Baby bottles and teats

Baby bottles

You may be bewildered at the vast array of bottles on offer. There are many types of bottles and teats to choose from for your baby.

You will need at least six bottles when formula feeding. You may also want a couple of bottles for cooled boiled water.

Most bottles take nine ounces of milk, it is advisable to purchase these when bottle-feeding, as smaller bottles are more suitable for expressed breastmilk or for older babies who are being weaned.

Wide necked bottles make life easier when scooping formula from the tin into the bottle. The edge of the supplied scoop is the same size as an narrow necked bottle so there is a tendency to spill the powder as you fill your bottle.

Anti-colic bottles have air vents, tubes, or collapsible bags to reduce the amount of air your baby swallows, therefore reducing the chance of colic.

Also available are disposable bottles, to use once and throw away and bags which fit into a special holder. Both are handy for journeys or visiting.

Teats

There are various different teats available, including newborn, slow, medium and fast, which let the milk flow at different rates.

Teats are also available in latex and silicone. Latex are said to feel more like a real nipple, but silicone teats last longer.

Another consideration is an anti-colic teat, which like the bottle aids the reduction of air your baby takes in. Orthodontic teats minimise harm to developing teeth. There are also teats designed like a nipple for babies who are mixed feeding or being weaned off the breast.