Five Bottles I Would Add To My Baby Registry, Five Bottles I Would Avoid + WHY?

Choosing the right bottle can make a big difference in your feeding journey. At Cincy Breastfeeding Center, we often see firsthand how the wrong bottle can lead to feeding challenges– and how the right one can support a smoother transition between breast and bottle. Maybe a bottle will be used for the occasional date night, or maybe you’ll use it in your daily routine– either way, it’s important we introduce your baby to a bottle with the right shape and flow.

DOs

  • A gradually tapered nipple from tip to base to encourage a deep latch that better mimics breastfeeding. You want your baby’s lips to be able to almost touch the collar (plastic ring) of the bottle.
  • Slow-flow nipples to prevent fast milk delivery that can cause a preference for the bottle over the breast.

Our favorite bottles:

  1. Pigeon- SS 
  2. Lansinoh
  3. Spectra (new generation)
  4. Evenflo Balance
  5. Dr. Brown’s Narrow Neck-preemie 

DON’Ts

  • Bottles that look like a breast are going to promote a shallow latch and encourage only latching onto the tip of the bottle nipple or breast.
  • Flat nipples that are sometimes advertised as “orthodontic choice” can result in baby chomping or chewing to remove milk which is a pattern that can cause nipple pain/damage at the breast.
  • Increasing flow rate overtime typically isn’t needed and can actually cause increased gassiness. Flow rates can also widely vary between brands. 

Bottles we avoid: 

  1. Avent Natural
  2. Nuk
  3. Comotomo 
  4. Nano Baby 
  5. Mam

Bottles are a great tool that can help support your breastfeeding journey. If transitioning between breast and bottle feeding seems to be a challenge, we would love to help you navigate through it. Have you already purchased one of the not-recommended bottles for your baby? Let’s chat! Schedule a visit with an IBCLC today to deep dive into this topic and help you reach your feeding goals.