You can feed your baby breast milk or infant formula from a baby feeding bottle. If you choose to provide your baby with a bottle, they will need to learn how to drink from it. It can take some time for your baby to get used to it.
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What are infant feeding items?
Infant feeding items include bottles and nipples, rings, and caps that go with them. Certain bottles also may consist of valves or membranes. Some infants may be fed with a syringe, medicine cup, spoon, or supplemental nursing system.
About bottle-feeding
If your baby can not always feed directly from your breast, you might choose to bottle-feed with expressed breastmilk. Or you might need to provide your baby with infant formula, the only safe alternative to breastmilk.
Before you bottle-feed your baby, it’s essential to know how to clean and sterilize bottle-feeding equipment and how to prepare, store, and warm bottles of formula. This will help keep your baby safe from infection and ensure the baby is getting the proper nutrition.
What types of bottles are there?
Bottles are typically made of three materials: glass, plastic, or silicone.
Glass bottles: Glass baby bottles used to be the norm decades before plastic and have recently returned to popularity. While it may sound like a head-scratcher to give your baby something made of glass, the glass used for baby bottles has some unique features that set it apart from everyday glass. They’re made from tempered glass, a type of extra durable glass that can withstand being banged around and even dropped.
Plastics bottles: Plastic baby bottles are made of polypropylene, a complex type of plastic. Plastic bottles are the most common type of baby bottle on the market and the most affordable.
Silicon bottles: Silicone bottles are the newest type of bottles on the market. They’re made from silicone, a soft, flexible material free from chemicals like BPA, PVC, and Phthalate.
Bottle nipples: Most bottle brands also offer several nipple sizes, each providing a different milk flow rate. Newborn and slow flow nipples are designed for newborns and younger babies. They provide a slower flow of milk or formulas. Baby won’t gulp too much, too fast.
Faster flow nipples are designed for older babies with more prominent swallows and better control over a quicker flow of liquid.
How do you clean a feeding bottle?
Use hot water and dishwashing detergent. Clean all bottle areas with a bottle brush, including the thread where the cap screws on. Remove any milk still in the teat or the hole with a teat brush. Squeeze hot, soapy water through the teat hole, then do the same with clean water to rinse the teat.
How to sterilize the baby bottle?
- Soak the baby bottle and parts in warm, soapy water.
- Rinse off with warm water.
- Place in baby bottle sterilizer and follow the instructions for your particular sterilizer brand.
- Once complete, store on a clean drying rack before use.
Types of baby bottle nipples
Traditional nipples: These are the bell-shaped, usually latex nipples that come with most baby bottles.
Orthodontic nipples: Designed to protect the baby’s palate, these nipples have a bulbous top and flatter base.
Flat-topped nipples: Shaped more like the breast, these have a giant base bulb and a flatter top.
Anti-vacuum nipples: Designed to prevent colic and gassiness by limiting the amount of air your baby takes in.
Multi-flow nipples: These are designed to provide multiple-stage flows (Stage 1 and 2, for example) in the same nipple. Adjust the positioning of the nipple to control the flow.
Disposable nipples: Sterile, individually wrapped nipples that come in handy for easy cleanup but must be tossed after a single-use.
Buying guide to the baby feeding bottle
Whether you are bottle-feeding your infant formula or breast milk, you will need a bottle that can handle both. Before deciding, think about the features and benefits of the various types of bottles.
Standard Bottles: Straight-edged standard bottles have been around for many years. Such bottles can be found in glass and plastic and are reusable and easy to clean. If you want to prevent gas in baby, pair such bottles with gas-reducing nipples, as the bottles themselves have no special features to keep gas at bay.
Anti-Colic (Natural Flow Bottles): Anti-colic bottles help reduce the incidence of colic, a painful condition in the abdomen resulting from indigestion or gas. Anti-colic bottles and teats are designed to prevent air intake while sucking and usually feature air vents, tubes, or bags.
Self-Sterilizing Bottles: Disposable bottles come ready to use. The bottles and their parts are already sterilized. They can be thrown away after the baby is fed, with no mess to clean up.
Angle Neck Bottles: Angle neck bottles are straight bottles that bend at an angle near the neck. They are designed to keep the teat full of milk at all times.
Wide Neck Bottles: These bottles have a stouter appearance compared to regular bottles and are ideal for babies who drink from the breast and bottle.
Vented Bottles: Vented bottles contain vents that keep the air at the back of the bottle while preventing the liquid from seeping out. An anti-vacuum chamber is created at the base of the nipple, allowing a one-way flow of air, thereby avoiding liquid outflow.
Bottles with Disposable Liners: These are small bags placed inside regular bottles filled with milk, which are then thrown away after use.
Bottle shape
You will note that infant bottles come in a variety of shapes when you look at them.
Standard – Baby bottles that are tall, slender, and straight.
Comprehensive – The shorter and wide baby bottles. They are also designed with quick and easy nipples, so they look just like breasts. Wide bottles are easy to clean and your kid may be able to hold them early.
Size: Parents can start with a standard 120ml bottle for newborns and eventually use 240 ml to 300 ml bottles for older babies.
Top 5 best feeding bottles in India
Philips Avent Natural 2. 0 Blue Feeding Bottle 260ml SCF035/10
About this item
- The Philips Avent Natural 2.0 Feeding Bottle is easy to combine breast and bottle feeding. Ultra-soft teat mimics the feel of the breast
- Natural latch on due to the wide breast-shaped nipple. A more comfortable and contented feed for baby
- An advanced anti-colic system with an innovative twin valve.Unique comfort petals with spiral design for an extra soft and flexible nipple. Air goes into the bottle, not the baby’s tummy
Luvlap Anti-Colic Slim Regular Neck Essential BPA-free Baby Feeding Bottle, 125ml, Pack of 2, Blue Green
About this item
- No Nipple Collapse
- 100% PP Feeding Bottle, BPA Free
- Ergonomic Bottle shape
- Liquid Silicone Teat with advanced anti-colic valve
Mee Mee Eazy Flo Premium Baby Feeding Bottle (Green, 125 ml- Single Pack)
About this item
- Made from non-toxic international quality polypropylene plastic for safety and durability
- 100% soft, BPA-free silicone teat, which is odorless and tasteless so that your baby tastes nothing but the feed
- Perfectly fitted dome to shield the teat from dust, humidity, and other harmful external conditions
- Multi-functional design for ease of use – the bottle can be filled with any nutritious liquid like milk, water, formula, or juice.
- Travel friendly – no leakage even when the bottle is tilted or carried; easy to clean and store.
Chicco Well-Being Baby Milk Feeding Bottle, Advanced Anti-Colic System, BPA Free, Hygienic Silicone Teat, for Babies & Toddlers, 330ml (Green)
About this item
- Chicco Well-Being Feeding Bottles are specially designed to provide the baby with a comfortable and relaxed feeding experience. It helps protect your baby from colic, hiccups, regurgitation (spitting-up), and irritability.
- The anti-colic valve at the teat’s base (nipple) ensures perfect ventilation inside the bottle. Thus, it helps to prevent air ingestion, reducing the risk of colic and regurgitation, enabling smooth, relaxed, and continuous feeding.
- The symmetrical, elongated, and flattened shape of the physio teat is inspired by the shape of the mother’s nipple allowing the baby to follow his natural sucking movement. The Physio teat adapts perfectly to the mouth of the baby and aids the natural way of sucking.
- For baby’s maximum comfort, the Physio teat is made of 100% soft and hygienic silicone material that gives a peaceful feeling, contributing to an even more natural sucking. It helps in the easy transition between breastfeeding and bottle-feeding and vice-versa.
- Made Safe and Leak Proof: At Chicco, baby’s safety is our priority; that’s why Well-Being bottles are made with BPA-free polypropylene material to ensure maximum protection and hygiene. Drip-proof cap and bottle gear ensure safe closure and no leakage.
- The base of Well Being feeding bottle teat is comprehensive to ensure that the baby can suck comfortably and helps in easy transitions between breastfeeding and bottle-feeding and vice-a-versa.
- The bottle has been ergonomically designed to let the baby comfortably hold the bottle with her little hands while feeding. Also, the wide neck design of the bottle makes it easy to fill and clean, offering convenience to parents.
- Chicco Well-Being Feeding bottles come in beautiful colors and decorations for you to choose from. So, please select the one you like or mix and match it with style.
- Chicco is one of the largest baby care brands in the world. With the experience of over 60 years, it offers a wide range of baby products in nursing, baby toiletries, toys, travel (Strollers and car safety seats), and fashion categories.
- Quantity: 330ml
Pigeon Glass Feeding 240ml Bottle with Add Nipple, Large, Red
About this item
- Made from non-toxic international quality borosilicate glass for safety and durability
- A unique venting system minimizes swallowed air, preventing gas
- BPA and BPS Free
- Encourage baby to use natural sucking pattern
