Feeding Bottles

For your newborn baby small feeding bottles of around 120mls (4oz) will be the best as, at this stage, he can only take small quantities at each feed. As he grows he will need more at each feed and so you will naturally move on the next size, which is 225mls(8oz) or thereabouts.

Generally, basic feeding bottles will come with a teat, a ring to seal the teat to the bottle, and a cap. They are suitable for use with sterilisers, warmers and carriers. They are widely available and inexpensive.

Another style worthy of consideration are anti-colic feeding bottles which manufacturers claim will reduce the amount of air swallowed during a feed and could prevent baby from suffering from this complaint. Two designs of feeding bottles in particular are available, one allows air to escape via an air vent, the other contains a collapsible bag which folds as the formula is taken. Both mean that baby will not be as likely to swallow air whilst feeding, a possible cause of baby colic when bottlefeeding. However, there is no guarantee that using such a bottle will mean your baby does not suffer from colic.

Should you like the idea of sterilising in a microwave then it is possible to buy feeding bottles specifically for this purpose. A little more costly initially but savings will be made in other ways as you will not need to buy other sterilising equipment and it is very, very quick and straightforward.

One other type of bottle which may be of interest if you are planning days out and don't feel like carrying lots of used feeding bottles about would be the disposable. Just add the formula, feed baby and throw it away!! However, these are not considered suitable for bottlefeeding babies under 3 months of age.

And finally, there is also available the designer or speciality bottles; feeding bottles which changes colour if the contents are too hot seem a sensible idea and could make an excellent gift for mum whilst an older child might like the novelty of an animal shaped bottle and, as baby grows more independent, a bottle with handles can help him to feed himself.

For information on styles of bottle teats click here