We all know that breast milk is the best for your baby. But the most important accessory which serves you a great purpose when you are a working mom or when you are stepping out is a feeding bottle. There are a lot of things to consider while choosing the right feeding bottle and here are some of the below-listed points to help you choose the right one.
Know the different types of feeding bottles – There was a time when only glass feeding bottles were available. We now have bottles made of different materials ranging from plastic to stainless steel. We have listed some of the pros and cons of various bottles to help you make the right choice.
1. Glass Feeding Bottles – We all are now aware of the side effects of plastic bottles. Glass feeding bottles are making a huge comeback mainly because of BPA controversy. BPA is a chemical substance used in plastic containers which makes its way in the food. Glass bottles are BPA free and thus make a safer choice for babies.
Pros of the glass feeding bottle
- Glass feeding bottles are handy to sterilize and convenient for heating purposes.
- They are BPA and toxin free.
- They are eco-friendly.
- Glass bottles are made of petroleum-based products.
- Easy to clean, recyclable and long-lasting.
Cons of the glass feeding bottle
- They are easily breakable
- Glass bottles are expensive when compared to plastic bottles
- It comes with a limited variety of selections
2. Plastic Feeding Bottles – Plastic is the most widely used material in feeding bottles. You can easily find it in any of the baby stores at the most affordable price. They are lightweight and easy to carry wherever you go.
Pros of the plastic feeding bottle
- They are lightweight
- Plastic bottles are resistant to breakage.
- There are BPA free feeding bottles available.
- Easy to store and carry.
Cons of the plastic feeding bottle
- Not safe for boiling or heating purposes
- Prone to scratch
- It can easily absorb odour
- Hard to clean
3. Stainless Steel Feeding Bottle – Stainless steel is always a safer material to use when it comes to utensils or feeding bottles.
Pros of Stainless steel feeding bottle
- This material comes with insulating properties and hence can keep the milk warm or cold accordingly.
- Long lasting as steel is non-breakable.
- Easy to clean.
Cons of Stainless steel feeding bottle
- Stainless steel feeding bottles are expensive
- Only limited designs are available
- It gets difficult to measure the milk since the material is opaque.
Choose from the different types of feeding bottles – Once you decide on the best feeding bottle material, check the different types of bottles available. Some of the common types of feeding bottles available include.
- Standard baby bottle – These are popularly known as straight neck bottles which come with a nipple and cover. They come in a standard size which easily fit into bottle carrier or warmer. They come in simple design, easily affordable and are widely available. However, this type of bottles may lead to colic or gas buildup in the baby. Some may be made of cheaper plastic materials too.
- Wide neck baby bottle – This comes with a neck which is wider than that of a standard feeding bottle. The nipple used for this bottle is pretty wider to give a natural latching feel. This is a better option to choose to switch between breastfeeding and bottle feeding. This bottle is super easy to clean and imitates breastfeeding. However, it is expensive when compared to standard bottles and cannot be used with standard nipples.
- Angled baby bottle – These bottles come with the bent neck to prevent the air bubbles from getting trapped in the nipple. This design makes sure that your baby swallows minimum air to prevent colic pain. This angled design also promotes semi-upright feeding position in babies. It also prevents ear infection. On the downside, filling and cleaning bottle can be tricky till you get a hang of it. This bottle type is not widely available and can be expensive when compared to standard bottles.
- Vented baby bottle – These are also known as natural flow bottles or anti-colic bottles. A vented feeding bottle is best suggested for a gassy baby. This bottle prevents air build-up to soothe the restless babies. However, these feeding bottles are costly, difficult to clean and not easy for the baby to hold.
- Disposable baby bottle – These are mainly meant for traveling purpose or for other cases where you have no option to clean the bottle. There are two types in disposable bottles where you can either dispose of the entire bottle or just the inner lining of the bottle. It is amazingly useful for traveling purpose, convenient to use and no pain of cleaning. However, can turn out to be expensive, not eco-friendly and requires multiple purchases.
Select the right nipple type – Feeding bottle nipples are available in two different materials.
- Latex nipple – This nipple is super soft and flexible and feels like a real nipple. They are opaque and come in brownish golden color. They are easily affordable but are not as durable as the Silicone nipples.
- Silicone nipple – Silicone is the most commonly used material for nipples. They are transparent and stiffer than latex. Silicone nipples last longer than the latex nipples
Nipple Shape – There are two nipple shapes available in the market. They are round shaped bottle nipple or orthodontic nipple. The round shaped nipples make an affordable pick to serve a decent job. The orthodontic nipple makes an expensive pick and is best suggested by doctors for better oral development in babies.
Nipple Size – There is a right size meant for babies from different age groups. The Newborn flow is for newborn babies, slow flow is for 1 to 3-month-old babies, medium flow is for 3 to 6 months old babies and fast flow is for 6 months and older babies.
Hope the above points will be helpful for you to choose the right kind of feeding bottle for your baby. You can choose from a huge range of collections on Firstcry. The amazing collection with alluring prices will make you grab everything on the table. Checkout Firstcry and do let us know your experiences.
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