There are a few things you need to consider before purchasing a baby bottle, such as the materials used to make the bottle as well as the nipple shape and size. Less important decisions such as style and color may also need to be considered. Either way, deciding on the best bottle for your baby is more than a matter of mere preference.
A few decades ago, there wasn’t much of a variety in baby bottles, and thus the decision was hardly worth blinking at. Now there are a large range of bottles made of different materials and some designed with specific purposes.
Glass Bottles or Plastic Bottles?
Although plastic bottles are not as delicate and breakable as those made of glass, they do tend to deteriorate and need to be replaced regularly. Aside from this, plastic bottles made of polycarbonate have been found to leech a certain chemical (bisphenol-A or BPA) into the milk when heated to a certain temperature.
Even though baby bottle manufacturers claim that babies have been fed from these bottles for decades without any obvious evidence of harm, many parents opt for the “better safe than sorry” belief and have opted for glass bottles instead. Others have begun to make use of disposable nursers with disposable liners that do not contain the harmful chemical. Some parents may still stick to plastic bottles, but they make it a point to purchase only BPA-free plastics.
For those of you who have no issues using a polycarbonate bottle for your baby, try to minimize the risks of chemical leakage. Follow these simple guidelines to do so.
- Never store breast milk or baby formula in these plastic bottles.
- Dispose of any leftovers in the bottle after each feeding.
- Don’t overheat the bottles when warming breast milk or baby formula.
- Replace the bottles when they begin to appear cloudy or scratched.
- Avoid microwaving as a form of warming (this destroys the nutrients found in breast milk or baby formula anyway).
Baby Bottle Sizes
Depending on your baby’s age as well as how much and how often she eats, you may want to purchase a specific bottle size. For infants, a 4oz bottle tends to be large enough. If you plan to buy a larger sized bottle right from the start, consider the safety guidelines above for plastic bottles. You may want to opt for a glass bottle, or simply refrain from filling a plastic bottle all the way (to reduce waste).
If you’ve decided to buy a smaller, 4 ounce bottle to begin with, you will most likely need to shift to an 8 ounce bottle after 4 months (or whenever your baby’s appetite calls for a more practical, bigger bottle). That being said, you can still save the smaller bottles as backups, as long as they are still in good condition and have not begun to deteriorate.
Nipple Varities
There are three main types of materials in which bottle nipples are made from. Your choices are: latex, silicone, or rubber. The nipples made out of latex are usually softer and more flexible, but need to be replaced more often. Silicone nipples tend to be the firmer type and are able to keep their shape for longer periods of time.
Although the dark latex bottle nipples are still available in stores, they are a lot less popular than they once were. This is due to the introduction of silicone nipples, which don’t absorb or harbor any smells or tastes of the milk (or other liquid) used, regardless of the amount of times used. Silicone also eliminates the possible allergies associated with latex, and is a lot more difficult for babies to chew through, which lowers the risk of choking on a severed piece of the nipple.
Aside from materials used, there is a difference in size, shape, and flow speed. Your decision should be based off of such factors as your baby’s age, any special needs, whether or not you’re exclusively bottle feeding or simultaneously breastfeeding your baby, and the like.
You should replace any nipple that look worn out, as these can become a choking hazard if they were to break. Nipples that allow breast milk or baby formula to simply pour out as a steady stream should also be discarded. The liquid is meant to drip out at a steady rate, and anything faster can cause stomach problems in infants.
You may need to do a little experimentation in the beginning to find out which flow rate allows your baby to eat at her preferred pace, so you should consider buying a variety of the smallest sizes at first. Let your newborn decide which she likes best and go with that.
