Which Bottle?
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Which Bottle?
Nov 2006
Are there any parents or lactation consultants out there with
recommendations about brands of bottle/nipples to use for a
primarly breastfed baby? My first two babies did well with
playtex drop-in and associated ''breast-like'' nipples. However, I
have not been able to consistently find those products and need a
new suggestion as I prepare to return to work and begin the
glorious pumping routine.
Thanks!
We used Avent. I tried other nipples that were for breastfeeding, but theirs was
the only one that 1. didn't confuse my son, and 2. didn't cause him to chop down
on me hard when switching back and forth.
sarah
I used Avent bottles and nipples, and they worked great. I worked and pumped and
breastfed for four months (after three months at home). My son was happy with
bottle and breast all the way through. Good luck!
anon
I have a 2 1/2 month old who is breastfed, and I have successfully given him
bottles of BF milk since 3 wks old. I have had the most success with The First
Years, Breastflow bottles (Babies R Us). It has a nipple inside of a nipple
design, that makes the baby ''work'' a little more -- making it more like
breastfeeding. I tried the Avent Naturals, which were OK..but he would get milk
all over, and burp...burp alot.
The Breastflow bottles/nipples gave him virtually no gas. I
have also heard good things about Dr. Browns, but no personal experience. --Good
luck!!
Breastfeeding in Oakland
My kids were both very very picky breastfed kids and Dr. Brown's bottles worked
great for both of them (we tried lots of alternatives but that's what they liked).
Available at Rockridge Kids or Babies R' Us.
love Dr. Brown's
I also breast feed and just returned to work. I use the Platex Nurser system with
the drop in liners. They have the ''slow breast-like'' nipples. My son has not had
any problem going back and forth between bottles and breast with the Nurser.
Target in Albany has most everything you need. I also purchases several of the
One-Step Breast Milk Storage Kits - from Amazon.com. They are storage tops for the
liners so you can pump directly into the liners (it comes with converter for
pump). I then either use the milk the next day or freeze it for later use. This
way there are no bottles to clean, just pump parts. Good Luck!
Pumping Mom
The nipples we used were great for the transition between breast and bottle. My
baby never rejected the breast and took his bottles with no problems. We used the
NUK nipples-easily found at Target (you can use them on any bottle)and the Medela
breastmilk storage and feeding set (the nipples are just like the NUK ones) Hope
this helps!
M.R
Our second baby arrived just 4 weeks ago. The lactation consultant at the
hospital recommended Playtex slow flow nipples (which I have been unable to
locate, except online). With my first child, Avent nipples were recommended and
we had good luck with those. Start with the slowest flow nipple, and be sure the
baby's lips surround the wide part of the nipple, not just the tip (to better
simulate nursing at the breast). Best of luck!
Leslie
June 2005
I am trying to select some feeding bottles and freezing
containers. As a first time mother-to-be, I don't have any
knowledge on this. Could anyone please give me some advice on
the number, brand, size, shape of bottles and containers? Thanks
June
The number of bottles you need will depend (as you obviously
know!) on how frequently you use bottles to feed. If you pumping
and storing milk in the fridge and don't want to constantly wash
bottles you'll need at least five small bottles or four big ones.
Initially we started bottle-feeding our 4-week old 5-6 bottles a
week (i.e. not quite one a day). I pumped straight into the
bottle and my son fed right away. I found that a two-pack of
Avent 4 oz bottles was fine as long as we washed them and had
clean ones available regularly.
Now, at nine months, he takes two bottles of 5-6 oz a day. But
because I am pumping in place of his feedings and like to have a
''bank'' of pumped milk in the fridge, I find I like to have four 9
oz Avent bottles and three or four 4 oz bottles. That way I can
pump (use a bottle) and feed (use another) and have back-up in
the fridge (there's at least one other) and some in the
dishwasher (etc.).
I like Avent because they are wide and easy for my son to grasp.
The Medela bottles, however, are great for when I pump at work
because they are slim anbd easy to transport. (BTW, the Medela
pump in style takes Avent and Medela bottles.)
As for freezer bags, I've used Gerber and Medela interchangeably
and they both seem fine. But take a look at the reviews of bags
on store.babycenter.com--lots of opinions there!
Happy nursing!
you'll need (at minimum) four 4ounce bottles for each
pumping session away from your child: 2 to leave at home
from the previous day and two to fill. An extra four bottles for
freezing is also a good idea. I did three feedings away from
home and 16 bottles were adequete. I would recomend a
bottle that fits on your pump and you can use to store, feed
and freeze: both glass and polycarbonate work for that, with
glass transferring less toxins to milk in the warming
process. lansinoh and evenflo make glass bottles. evenflo
makes a nice wide nipple that fits on ''universal'' bottles.
anon
Congratulations on your new one!
I highly recommend Avent bottles and Medela breastmilk bags. I
found that the curved shape of the Avent bottle made it easier
for my first child to go back and forth between the breast and
the bottle. (My second child wouldn't take a bottle from me at
all, but she did fine with the Avent bottles at daycare.)
As your baby gets older, you can change the type of nipple (slow
or fast) and adapt the bottles to your baby's changing needs. You
also can swap the nipple for a beginner's sippy cup top.
The Medela CSF breastmilk bags were easy to fill, easy to store
(I dumped the ice out and filled the ice container in the freezer
with frozen breastmilk) and easy to pour the thawed milk from.
I also used the Gerber bags, which were available at the local
drugstore, in a pinch. They weren't too bad.
You'll find that different moms swear by different bottles and
nipples. In the end, I don't think the type of nipple or bottle
meant as much as the consistency of using the same type.
Here are the links to the two products at Amazon, but they're
available elsewhere on the web:
50-pack breastmilk bags
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000056JEG/qid=1118122673/sr=8-2/ref=pd_csp_2/002-8838150-6736835?v=glance&s=baby&n=507846
Avent 4-ounce bottles (also have 9-oz and a whole set of bottles,
that includes the sippy cup tops and storage tops)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/baby/B000056JND/qid=1118122784/sr=2-3/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_3/002-8838150-6736835
Gwynne
I'd recommend Dr. Brown's bottles. They are very good in helping
to prevent gas/colic. Buy the regular shaped ones so you can
connect them to your pump.
I like Gerber freezer bags for freezing milk.
anon
I didn't start my baby on a bottle until 6 weeks to avoid
nipple confusion. I am using the Medela breast pump that has a
feezer compartment (i use an ice pack) and it is workingout
great. I tried to use the Playtex bottles and nipples but they
were just too long- my baby though she always prefers the ''real
deal'' has done best with the Medela orhtodontic nipple. I am
using the Gerber freezing bags, easy to date and keep on it's
own shelf in the freezer. Probably the best thing i did was to
have my mom- she watches her while i work- give her the bottle
that way baby knows i am strictly breast. good luck! feel free
to email with any other questions.
kriz
We just used the bottles that came with the breast pump (Ameda),
which are a standard size and accept a variety of manufacturers'
nipples (sold separately). They were 4 oz and came with a locking
ring (which holds the nipple) and a disc (which you put in place
of the nipple when you are storing milk). Later we got some other
similar bottles as hand-me-downs and they are all
interchangeable. I don't think there's any reason to buy special
bottles or 'feeding systems' unless there's a persistent problem.
For freezing we used disposable breast milk bags (any brand is
OK). These items are all available at specialty baby stores, the
Kaiser (HMO) store in Oakland, the internet, a few big drug
stores and supermarkets, and possibly even your diaper service.
Usually the instructions say to boil reusable items for 2 minutes
before their first use.
Anon.
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