My 6-1/2 month old baby still seems to prefer the slow nipples - is this normal/ok? It says on the box 0-4 months, but I assume that's just a guideline, right? The slow flow seems a little too slow (takes her a bit to finish & *sometimes* she sucks harder than it will come out), but the medium flow just seems too fast - milk comes out & runs down her neck/chin (& she gasps/chokes on it more). I'm also a little worried about overfeeding her if she has to drink so fast that she doesn't have time to feel full? We've been trying the medium flow nipples for a couple months now, but it's still the same result. I breastfeed her @ half the time, and that seems to be the perfect flow, of course. Do we just stick with the slow flow for now? Also, stupid question, but do some babies never move on from the slow flow, or is it inevitable but may just take a bit longer?
My daughter used "slow" nipples with her bottles from birth-12mos. I tried several times to up her to a faster nipple and she had no part with it. At 12mos. we took the bottle away and were now onto sippy cups. I don't think it matters what flow you use aslong as baby is happy.
My son is 6 months and I use newborn nipples because he finishes bottles off too quick and gets mad! (Hes used to breast feeding). You dont need to change unless she looks like she's having trouble sucking it out! Hope this helps :)
My oldest switched to fast flow quite early, but my 2nd and 3rd never liked them. We only use fast flow for the times we add cereal to the bottle, and use slow flow the rest of the time. My baby is 7-1/2 months and still only using slow flow. There's nothing wrong with that. I think it's just what he's comfortable with. He can drink out of a sippy cup, so I'm not worried.
You really don't need to switch to a higher flow until it's obvious that SHE is getting frustrated with the slow flow. It's good for her mouth anyway- babies need to suck, and it develops the muscles needed to eat and talk. You could try alternating between a slow flow for one feeding and a medium for the next. After a day you will probably be able to guess her preference.
My son used the newborn nipples until around 9 months. I switched him to medium flow, and around 10 or 11 months I started to introduce a sippy cup. He took the sippy cup well, and looking back I probably could have just started the sippy cup at 9 months instead of spending money on nipples.
When she is sucking harder than it will come out most of the time, and getting frustrated, I would switch her. It will be messy for a week or two, but it wont take long for her to adapt and learn to control the flow.
Also, if she continues with the newborn nipples, keep an eye on the quality of the silicone. After a while they start to break down just a little bit. A few of ours started to turn white, and sometimes they can rip. Most nipples say on the package when they need to be replaced. I used Avent and they suggested replacing them after 3 months...but I think that is probably another marketing tool to get you to spend more money. I just inspected them after washing and only a couple seemed to be worn.
Isaac's also breastfed and he ALWAYS used the slow bottle nipples. (Until he was 11 1/2 months and decided he wanted either the breast or a sippy cup, no bottles!) I think the age guidelines are for babies who are EXCLUSIVELY bottle fed, not for ones who are mostly or even partly breast fed....
