Parents, when it comes to choosing a milk bottle for your baby, have you ever felt overwhelmed by the plethora of choices of bottles available in the market? You may probably be asking yourself many questions: Which baby bottle should I choose for my baby? Which one is the best? Is a wide-neck bottle better than a narrow one? In this article, we are going to share tips on choosing the right milk bottle for your baby.
Following are some of the factors you need to consider:
1. The material of the bottle: glass, plastic or silicone
Plastic baby bottles
Most parents love plastic baby bottle due to its lightweight and durability. There are 4 types of plastic baby bottles:
- Baby bottles made with Polypropylene (PP) are durable and economical. But PP bottles can only withstand temperatures up to 120°C, they tend to lose transparency over time following repeated sterilization due to thermal degradation. Thus, it is important to change your PP milk bottles once every 3 months or when you observe any changes in the bottle’s texture or clarity.
- PES (Polyether sulphone) bottle is tougher and safer than PP bottle as it can withstand heat as high as 180°C. However, it is good to change your PES bottle once every 6 months because all plastic bottles can easily scratch and collect odours.
- PPSU (polyphenylsulfone) bottle is the best choice among all the plastic baby bottles! PPSU is a medical-grade plastic commonly used in medical devices requiring repeated sterilization. It is naturally BPA-free, more durable and heat-resistant than PP and PES. PPSU baby bottles are highly transparent with a yellow tinge. Due to hygiene reasons, we still need to change the PPSU bottle once every 12 months.
Tip: When choosing a plastic milk bottle, we need to always look for bottles that are labelled as BPA-free. BPA is a chemical used in some plastics that has been linked to health concerns.
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Glass baby bottles
Glass bottles are durable and sterilizer safe. There are no potentially harmful chemicals in glass that could leach into your baby’s milk. However, due to the weight and concern of breakage, they are generally not used for babies who are self-feeding. If you prefer a glass bottle, you can choose one that comes with a silicon sleeve!
Silicon baby bottles
A silicone bottle is a good choice too! It is durable, lightweight, and easy to clean. Silicone is non-toxic, sterilizer safe and will not release harmful chemicals into a baby’s drink; but they are usually more expensive than plastic or glass bottles.
2. Teat shape and size
Teats come in different shapes and sizes. Some babies prefer wider nipples, while others prefer narrower ones. If your baby needs a transition from breastfeeding to bottle feeding, you may choose a bottle with a wide and shorter teat or teat that is flat on one side. These teats are specially designed to mimic a mother’s breast, helping your baby adapts to the changes more quickly. In terms of the material of the teat, there are two types: silicone is firm and durable; latex is softer and doesn’t last as long.
Tip: You can try a few sizes and styles of teat to see what works best for your baby.
3. Check for anti-colic features
Colic happens most commonly in newborns during their first 6 weeks of life. It can be very challenging for new parents as it causes frequent, prolonged and intense crying or fussiness in a healthy baby. As such, it is good to choose a baby bottle that is designed to reduce the amount of air your baby ingests while feeding, which can help reduce colic.
Tip: Opt for bottles with anti-colic features such as venting systems or angled nipples.
4. Check for compatibility with your breast pump
If you plan to pump milk and bottle-feed your baby, make sure the bottles you choose are compatible with your breast pump.
5. Consider the ease of cleaning:
Some bottles have narrow necks that can be difficult to clean, while others have multiple parts that need to be washed separately.
Tip: To save time on bottle cleaning, you may choose a wide-neck bottle that is easy for cleaning.
Whether you plan to pump your breast milk or feed your baby with formula milk, a baby bottle is a must-have item! Use the tips above to narrow down your choices on picking a baby bottles that is safe and practical for daily use!