There are many bottles on the market. Each has something that makes it unique. If you have chosen to breast/chest feed your baby, there are many bottles that all claim to be the most like mom. So, let's take a look at some of the popular options.
If you are looking for ease of breast to bottle, there's options that allow you to go straight from pumping into bottle. Some require an adapter, some have pumps you can buy that are compatible. We will start with my personal favorite.
- The Playtex nurser has been around since the early 1960s. I even had a play version as a child to use with my dolls. Which may explain my lifetime love of this bottle. But truthfully, it has had many upgrades since those early days. There are two options, the original Nurser and the newer VentAire. Both use drop in liners and a patented wide shaped, comfort latch silicone nipple. The liners collapse as baby feeds similar to what occurs as milk leaves the body. Both are designed to minimize air intake while feeding. The VentAire is a fully closed bottle with a patented bottom and has an option to angle the bottle if preferred. The Nurser has on open bottom which I always liked as I could put my hand on the bottom of the liner and push out any air before feeding. The VentAire has an option for reusable silicone liners that can be used with some breast pumps when using an adapter.
- Kiinde Twist System is a patented body to bottle system that is very user friendly. It lacks the nostalgia that Playtex has for me as it hit the market in 2013. But the design is flawless. You can pump directly into twist pouches that you can use immediately or store. These go into the patented Twist squeeze natural feeding bottle. You just snap the pouch into the bottle. Remove the cap and pop on one of the twist active latch nipples which come on slow, medium, and fast flow and you are ready to feed. It does not get any easier than that.
- Feeding Balance + Baby Bottle has come a long way from the first baby nipples they made back in 1920. This bottle has a naturally sloped nipple designed by pediatric feeding specialist. It has a one-piece integrated vent which means no extra parts to clean. It comes in both glass and plastic so you can get the best one for you and your baby. You can pump directly into the balance bottle with an adapter. This bottle was recommended to a client after the baby had a tie released. And I am going to give you a tip that took me a while to figure out. Do not try to pull the nipple up into the collar. Pinch the base of the nipple and go in from the top. Seat the nipple, run your finger under the inside rim to make sure it is properly seated. Now you will not be frustrated with this like I was until my epiphany.
- Avent has been around since the 1980s. They too have improved on a good thing over the years. Their Natural Response Nipple works like you do. Milk flows and stops in response to baby's sucking pattern. It is an anti colic valve and has no drip design. These bottles are also available in both glass and plastic. And you can pump directly into them with Phillips Avent pumps.
- Dr. Brown's bottles are often the first name you hear. They have done an excellent job convincing folks that their bottles are the best. They are the first name on everyone's list when talking about anti colic. Their Natural flow Options+ baby bottle and nipple came out in 1996. It is a breast shaped nipple that promotes a good latch and a seamless transition between bottle and parent. It is fully vented to help prevent gas and colic with a patented internal venting system. You can pump directly into these bottles with an adapter. There is also a narrow neck version that does not need an adapter. Both sizes are available in glass and plastic. This bottle works well for colic. The internal venting system does its work well as advertised and backed up with clinical evidence. But I would be remiss if I did not mention that cleaning all those parts is tedious and time consuming. But if it helps your baby, it is time well spent.
- Nuk put its first baby nipples out in the 1960's. Their vented nipples followed in 1970. They upped their game with the simply natural baby bottles. Simply natural nipples were designed to closely resemble body feeding. The nipples have more than one hole. The slow flow nipple has three holes, medium flow has six holes and fast flow has nine. There's space on the underside of the nipple for the baby's tongue to have the same motion while bottle feeding as body feeding. These bottles come with a safe temperature indicator that changes color when the milk is too hot. The nipple has an anti-colic air vent. These bottles come in glass and plastic.
All these bottles are great options for families who need a seamless transition from body feeding to bottle feeding and back again. They each have their merits and will help both parents and baby. You just need to figure out which one will best suit the needs of your little one and you.
