Which feeding bottle should I chose?
Most parents use feeding bottles to complement breastfeeding or solely to feed the baby.
Today, the range of feeding bottles is substantially large and it makes it hard for a parent to know what feeding bottle to choose. There are many thoughts spinning around for a new parent, and of course you want your baby to have the best. The feeding bottle shall be safe, the baby shall take the feeding bottle, it should be easy to hold, anti-colic, what is that, and then of course it should be stylish too!
Here is a guide with the main points for choosing the right feeding bottle
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Material. It is important that there are no harmful substances in the materials. Today feeding bottles are relatively regulated and there are standards to be met and materials that are not allowed. However, it is up to each brand to guarantee it meets standard so be sure to check that it really is tested by a reputable 3rd part certification body.
The known substances like BPA has been researched for a long time and we know that they are harmful, it may in addition to the banned substances there might be substances that are not yet banned, but still not good for the baby. Therefore, we recommend to choose material that does not migrate any, like Glass, medical-grade silicone and Stainless Steel.
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Nipple/teat. For the smallest, which combines bottle with breastfeeding, it is very important that there is a similarity in when using the feeding bottle and breast. Also, you do not want to be to risk that the bottle out-compete the breast and therefore it is important that the flow is correct so the baby must “work” to get the milk. The choice of material is important – it should be good quality silicone or natural rubber materials to be sure that there are no harmful substances. Choose a nipple with high quality of the material so it feels very soft and comfortable for the baby.
Most brands have multiple flow speeds, chose according to the manufacturer’s recommendation.
It is good if the feeding bottle fits with nipples of other brands. Some children may accept one nipple but not another which for us adults may seem the same. Therefore, it might be good to choose a bottle that is interchangeable with several different brands of nipples, then there is no need to purchase new bottles if teat would be the problem, it is both cheaper and better for the environment!
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Cleaning and preparation. At first thought the bottle should not be chosen based on these criteria, but they will be important. There will be many washes and preparations of formula/breast milk so it must be easy.
When to make formula and scoop up right amount of powder, it is important that the top of the bottle is wide so that simple goes right in without spillage. If the bottle is too narrow, this becomes an annoyance every time.
Then the bottle shall be washed as well and then it is important that you easily come down with a regular brush not to need special tools. Do not wash neither bottle or pacifiers in the dishwasher as it won’t be completely clean. From the perspective of cleanliness glass and stainless steel is superior to other materials that will be worn faster and takes easier the odor.
- Anti-Colic. The question of whether an “anti-colic” system or vent in the bottle helps or not is debated, and there are those who maintain good effect and those who argue that it doesn’t make any difference. It is clear, however, that it has no negative effects, and therefore it is advantageous to choose a bottle with “anti-colic”. There are a couple of different systems but there is no research proving that one would be better than the other.
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Design and appearance. When the baby is newborn it should be comfortable for you as a parent to hold the bottle when you cuddle up on the sofa, bed, or where you make it comfortable for yourself and your little love for a moment of feeding and bonding. When the baby gets older it likes to help holding the bottle and eventually hold it all by itself. Now it is important that the bottle is ergonomically design for your baby’s small hands.
on top of all, of course we want it to look nice too! No, it is not vain – why not chose a stylish bottle when you can, if all the above are well thought out, clearly you deserve a stylish bottle!
Hope this has been helpful in choosing the right feeding bottle
Here’s a link to our favorite bottle! MilkHero Glass Bottle
