Best Baby Bottles for Everyday Feeding

Best Baby Bottles for Everyday Feeding

Most new parents are surprised to learn how many different kinds of baby bottles there are. With so many different options, many parents are confused about which bottle they should use when feeding their own babies. Using the wrong bottle for your baby can not only make feeding slower and less enjoyable, but can result in problems like colic and reflux. To help you find the right bottle for your baby, we’ve looked through the market to create this list of the best baby bottles on the market in 2021.

Features to Consider in Good Baby Bottle

Picking the Right Bottle for Your Baby

The right bottle can make your baby’s feeding time a relaxing and hassle-free experience, while the wrong one can turn it into a disaster. There are many different aspects to consider when you’re buying your baby’s bottle. The selection you make can have a negative or positive impact on your baby’s feeding experience. Feeling overwhelmed? You don’t have to, because we’re here to help.

Here are some important things to consider before buying your baby’s bottle:

The Nipple:

Bottle nipples come in a large assortment of sizes and flow rates. It’s extremely important to select the right nipple flow for your baby’s age:

  • Newborn to 3 months: Newborn babies should be given a slow-flow nipple to prevent choking and overeating.
  • Babies aged 3 to 12 months: Babies in both these age categories can be given medium flow nipples.
  • Toddlers aged 12 18 months: Toddlers can be given fast-flow nipples to speed up feeding as soon as they’re old enough to avoid choking.

Some nipple brands will have different naming conventions and guidelines other than the information provided above. When in doubt, always follow the guidelines for each brand accordingly.

Why Using the Correct Nipple Is Important

Selecting the correct nipple can prevent numerous conditions and risks such as:

  • Delayed speech: When your baby is breastfed, he or she develops muscles inside the mouth and tongue that are responsible for correct speech abilities. These muscles might not develop fully if you select a nipple that’s too easy to suck on.
  • Nipple confusion: If you’re breastfeeding your baby, you should select a nipple that resembles your own. This prevents nipple rejection and self-weaning from your baby.
  • Choking: If a nipple releases too much milk at once, your baby can choke, which is why you should select a slow flow for younger babies.
  • Overeating: If your baby swallows too much milk per serving, he or she might be overfed, resulting in spitting and reflux.

The Bottle Size

Smaller and slimmer bottles are easier to hold for both you and your baby. Always consider the capacity of the bottle: low capacity bottles work great for newborn babies, but you may tire of refilling them as your child ages. It’s best to purchase new bottles as your baby grows older and requires more calories per serving. Otherwise, selecting a bottle that has a larger fluid capacity will be a wiser option financially. Then you simply have to change the nipple as your baby grows older, not the entire bottle.

Avoiding Toxic Materials

Most baby bottles are made from plastic. Bisphenol A (BPA) is used in the manufacturing of many low-quality plastics. This harmful substance has been linked to many health issues, including cancer. Always select a BPA free plastic, as well as bottles that don’t contain any of the following harmful substances.

  • Lead
  • Phthalate
  • PVC
  • BPS

Read the label carefully and select bottles free from these chemicals to avoid any chance of your baby digesting harmful toxins.

Specific Designs

Baby bottles can assist in the relief of many health conditions. Here are a few examples:

  • Reflux: Select a slow-flowing bottle to prevent your baby from spitting up. Anti-reflux bottles will prevent overflow and air bubbles from entering your baby’s mouth.
  • Colic and gas: Anti-colic bottles are made with vents to keep air from penetrating into the nipple. This will prevent your baby from swallowing air during his or her milk feed, in turn reducing the chances that they’ll suffer from colic or gas.

Ear infections: Is your baby suffering from recurring ear infections? It might be the position you’re feeding him or her in. Pediatricians recommend keeping your baby upright during bottle feeds. Angled bottles provide comfortable feeding for your baby, and prevent liquid build-up in the ears that cause ear infections.

Top 10 Best Baby Bottles 2023

1. Best Overall Baby Bottle: Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Fiesta Bottle

Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Fiesta Bottle

Why we like it: We’re not sure who’s going to love these bottles more: you or your baby. We completely adore this set of baby bottles from Tommee Tippee and love all the different colors available. The Closer to Nature line from Tommee Tippee is has won multiple awards, and its easy to see why.

Editor’s Rating:

The Tommee Tippee fiesta pack offers you six fun colored bottles. They’re designed to mimic the mother’s breast to avoid nipple rejection. The bottle allows for a natural stretch, and flexes for ultimate comfort. The Easi-vent valve allows for an extra slow flow to avoid air build-up and spit-up, and the hygienic seal on the cap allows you to keep germs and bacteria at bay on your baby’s bottle. The bottle was designed to be held in three different ways to make it easier for your baby to hold during a feed according to its growth and preferences.

It’s also user friendly for parents because bottles are marked in milliliters and ounces for accurate measurements.

Extra Safety Features
The Tommee Tippee fiesta bottles are BPA Free and are designed with an Easi-vent valve and a slow flow nipple in order to prevent choking. This bottle contains no phthalates or other harmful substances.

Suitable Ages
This product is suitable for infants and babies of all ages due to the different sizes of nipples available.

Cleaning Instructions
Always clean all bottles thoroughly before feeding your baby. Rinse the bottle thoroughly with cold water to remove any excess milk or water. Then, remove all four removable parts and wash them separately with cold water and soap. Finally, sterilize the bottles using a bottle sterilizer, a microwave or a dishwasher. Bottles can now be left to air dry. Don’t use a cloth to dry bottles, as this might transfer bacteria from the cloth to the bottle.

What’s Included?
Inside your Tommee Tippee party box, you’ll find six bottles equipped with caps and slow flow nipples.

Design Specifics
These bottles are designed specifically for bottle-fed and breastfed babies. Babies struggling to latch will also benefit from using the bottles. If your baby is suffering from colic, these bottles will be very helpful to keep colic symptoms such as gas under control.

Material
BPA-free plastic.

Available Colors
The bottles are available in different colors including clear, light blue, pink, yellow, green, orange, red, purple and dark blue.

Pros

  • BPA-free
  • Available in different sizes
  • Microwave and dishwasher safe
  • Award-winning nipple design

Cons

  • Nipples have been reported to collapse in some cases
  • Measuring numbers can rub off

2. Best Premium Baby Bottle: Philips Avent Anti-Colic Bottles

Philips Avent Anti-Colic Bottles

Why we like it: The Avent Clear Anti-Colic bottles offer proven results against colic symptoms. Babies aged two weeks old and older showed 60% less fussing than babies fed with other bottles. Add in a clinical study that proves that this bottle leads to more sleep for both you and baby, and picking this bottle as our top premium pick is a no-brainer.

Editor’s Rating:

The Philips Avent anti-colic bottle is designed to minimize discomfort for your baby by reducing gas and colic with the Airflex venting system. The ribbed texture of the nipples provides an anti-collapse feature to allow an uninterrupted feeding for your baby. The wide-neck design allows easy cleaning and less spillage. You’ll receive a pack of three bottles in your box, meaning there’ll always be a clean bottle available for your baby.

Extra Safety Features
The Philips Avent bottles come with slow-flow nipples that prevent choking or overfeeding for newborn babies. They are certified to be free of harmful chemicals as well.

Suitable Ages
Infants and babies of all ages.

Cleaning Instructions
Always clean the bottle thoroughly before feeding your baby. Rinse the bottle with cold water, then take the four parts apart and wash each of them separately using a bottle brush, cold water, and soap. Use a bottle sterilizer or microwave, then allow the bottles to air dry after washing them. Bottle disinfectant sterilizing liquid can be used for extra cleaning.

What’s Included?
Your purchase includes a set of three Avent bottles with caps and twist-off lids. You will also get three anti-colic nipples.

Design Specifics
The Avent bottle is designed specifically for bottle and breastfed babies. It also works great for babies with colic.

Material
BPA free polypropylene.

Available Colors
These bottles are available in clear, blue and pink.

Pros

  • Anti-colic design
  • Easy to hold design
  • Easy to clean
  • Clear markings for accurate measurements
  • Designed to prevent leakage

Cons

  • More expensive than other bottles we reviewed

3. Best Budget Baby Bottle: Comotomo Baby Bottle

Comotomo Baby Bottle

Why we like it: Do you love easy cleaning? So do we. The Comotomo baby bottle is not only easy to clean because of the wide neck opening, but also because of the silicone used in its construction. This bottle is easy for little hands to hold, with a skin-like squeezable body.

Editor’s Rating:

The Comotomo baby bottle allows your baby to latch easier due to the soft nipple design. The wide-neck silicone body allows for a brushless cleaning. Yes, you heard right, it’s possible to clean this bottle without using a bottle brush, making cleaning amazingly easy. This leak and spill-free bottles also offer dual vents to prevent colic.

Extra Safety Features
The Comotomo Baby Bottle has been certified to be free of any harmful substances such as BPAs, PVCs, lead, and phthalates.

Suitable Ages
Infants and babies of all ages due to a variety of nipple sizes and flows available.

Cleaning Instructions
This bottle offers easy cleaning. Rinse the inside of the bottle with cold water. Remove the cap and wash separately with cold water and soap. Then just wash the inside of the bottle with cold water and soap: no brush will be needed as you can easily squeeze out the silicone body.

Don’t use abrasive cleaning agents or solvents. Sterilize the bottle in a bottle sterilizer, dishwasher or in the microwave—on the top rack only. Dry by leaving them in the open. Don’t exceed the maximum temperature of 350°F for the bottle and nipple, or 250° for the cap.

What’s Included?
Each pack of Comotomo Baby Bottles contains two bottles with a unique wide design that makes cleaning easy, and a large curved nipple with anti-colic vents.

Design Specifics
These bottles are designed specifically for bottle-fed babies, breastfed babies that struggle with transitioning to bottles, colic babies, and babies that have a hard time latching correctly. Babies that have difficulty holding plastic bottles will be able to hold these bottles easier.

Material
Silicone.

Available Colors
You’ll be able to purchase these bottles in two different colors: a selection between pink and green.

Pros

  • BPA-free material
  • Microwave and dishwasher safe
  • Anti-drip design
  • Prevents nipple confusion
  • Variable-flow nipples available

Cons

  • Limited options as it’s only available in two colors

4. Most Realistic Baby Bottle: Philips Avent Natural Baby Bottle

Philips Avent Natural Baby Bottle

Why we like it: A great bottle for babies who also breastfeed, the Phillips Avent Natural Baby Bottle features an ultra-soft nipple that is designed to feel like the real thing.

Editor’s Rating:

Recommended by mothers all around the world, the Phillips Avent line of baby bottles are some of the most prized options in homes and hospitals everywhere. This bottle is specifically designed to mimic the feel of breastfeeding as closely as possible. This is done through the unique spiral design of the nipple that allows it to bend without collapsing. We also like the way the shape of this bottle makes cleaning easy.

Extra Safety Features
In addition to being BPA-free, the Philips Avent Natural Baby Bottle uses a unique vent located at the top of the bottle in order to reduce colic.

Suitable Ages
The Philips Avent Natural Baby Bottle includes a slow flow nipple appropriate for newborns, and the nipples can be changed as your baby gets older.

Cleaning Instructions
Thanks to the wide bottle shape, filling and cleaning this bottle is easy. Clean with warm water and gentle soap and a brush. This bottle is also safe for the top drawer of the dishwasher.

What’s Included?
Included in this set are four 8-ounce plastic bottles, each with an ultra-soft nipple and a cap with an anti-colic vent.

Design Specifics
This bottle has a few unique features that make it one of our favorite bottles for babies who are breastfeeding. The ultra-soft nipple and spiral design create an authentic breastfeeding experience.

Available Colors
The Philips Avent Natural Baby Bottle is available with a cute seahorse design or in solid colors including blue, pink, purple and teal.

Pros

  • Wide silicone nipple simulates breastfeeding
  • Patented anti-colic valve in the cap
  • Spiral nipple design lets it be flexible without collapsing

Cons

  • The nipple design makes it difficult for babies to drink the last bit of milk or formula in the bottle

5. Best Vented Baby Bottle: Dr. Brown’s Original Bottle

Dr. Brown’s Original Bottle

Why we like it: Dr. Brown bottles have specifically designed air vent systems to eliminate air bubbles. This helps to prevent colic, spit-up, and gas, and will also prevent nipple confusion caused by similar suction.

Editor’s Rating:

Dr. Brown’s original bottle set offers you four unique anti-colic bottles that are easy to hold with a plain lightweight design. A significant decrease in spit-up allows your baby to receive and use the necessary nutrients from feeding.

Extra Safety Features
These bottles offer a patented vent system to reduce air bubbles and greatly reduces your baby’s chance of suffering from colic, burping, or gas. they’re also made from a safe BPA-free material.

Suitable Ages
Due to their small size, these bottles are best suited for smaller babies, although they’re suitable for babies of all ages if you can handle frequent refills.

Cleaning Instructions
Clean the bottles immediately after every use. Remove the vent system from the bottle and wash it separately. After washing, rinse the bottle and vent system inside and out with cold water. Sterilizing is next, then allow the bottles to dry. If you have it, these bottles can be placed in a sterilizing solvent before drying.

What’s Included?
Inside the package, you’ll get four of these unique bottles with vent systems and tightly-locking travel caps.

Design Specifics
Dr. Brown’s bottles are designed specifically for breastfed, bottle-fed and combined babies. This is also the perfect bottle for babies that suffer from reflux or colic. Babies that drink too fast will also automatically drink slower with these bottles. This is due to the design that’ll only allow milk to flow in sections.

Material
BPA-free plastic.

Available Colors
Bottles are only available in a single color, clear with Dr. Brown’s branding and blue vents.

Pros

  • Prevents colic.
  • BPA free material.
  • Prevents reflux.
  • Travel cap makes traveling easy.
  • Dishwasher & microwave save.
  • Prevents choking.

Cons

  • Venting system is hard to clean

6. Best Baby Bottle for Breastmilk: Lansinoh Breastfeeding Bottle With NaturalWave Nipple

Lansinoh Breastfeeding Bottle With NaturalWave Nipple

Why we like it: When it comes to baby products, we reckon the more research done the better. Lansinoh breastfeeding bottles are based on 50 years of research, and they make a great bottle moms that want to avoid nipple confusion while they’re still breastfeeding.

Editor’s Rating:

The Lansinoh bottles work in three ways to prevent nipple confusion: they provide a soft nipple for easy latching, the wave-like movement encourages sucking similar to breastfeeding, and vents allow for less gas to build up, enabling your baby to swallow milk easier.

Extra Safety Features
These bottles are ergonomically designed to have a positive effect on the oral development of your baby. The included air ventilation system helps reduce the intake of gas and reduce colic and spit-up.

Suitable Ages
Infants and babies of all ages.

Cleaning Instructions
Always clean the bottles after every use by rinsing the bottle, nipple, and cap inside and out with cold water. A wash in cold water with mild soap works well. Make sure it’s sterilized; if you use the dishwasher, use the top rack only. Bottles can be placed in a sterilizing solvent before drying; but be sure to read the solvent instructions carefully.

What’s Included?
Each pack of Lasonoh breastfeeding bottles contains three bottles with silicone nipples as well as sanitary caps.

Design Specifics
Lasinoh bottles are designed both for formula-fed and breastfed babies. While they’re suitable for all children, you’ll also be benefiting from these bottles if your baby suffers from colic or reflux symptoms.

Material
BPA-free plastic.

Available Colors
Bottles are clear, with purple Lasinoh branding.

Pros

  • Prevents colic and gas.
  • BPA free material.
  • Great for reflux symptoms & spit up.
  • Natural wave nipple to prevent nipple confusion.
  • Dishwasher & microwave save.

Cons

  • Still allow too fast milk flow.

7. Best Anti-Colic Baby Bottle: Playtex Baby Ventaire Anti Colic Baby Bottle

Playtex Baby Ventaire Anti Colic Baby Bottle

Why we like it: The unique angled design allows for upright feeding. Why’s that worth mentioning, you ask? Feeding your baby upright has been proven to reduce and prevent ear infections. The bottle also has a unique bottom vent to prevent your baby from swallowing air. These features work together so that your baby can enjoy a colic-free meal every time.

Editor’s Rating:

The Playtex Baby anti-colic bottles provide an anti-spit, anti-colic design. You don’t have to be worried about nipple confusion: this bottle allows for easy transition between breastfeeding to bottle feeding with the Naturalatch nipple design. Microchannel vents keep the air at the back of the bottle while baby drinks, and the textured nipple improves your baby’s latching ability.

Extra Safety Features
The Playtex baby bottles offer microchannel vents that prevent spit-up and choking. The bottles are tested to be BPA free.

Suitable Ages
Infants and babies of all ages.

Cleaning Instructions
Rinse the bottle and nipple inside and out with cold water. Then, wash each part separately with cold water and mild soap using a bottle brush and nipple brush. Alternatively, these bottles can be placed in the dishwasher. The next step is to sterilize the bottles in a bottle sterilizer. Don’t wipe dry the bottles with a cloth—air drying is best.

What’s Included?
Each pack of Playtex Baby Ventaire contains 5 Playtex bottles, 5 textured nipples, and 5 bottle caps.

Design Specifics
The Playtex anti-colic bottles are designed specifically for breastfed babies, as well as for kids suffering from ear infections. If your baby drinks too fast, these bottles will be helpful as they prevent overeating.

Material
BPA-free plastic.

Available Colors
These bottles are available in three colors: blue, pink, or clear.

Pros

  • BPA free material.
  • Design prevents ear infection.
  • Counters many nursing challenges

Cons

  • The slow flow nipples can cause clogging with thick formula

8. Best Bulk Baby Bottle: Evenflo Feeding Zoo Friends

Evenflo Feeding Zoo Friends

Why we like it: The long slim shape also fits great in little hands, and your purchase will include 12 zoo-themed bottles in one affordable pack. What makes it even more user friendly? The screw on lids that provide leak free protection so you can travel without spilling any of your precious milk.

Editor’s Rating:

The Evenflow baby bottles offer a simple, straight forward design and shape. Micro air vents will prevent the nipples from collapsing allowing your baby to drink without any interruptions. The slow flow soft silicone nipple will prevent your baby from overfeeding or spitting. The bottles are 8 ounces each.

Extra Safety Features
The Evenflo bottles are certified to be BPA free. The patented air vents in the nipple minimize how much air is ingested by your baby, reducing excess gas.

Suitable Ages
These bottles are suitable for infants and babies of all ages.

Cleaning Instructions
Always clean baby bottles thoroughly after every use. Rinse the bottle, nipple, and cap inside and outside with cold water. Wash each part separately with cold water and mild soap. Use a bottle brush to clean the inside of the bottle. Clean the bottle with a bottle sterilizer or you can use the dishwasher. Allow the bottle to air dry on a drying rack.

Design Specifics
The Evenflow bottles are designed specifically for growing babies. Babies that are bottle-fed or babies that tend to drink too fast can also use these bottles.

Material
BPA-free polypropylene.

Available Colors
These bottles come in an assortment of colors, each with a unique zoo animal drawing on the front.

Pros

  • 12-pack of bottles for a great price
  • BPA-free material used
  • Simple and easy to hold design
  • Air vents prevent gas build-up

Cons

  • Some parents reported leaking issues with these bottles

9. Best Baby Bottle for Easy Cleaning: MAM Easy Active Bottle

MAM Easy Active Bottle

Why we like it: With a SkinSoft nipple and leak-proof design, the MAM Easy Active Bottle is a great option for parents on the go. We especially appreciated how easy this bottle is to clean.

Editor’s Rating:

The MAM Easy Active Bottle is designed to prevent spit-up and gas. The textured Skinsoft nipple allows for the baby to latch easier and will prevent nipple confusion. These bottles are easy to hold and easy to clean.

Extra Safety Features
The MAM Easy Active Bottle contains only BPA-free material. It is also PVC-free, lead-free, and BPS-free. The anti-colic nipples prevent spitting and choking, and this bottle has additional ventilation in the base that allows it to release excess air and help reduce gas and reflux.

Suitable Ages
Babies two months and older.

Cleaning Instructions
These bottles are able to sterilize themselves. Just rinse the inside of the bottle with water to remove excess milk, then wash all the parts separately with soap and water. Place the nipple in the MAM bottle base, then fill the base with one ounce of water and heat in the microwave for 3 minutes. Lastly, allow to air dry.

What’s Included?
There are two MAM anti-colic bottles included in this set. Each one comes equipped with a flat medium-flow nipple and an anti-leakage bottle cap.

Design Specifics
The MAM bottles are designed for breastfed as well as bottle-fed babies. Babies that suffer from reflux or colic will benefit from the use of these bottles, too.

Available Colors
These bottles are available in a choice of white, pink or blue.

Pros

  • Nipple design fits into the baby’s mouth easily
  • The spill-free bottle cap can also be used as a measuring cup
  • Removable vented base prevents gas and colic
  • Fast sterilization for moms on the go

Cons

  • Only two bottles in each pack

10. Best Glass Baby Bottle: NUK Simply Natural Bottle

NUK Simply Natural Bottle

Why we like it: The glass NUK Simply Natural’s nipples have more than one nipple hole. It actually has as many as nine, to be exact. The reason for this? Mom’s nipple doesn’t only have one hole, does it? This makes NUK’s Simply Natural bottles and nipples one of the most innovative designs to mimic the flow during breastfeeding.

Editor’s Rating:

The NUK Simply Natural baby bottle consists of an anti-colic air system to prevent colic and gas. The nipple is designed to be flexible and to avoid nipple confusion. The nipple changes shape within your baby’s mouth the same way your nipple does during breastfeeding. The low-flow nipples have three holes, while the highest-flow of the bunch has nine.

Extra Safety Features
The NUK Simply Natural bottles offer anti-colic air system nipples to prevent spitting and choking. These bottles meet or exceed all safety standards.

Suitable Ages
Infants and babies of all ages, due to different nipple flow and sizes available.

Cleaning Instructions
Rinse the bottle and nipple inside with cold water, then wash each part of the bottle separately with hot water and soap. Use a bottle brush to clean the inside of the bottle. To sterilize, you can use the dishwasher’s top rack and ensure that the bottle is fully air-dried before using.

What’s Included?
Each package contains three bottles with anti-colic nipples for low, medium, and high flows.

Design Specifics
The NUK bottles are designed specifically for breastfed babies. Gas that causes colic in babies will be less common when using these bottles, and babies that suffer from reflux will not be able to overeat, reducing spitting.

Material
Glass, which is always free of BPA, and BPA-free plastic nipples.

Available Colors
These bottles are clear a the Simply Natural logo.

Pros

  • Glass body, with BPA-free plastic used on all plastic parts
  • The variable-flow nipples are made to ensure easy attachment
  • Anti-odor and stain design
  • Easy to clean with large bottle opening
  • Dishwasher safe

Cons

  • Leaking often occurs
  • Expensive product

Guide to Buying the Best Baby Bottle

For the most part, buying the right baby bottle is fairly simple with a bit of research. Only choose high-quality bottles made of safe materials (like all the bottles on our list) and make sure that you’re choosing the right size and nipple type for your babies age. For healthy babies, this will be sufficient, but things do get a bit more complicated if you’re trying to help your baby out with a medical problem. Whether this is you or you want to learn how to choose a bottle to deal with these problems should they eventually arise, read on.

Buying the Right Baby Bottle for Certain Conditions

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is mostly seen in babies under the age of one year, and tends to peak around three or four months of age. Babies with GERD will spit up milk often as a result of their stomach contents being pushed up through the esophagus. GERD is a more severe form of reflux and should be treated by a doctor. Symptoms of GERD include:

  • Back arching
  • Frequent vomiting or spitting
  • Excessive crying

GERD is not usually too serious if handled properly. Your pediatrician might prescribe mild anti-acid medication for your baby, and feeding changes can help ease your baby’s symptoms and discomfort. Here are some tips:

  • Feed your baby in an upright position both before and after feedings.
  • Elevate your baby’s cot or invest in an anti-reflux cushion to keep your baby upright while he or she is sleeping.
  • Use specially-designed bottles and nipples to prevent reflux.
  • If you’re giving your baby formula, you can try a thicker consistency to keep the milk down.
  • If you’re breastfeeding, exclude certain pungent foods from your diet, like garlic, onions and spices.

Colic and Gas are every parent’s worst nightmare. Colic can start at around two weeks of age and can last up until three months, and around 25% of babies are believed to have colic at some point. Here are the symptoms, so that you know when to take action:

  • Inconsolable crying for more than three hours daily that tends to get worse in the evening
  • The baby pulling their legs up towards their chest or passing gas

Parents of colicky babies will tell you the best way to heal colic is to wait it out. There are, however, a few methods you can apply to help ease the pain your baby might be experiencing:

  • Use bottles that prevent your baby from swallowing air bubbles.
  • Hold your baby close to your body.
  • Apply heat to your baby’s stomach, while taking care not to burn your baby.
  • Massage your baby’s tummy in a clockwise direction.
  • Give your baby prescribed probiotics to balance the pH levels inside the intestines.

Sterilization Methods

Baby bottles should be cleaned after every use to remove excess milk and some of the bacteria. The specifics of how to clean each bottle varies, so check the packaging, but his how you should clean most bottles after each feeding:

  • Wash the bottle and nipple with warm soapy water.
  • Use a bottle and nipple brush to clean out any dry milk left behind on areas that are difficult to reach.
  • Rinse the bottle and nipple again with clean water.
  • Leave the bottle and nipple to air dry.

Further sterilization is necessary to kill harmful bacteria and germs. Bottles should be sterilized at least until your baby starts to crawl, or even later if preferred. Sterilization can be done in a few different ways:

  • Disinfectant solutions: These are chemical solutions that are diluted with water. After regular cleaning bottles can soak in the chemical solution for more or less 30 minutes. Never rinse bottles and nipples after you’ve taken them out of the chemical solution as this will cause bacteria to build up again.
  • Extreme heat: Applying extreme heat such as boiling water to your bottles will kill harmful bacteria. Bottles and nipples can be boiled for 5 min and left to cool down. Be sure that there are no harmful chemicals in your bottle before heat sterilizing, as this process may cause them to leach into the formula or milk.
  • Steam bottle sterilizers: Steam sterilizers will have different instructions, and it’s best to follow them to the letter. Bottles should usually be placed upside down and enclosed inside the steamer to allow hot steam to form inside the device.
  • Dishwashers: Dishwashers can be used to apply heat and steam to baby bottles. Always put the bottles on the top rack, and don’t put any other dishes in the dishwasher when you’re sterilizing baby bottles.

Poor Sterilization

Are you feeling too tired to sterilize your baby’s bottles? It’s completely normal for new moms to be overtired and to have low energy. But before you neglect sterilization, you should know that doing so can have horrible consequences to your child’s health, and may lead to the following:

  • Gastroenteritis: An infection in the intestines causing loose stools, cramps, and pain in the stomach.
  • Thrush: Thrush is a type of fungal infection that can form on your baby’s bottles, and is highly contagious. This can cause severe pain in your baby’s mouth and esophagus, resulting in a crying, hungry baby.
  • Lowered immune system: If your baby is exposed to bacteria too often, his or her immune system can be compromised, causing frequent and reoccurring illnesses.

Final Words

We hope that after reviewing this page, you have a better idea of which bottle to get for your baby. You’re blessed to live at a time when there’s a baby product to counter almost every challenge you’ll come across. So make it easy on yourself, and ensure easy feedings for your baby by choosing well. A well-fed baby is a happy baby, and it all starts with the right bottle.