Bottles!!! - Keller,TX

With my son I started out with Avent but when I found out about BPA in those bottles, I switched to the Gerber Gentle Flow bottle- It is an EXACT copy of Avent [you can even put Avent nipples and rings on it].... except it doesn't leak, and it's BPA-free [as is Avent, now], and has different colored rings, and it is also cheaper. I found them at Walgreens [do you even have Walgreens in Texas?] and they were $2.99 each at the time. They were the best!
I've heard good things about Dr. Brown's as well but I never did try them because washing all of those parts sounded like way too much work on a daily basis.

We used Playtex Nursers for our kiddos. They are the kind with the separate bag or cylinder thingie (drop-ins). I liked them because a. they were the only bottle my daughter would use ( she was a breastfed baby and was choosey about the nipples she'd take...) and b. because you can push out the excess air so the baby gets less gas. The downside is that you have to buy the liners or the drop-ins, which can add up... but you don't have to disinfect the bottles; just the nipples.
Good luck!

Definitely go with the wide-mouth bottles, as their easier than the small-mouth bottles to fill or add formula powder to without making a mess.
The Vent-aires are the ones I choose and, as a childcare provider, I use A LOT of different kinds regularly. They've re-done the Vent-aires so you don't have to worry about perfectly placing that little disc in the bottom to avoid leaks. There is still 5 parts to deal with, but the new bottom is much easier to use.
Avent bottles are good and are only 3 pieces, same with Soothie bottles. There is a new one called Tommy-Tippee, but I'm not a fan as they're really bubbly and that leads to gas. Dr. Browns are good for really gassy babies, but are expensive and a pain to clean, so if you don't have to use them I'd avoid them.
It's really all going to depend on your baby and what your baby likes. Some are really easy and don't care what bottles they use and others are really picky. Buy what you like, but only buy a few and then see how the baby does with them.
Good luck!

I'm not familiar with the brands you just listed; are they regular bottles, or bottles that use bags?

The bottle I used for my son (we adopted him when he was a week old) was the NUK brand. The nipples come in different flow-speeds, so that when they are little the milk/formula comes out more slowly and when they are bigger (and can handle a faster flow) you can switch to the bigger size. They are incredible! The nipples are also designed to best fit your baby's mouth, be good for their gums, and are dentist-approved. You can get the bottles in the 6 oz. size and in a 10 oz. size.

I would recommend this brand to anyone.

God bless!
M. D

Kudos to you for making a decision that works best for your family and being confident! You'll get no flack from this mama - no one has to walk in your shoes or live in your house, so no one should judge you for making a very personal decision.

I used Dr. Brown's with both of my sons and love them. Yes, there are more parts but we didn't find that they were all that horrible to clean. We clean bottles nightly and, with a 10 week old, we are washing about 6-7 bottles. The whole process takes about 10 minutes tops. We started with Avent but switched because A) I hated them and B) my first son was colicky and a happy spitter so we switched at the recommendation of our pediatrician.

Personally, I hated Avent bottles but I know a ton of people love them. I hated that if you didn't screw the lid on *just* right, they'd leak and let me tell you, nothing sucks more than pouring out a few ounces all over yourself in the middle of the night, staining and stinking up your shirt.

We have the smaller, narrow bottles/nipples and both sons took to them just fine. If you are exclusively bottle feeding, then your child will probably like whatever it is that you give to them from the get-go. The only problem I found with the narrow bottles is that the formula powder scoop just fits exactly at the top so you have to be more careful when making the bottles.

Good luck and your child will be just fine!

I use the playtex ventaires and agree with the different parts but love them over all of the other bottles I tried. I also use the playtex drop in systems and love them to death. I use both because finances are tight. If I could afford to do just the drop ins I would.
Nipples - i was told that the wide nipples are best in the beginning or the best for breastfeeding since they are most like the breast. I used the wide for the first 3 months and use both since.

We also exclusively bottle fed. My child has a combination of major heart defects...and even facing that challenge she is as smart as other kids...and has been just as healthy if not more so!

Congrats on sticking to your decision...I applaud the fact that you are doing what is best for your family!!!

Now...bottles. We tried a LOT of different kinds and finally settled on the Dr. Browns bottles. Yeah, there are quite a few pieces but they really aren't that bad to clean. We would use the bottles then give tham a quick rinse and toss them in the sink. At the end of the day I would wash them all up...shake the bottle with soapy water in it, brush the inner pieces and you are done. We used the wide mouth bottles and our daughter did really well with them. She had reflux and her feed amounts doubled when we started using these! two thumbs up!

Hello H.

I was a bottle only mommy too. My kids are happy and healthy. I used the playtex drop in's with the natural latch nipple. Yes, you have to buy the insert, BUT you never have to try and scrub the bottom of the bottle. Very east to clean, especially if you have a dishwasher. I would rinse off the nipple, caps/lids and put them in the dishwasher container and put the bottles in and rarely ever had to scrub. For me, it was worth buying lines to have a simple clean up. I didn't really have any problems with leaking unless the liner slipped. Gassy babies were never really an issue either. All 3 of the babies took to them right away without batting an eye - the hospital bottles/nipple is much different. I loved them.

We bottle fed and used the Gerber NUK bottles/nipples.

Have you thought about glass? Just do a google search on glass bottles, and they have less parts.
H.

The "MAM" brand, is great! Loved it and it is BPA free and does not accumulate air bubbles in the bottle as the baby drinks and the nipples are natural shaped/sized.
You can find it on www.amazon.com
But yes, there are parts to wash. But its not a big hassle.
These bottles are great.
My son, loved it too.

But like anything, each baby will take to a certain bottle/nipple or not. Or one brand over the other.

Every one of my "babies" picked their own nipples, I swear they just would or wouldn't take a particular one. One fussed and threw huge crying fits until we figured out she liked the rubber nipples, another only took to the clear plastic ones, another only ate well with the Dr. browns (and I absolutely hate that bottle, the tube is NEVER clean enough to suit me) he got horrid gas otherwise. My oldest liked the Platex nurser, the list goes on and on. I even have a couple of Advent bottles in the mix from somewhere. J gagged every time I gave him a shaped nipple, like the NUK ones.

I think you'll be okay with which ever you choose. Just remember, the younger they are they need very slow flow nipples so they don't get too much milk and gag. As they age they can use the faster flow.

I second the Playtex drop ins. We also use the Born Free bottles, but they have a lot of parts to wash and the valves often need to be replaced or they start to leak. You may end up spending a little bit more money over time using the drop ins, but I think it is worth it when it comes time to washing out the bottles. I used the Target brand inserts, which are 1/2 the price, until my daughter started taking 8 oz, then I had to switch to the Playtex brand. Target brand claims to go up to 8 oz, but when you add the water it is right at the top so you don't have room to add formula.

Avent all the way :)