Best baby bottles?

angeline

I will be a first time mum and looking at the best bottles, sterilisers, warmers, etc. A friend recommended Dr Browns which I looked up but getting confused about a few things. Most of the Dr Brown's options are wide neck bottles. I won't be breastfeeding at all but am unsure if the wide neck bottles are specifically for mothers who have breastfed. Planning to get a few 150ml bottles for the first couple of months along with the regular size ones. Also I don't think the wide neck bottles fit in the electric steriliser so very unsure. Any advice much appreciated.

Typer Monkey

Hi Angeline. I didn't breastfeed at all and used Avent bottles with both my children with no issues..they're easy to clean and sterilise. I used a microwave steriliser.

I've heard people recommend Dr Brown's too and apparently they are great if your baby suffers from colic but they are finicky to clean and cannot be shaken.

I wouldn't waste money on the 150ml bottles either. Just buy the full size and put less in them. My daughter was a guzzler and was drinking 5 ounces after a week! I bought a box of the premade little bottles with sterilised teats from the hospital shop when i was leaving. They are really brilliant for the first few days til you get your head around making up bottles

sillysocks

Pretty much agree with everything the last poster said!

I'm using Avent at the moment and find them great to clean and sterilize. On my older daughter I had to use Dr Browns which are a pain to clean (although if you do end up with them there's a special dishwasher basket you can get for them which is very handy).

The smaller bottles last no time. Whichever bottles you buy don't buy too many. You may end up chopping and changing a few times before settling on one specific brand so just buy a minimal amount until you're sure they suit.

AndyBoBandy

We went with Tommy Tippee bottles, got a good value starter set which included bottles, electric steriliser, portable (microwave) steriliser, and various other bits and bobs like formula holders and a bottle warmer etc...

We tried a few different ones along the way like Avent and Dr. Browns but always went back to the Tommy Tippee

The only thing you need to add on to the set over time is the larger size teas as baby gets older and wants to drink more milk/formula faster.

Agree that the Dr. Browns are finicky to clean, but I also found with them it's hard to judge how much your baby is drinking unless you take he bottle from their mouth and hold it up normal ways, you'd think baby is destroying the bottle, only to turn it up and see not much has gone!

mirrorwall14

I used nuk (the wider neck ones) and loved them. Had tomee tippee first but had to switch.

TheBody

We used Tommee Tippee and they were a disaster. The lids wouldn't seal to the bottles. I'd never get them again.

PhoenixParker

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

We went with Tommy Tippee bottles, got a good value starter set which included bottles, electric steriliser, portable (microwave) steriliser, and various other bits and bobs like formula holders and a bottle warmer etc...

We tried a few different ones along the way like Avent and Dr. Browns but always went back to the Tommy Tippee

The only thing you need to add on to the set over time is the larger size teas as baby gets older and wants to drink more milk/formula faster.

Agree that the Dr. Browns are finicky to clean, but I also found with them it's hard to judge how much your baby is drinking unless you take he bottle from their mouth and hold it up normal ways, you'd think baby is destroying the bottle, only to turn it up and see not much has gone!

We got the tomee tippee set too. We added a few bottles when he was three months old but it's pretty much covered us. When you get to sipped cup stage it's handy too as the parts are all interchangeable. The handles go on the bottles etc.

Mamas and papas seem to have it for half the price of everywhere else.

shesty

Tommee Tippee here for two babies that were breastfed too.
We got dr.brown's for our second aswell....they annoyed the c#$p out of me.Fiddly to clean and a total pain to use.Regularly got covered in milk as after a few washes and sterilisings the blue funnel thing in them loosened up where it stuck on to the rubber thing and would fall off the seal on top mid feed, resulting in an avalanche of milk.Also we premade bottles by boiling water, filling the bottles and then cooling them by sitting them in a basin of water....when you fill them with boiling water and try to screw the tops on, the water gets shoved up the inside of the blue funnel (steam/hot water/enclosed bottle space effect) and pours out under the lid, down the sides of the bottle....burning the hands off you and resulting in them not having the right amount of water in them.Same yhing happened when you added powder and placed in a bottle warmer.....as the bottle heated the milk would go up the funnel and out over the sides of the bottle unless you remembered to leave the lid loose.And I hated using them out and about, I had to take off the lid, and take outthe rubber top and funnel to get the piwder in-I was never convinced about the sterility of them after doing that.

I don't know how anyone uses Dr.Brown's bottles!!!!I won't say Tommee Tippee are the best out there but they have worked great for us and their big starter set is great, supplies you with everything.

cbyrd

Tommie tippee for us too. I got free size zero teats from the company for my prem baby who was having difficulty with the size one being too fast. The size zero is not available yet in the shops. I breastfed and then combination fed all my previous 5 with no wind issues or nipple confusion. So they'd get my vote.

I have an avent microwave steamer that I can get lots into. The steamer shouldn't be restrictive.

angeline

Thanks all for all the info. Pretty much made up my mind not to get the Dr Brown's now after reading your posts. I had read they were a pain to wash but didn't know you couldn't even shake them. If baby has colic can always pick up a few anti colic bottles I guess. Also didn't know you could buy some premade bottles which would be very handy for the first day or so. Not sure I've seen them in CUMH but will check it out. Thanks again.

sillysocks

angeline wrote: »

Thanks all for all the info. Pretty much made up my mind not to get the Dr Brown's now after reading your posts. I had read they were a pain to wash but didn't know you couldn't even shake them. If baby has colic can always pick up a few anti colic bottles I guess. Also didn't know you could buy some premade bottles which would be very handy for the first day or so. Not sure I've seen them in CUMH but will check it out. Thanks again.

You can get the premade formula in all the supermarkets now. Very handy for the first few days/week. Can get quite expensive if you used it for a long time. I always keep one or two small bottles at home/changing bag in case I drop a bottle or forget formula when I'm out etc. In aptimel they have 200ml small bottles and 1litre bottles.

Yeah the Dr Browns can be great if you need them-even not for colic but my first baby was very windy and used to get sick all the time with trapped wind and the Dr Browns were great for helping that. But on my new baby she's grand on the Avent and manys a time when I'm washing the Avent I think how much easier they are!

sillysocks

Sorry I misread there about premade bottles vs premade formula. I think you may be able to get the premade bottles and teats in Tesco too though. They are really handy and are what you are given in the hospital to use for feeds so you don't need your own bottles in the hospital. I got an extra few during the formula hand out some days and had some to last me a day or two at home

Edit....yep tesco sell them now. Really expensive though, even compared with just premade formula. Maybe it's cheaper in the hospital shop.

http://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=283468059

mrsmags16

We have Nuby and he takes expressed breastmilk and formula from them without fuss from the get go- think 1st bottle was at 3 weeks. He is 90% breastfed but loves the bottle too. We got them as they fit the breastpump and sterilizer but the shape of the teat etc seems to suit the breastfed baby.

heldel00

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

I used nuk (the wider neck ones) and loved them. Had tomee tippee first but had to switch.

Exactly the same here.

Darren 83

We started with Advent bottles but our daughter had trouble with getting her wind up so got the Dr. Brown bottles which where a great relief for her and us. They are more awkward to clean but worth it in the end. I've had no problem shaking them but it has to be a cold bottle not warm. Best of luck with the new arrival.

angeline

Think I will go with Avent and have a couple of Dr Brown's on standby. Will definitely get the premade for the first few days. Will check out Tesco for them.

angeline

sillysocks wrote: »

Sorry I misread there about premade bottles vs premade formula. I think you may be able to get the premade bottles and teats in Tesco too though. They are really handy and are what you are given in the hospital to use for feeds so you don't need your own bottles in the hospital. I got an extra few during the formula hand out some days and had some to last me a day or two at home

Edit....yep tesco sell them now. Really expensive though, even compared with just premade formula. Maybe it's cheaper in the hospital shop.

http://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=283468059

Just had a look at these. Very handy indeed. Says already sterilized so I guess you just need to warm them? I see there are 6 bottles of 70ml. I thought a newborn took 150ml per feed?! Or would they need two of these at any one time.

sillysocks

angeline wrote: »

Just had a look these. Very handy indeed. Says already sterilized so I guess you just need to warm them? I see there are 6 bottles of 70ml. I thought a newborn took 150ml per feed?! Or would they need two of these at any one time.

I never warmed them, and in the hospital I don't think there's any facility to warm them. You just give them at room temperature. Literally open the bottle, screw on the top provided and thats it. The first few days the baby would probably only take 50-70ml I'd think but can't remember exactly. I don't remember ever needing to use two at a time though.

mirrorwall14

angeline wrote: »

Just had a look these. Very handy indeed. Says already sterilized so I guess you just need to warm them? I see there are 6 bottles of 70ml. I thought a newborn took 150ml per feed?! Or would they need two of these at any one time.

If you can do them cold it'll be so much easier for you. Our lad happily drank all his bottles at room or fridge temp

shesty

You can drink them room temp or cold but our first had silent reflux and bad wind ....heating them helped her digest easier.

The_Valeyard

At this stage Id completely disagree about 'best' bottles. It's really whatever the lil fecker would take. Lol.

Tried them all. In the end he tolerated the Nuk bottles.

AndyBoBandy

The_Valeyard wrote: »

At this stage Id completely disagree about 'best' bottles. It's really whatever the lil fecker would take. Lol.

Tried them all. In the end he tolerated the Nuk bottles.

Very true,

Each baby will be different. In our case it was Tommee Tippee which worked, but as others have said, they didn't like the Tommee Tippee.

The best idea would be to buy 2/3 individual bottles of various makes, and try them all out, and once it's obvious which one baby prefers, go all in on that brand.

greenttc

I used the mam anti colic bottles, he is still using them at five months,i think the teat looks like it would feel nicer on these.

The big plus is that you can sterlise these bottles in microwave on their own, no steriliser needed, massive plus from me!!!

rainbow kirby

I think it's more of a "whatever suits your baby best" question!

My son is predominantly breastfed but took bottles of EBM or supplements of first stage formula from about 8-9 weeks. We started with the Avent wide neck bottles and used the Tommee Tippee ones later on as they tend to be stocked in every supermarket here.

Kintarō Hattori

We're new parents OP so I can only advise you as to what we did.

When we left the hospital they loaded us up with the pre made bottles, much like the Aptamil starter pack (which we also bought when we got home). For the first while at least our little one drank around the 70ml mark every few hours so she didn't need more than was in the bottle. The starter packs are handy until you get used to the formula and sterilising. For whatever reason the Aptamil pack is much dearer than the others.

Coming home from hospital it's all a bit crazed, panic and general bedlam so we bought lots of the bottled ready to go liquid, you just pop it in the bottle of your choice and either give it to baby if at room temp or head it up first if they're a fussy fecker.

In terms of bottles we got the Philips Avent kit as my sister had used similar when her children were born so it came recommended. We've been delighted with it as you get smaller bottle to start with (125 ml) and some larger ones for when they are a little older (260 ml). It also came with a steriliser, soothers, cleaning brush and manual breast pump.

After a while we moved onto using the powdered formula and a friend gave us a Tommee Tipper Perfect Prep machine which people seem to swear by.

dori_dormer

greenttc wrote: »

I used the mam anti colic bottles, he is still using them at five months,i think the teat looks like it would feel nicer on these.

The big plus is that you can sterlise these bottles in microwave on their own, no steriliser needed, massive plus from me!!!

We had avent on first boy but mam on second. They are brilliant as they self sterilise. No need to spend extra on a steriliser and great when you travel too as everywhere had a microwave

greenttc

dori_dormer wrote: »

We had avent on first boy but mam on second. They are brilliant as they self sterilise. No need to spend extra on a steriliser and great when you travel too as everywhere had a microwave

The self sterilising is just amazingly handy, even for when you are just visting in another house....would have been lost without them!


I second the perfect prep machine too, ANYTHING to make each task a little easier!

Last thing i recommend to make bottle prep easier is using little pots to divide out amounts of formula powder. I prepare 6 pits every evening for the next day so that i dont have to count out scoops while under stress with a screaming hungry baby!