually…

• Sterilizer bags. These are great for when you are in a rush and just want to go to bed at night. You can sterilize your bottles occasionally (we have found that it does not need to be too frequent), but more importantly you can easily sterilize breast pump equipment!

Happy feeding!