When to Switch Bottle Nipples

I have a son that will be a year old on may 30th. One thing to remember tooo is if they start to chew on the nipples it might wear them out faster. I know when my kids started gettin their teeth in they started to chew on them to help with the teething. Also I only sterlized the bottles right after i bought them. I found that every time i did it with my first two kids they would get an infection in their mouth. As soon as i stopped sterlizing them they stopped gettin the infection. Like the one person said the dishwasher thing and just soaking them with hot soapy water works.

The nipple you have shouldn't wear out. They are silicon and should last. I would say that you should go to the level 2 nipples when it seems like the baby is having a harder time getting formula, or is crying during the feeding-not getting food fast enough.

Hi A.,
The nipples shouldn't wear out for awile. I never had to get new ones. As long as you check them and they aren't cracked or anything I would use them. I didn't switch to faster nipples until about 7 months or so. Every child is different so if your little one seems frusterated when he is eating he may need a faster nipple. My son didn't get used to a fast nipple until then. He choked on the formula. It was quite a mess. Good luck.
Chris

I'm with the other moms. You really don't need to sterilize every day. If it makes you feel better, then do it once a week. Nipples almost NEVER wear out. Unless you see damage on them, they are fine. Don't stress yourself out too much with uneccesary things, there's always enough stress as the mom of a young baby!!!!

I decided to move to a #2 nipple when my kids got frustrated during feedings. They'd cry or fuss instead of just eating - apparently milk wasn't coming out fast enough for them. The first few times on a #2, they'd choke a little because they go at it with the same vigor as a #1 nipple, but then they adjusted. If your son doesn't adjust after the first couple feedings (and there's more milk ON him than IN him), I'd go back to using a #1 for a while.

As for "wearing out," I would think you could just look at the nipple and tell if it's cracked or tearing or worn out. You only need to sterilize the nipples before the very first use.

Congrats on your baby - I hope he's sleeping well for you. Mine still aren't ;)

A.

You should not have to sterlize the bottles now, check with your ped. Do you have a dishwasher?? My daughter is 9 months old and still on the first size nipple, she is content.

If your baby is a normal healthy newborn you do not have to sterilize the nipple or bottles. The nipples do not wear out in any particular time but if they start to show wear certainly get new ones. You could buy some level 2 nipples and try them if your son can handle the faster flow- then use them-

Hi!
I have a 4 year old and a 5 month old. With my second son I noticed he spit up at every feeding, whereas my first son never did, he too has acid reflux, my pedi put him on some cereal when he was 2 wks old, I did lessen the dose as he started keeping it down. As for the nipples, do you have a dishwasher? If so, there is a bottle/nipple holder you can buy, this does the washing and sterilizing together, the nipples keep there form and seem to last forever. I changed the nipples when Drew started eating more, to a step 2, plus I cut them a little for the cereal to come out.

My son (also with reflux, but on meds for it) Wasn't able to move to stage 2 nipples until I think he was 6 months old or so. It depends more on how your son is handling it than anything, If he's still drinking from the stage one with no troubles, and it's not too small for his mouth, I would keep him on it.

Wearing out for nipples is more when they start to crack, or fit improperly in the ring that attatches them to a bottle.. I don't think the whole first year that we actually wore out a single nipple.