Finding the best bottle for your breastfed baby can be difficult.
Babies can be extremely picky when it comes to switching from the breast to a bottle. There are some babies that don’t care though (you’re very lucky if you have one of those babies!). My first child wasn’t picky but my second definitely was.
There are so many bottles on the market it’ll make your head spin. There are plastic, silicone and glass bottles. Bottles for colic and gas. Bottles with a wide or narrow nipple. Bottles that hold 4, 5, 8, 9 or 10 oz. Bottles that are “breast like”. It can be SO hard to pick the right one.
You might think you picked the right bottle but ultimately your baby will decide.
So how can I pick the best bottle for my breastfed baby?
There are a few things you want to look for in a bottle for a breastfed baby. Certain bottles can cause confusion for breastfed babies and babies might end up preferring the bottle instead of the breast.
Nipple Size
It’s best to go with a narrow sized nipple. A narrow nipple is small at the tip and gradually gets larger. This allows your baby to open wide and be able to make a seal around the nipple just like they would on your breast. With wide nipples, babies tend to suck from the tip of the nipple. This can cause confusion when it comes time to breastfeed again. You don’t want your baby to just suck on the tip of your nipple. Your baby needs to latch onto your nipple and breast tissue to have a deep latch.
Bottle Size
Breastfed babies shouldn’t get more than 4 oz. of breast milk at a feeding. So you really don’t need a large bottle that holds 8-10 oz. Smaller bottles (4-6 oz.) may be better to prevent overfeeding.
Nipple Flow
Slow flow is best! A faster flow nipple can cause your baby to drink too much milk and make him spit up a lot. It can also make your baby prefer a bottle over breast since he will be getting the milk much faster in the bottle vs your breast. He’ll have to work much less with a faster flowing nipple than your breast. Try sticking with a size 1 nipple or the slowest flow.
As an experienced momma of two and as a Certified Lactation Counselor, these are the top 3 bottles I recommend.
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Dr. Brown’s
Lansinoh
Evenflo
Now enjoy a quick break while someone else gives the baby a bottle. You deserve it momma ❤️
