Bottles Product Summary Score
Comotomo Baby Bottle Review 2017
Philips Avent Natural Glass Bottle Review 2017
Playtex BPA Free Premium Nurser Bottles Review 2017
Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Fiesta Bottle Review 2017
Baby Bottles – what they’re all about?
Ever since the first ever baby bottle was manufactured in the shape that we all know and love nowadays, this convenient means of getting the milk into your baby, so to speak has been nothing short of a revelation, making the life of many young mothers much easier. Especially if for whatever reason, she’s not able to breastfeed her baby.
In the early stages of the development of this monumental baby-feeding utensil, the material of choice has always been glass. This made sense because every other drinking utensil of that time was also typically made of glass, so it would only come naturally to the designers of the first modern-day best baby bottles to make them using this commonly-found material. And, it worked like a charm for a long period of time, since glass has excellent warmth-retaining properties and it’s easy to sanitize and wash.
However, as new artificial materials came into play, so did the material of choice for these crucial nursing products change accordingly. For example, when plastic started getting introduced into the equation, manufacturers suddenly started making new kinds of the best baby bottles out of plastic! Perhaps the only problem with this otherwise fairly reasonable decision is a certain issue that presented itself a bit later on- the BPA. This ingredient was initially introduced into the plastic bottles to make them more durable and protecting the food or liquid substances from various kinds of bacteria. However, some recent studies have shown that BPA can be harmful to people if it gets mixed up in the food inside a plastic container. Therefore, many manufacturer’s solutions were to make BPA-free plastic bottles, which seems to have solved the problem.
On the other hand, alternative solutions, such as silicone-based baby bottles have also entered the market for these useful nursing objects, and surely enough, it’s only a matter of time when yet another material may start getting into play.
So, if you’ve been thinking about getting yourself a baby bottle, it’s not a bad idea to acquaint yourself with the various intricacies of nursing equipment, because you’ll be able to make the best purchase in the end of the day. To help you out in this quest, we’ve done our homework and are presenting to you an informative article that can hopefully help you buy some of the best baby bottles out there in the first try!
The Types of Baby Bottles:
Generally speaking, a baby bottle is a simple enough milk container that doesn’t really require that much introduction. However, before we list the types of this beloved nursing contraption, it’s worth mentioning that every baby bottle, whether big or small, consists of three elements: bottle, lid, and nipple.
The way it all works is also simple enough: the bottle serves as a container for the liquid, the nipple simulates the actual nipple of a woman, so it’s soft and squishy and it has a small hole on the top. The lid is there to connect the nipple with the bottle, and that would be it for standard models, pretty much. When it comes to some of the more advanced ones, however, the lid may be enhanced with a regulator of sorts, or there may be a measuring grid printed on the bottle!
Standard Baby Bottles
Assuming the first place in this run-down, the standard baby bottle is the simplest one, with pretty much only the basic three components we’ve mentioned above to take into consideration. Possibly the best thing about them is their sheer simplicity, making them easy to use as well as clean. All you need to do is unscrew them, pour the milk into them, and then proceed to feed your baby! After your baby’s finished with its meal, simply wash off the excess milk, clean the bottle in warm water, and voila!
Another great thing about them is that you can find them virtually anywhere, from pharmacies to convenience stores. (of course, it’s your safest bet to buy them at a pharmacy) They come in all shapes and sizes, so you can buy a couple of them to have at your disposal as your baby gets too big for one size. This is perhaps the only downside to these otherwise rather brilliant bottles, as you’ll probably have to buy more than one. (some other models have a flow regulator attached to its lid so you can change it as your baby gets older)
Vented Baby Bottles
If your baby often suffers from flatulence and stomach unrest, one of the solutions may be to get yourself a vented baby bottle. These upgraded versions of the typical model we’ve grown to know and love represent some of the best baby bottles on the market today, as they manage to regulate the annoying and potentially flatulence-inducing air bubbles that tend to accumulate in the bottle. When babies swallow this tiny bubbles they can experience excessive flatulence, which is not that much of a disaster in itself, but it’s better not to have it than to have it.
The vented baby bottles keep the air away by means of a simple vent that’s typically installed at the bottom of a bottle so that it drives away excess air from it and enables your baby to, by sucking, take in only milk, or whichever liquid you’ve chosen to put in the bottle. The downside to these vented models is that the clean-up process might take some extra time due to the extra parts that make the ventilation work. Also, they’re somewhat more expensive than the regular ones, which may be something you need to take into consideration, especially if you’re working on a budget.
Baby Bottles with Angled Necks
As their name suggests, the necked baby bottles are a type of bottles that are angled at the neck, making the feeding somewhat easier than with a regular bottle. This especially makes sense if you dislike having to position your hand awkwardly while you’re feeding your baby. With this tilted bottle, you can rest the bottle on the bed, couch or whatever surface is close to you, and then gently support it as your baby is suckling on it.
These models also ensure that the air doesn’t compromise the quality of the milk, as well as prevents flatulence that can otherwise occur if there is too much air in the mixture. All in all, a great variation on the baby bottle worth taking into consideration when buying a new model!
Baby Bottles with Widened Necks
The most notable difference between the wide-necked bottles and the usual bottles is perhaps a rather obvious one- they have necks that are a bit wider than the usual ones! This may not seem like that much of a big deal, but there are certain aspects in which these widened models perform better in comparison to the standard ones.
The milk flow, for example, with these bottles, will be faster as wider necks mean that more liquid will be able to pass through to the artificial nipple. Perhaps the only issue with these models is that they don’t really perform well if you try to stick the top of a standard bottle of the widened version since the size for the wider version will be somewhat larger. So, if you’d like to get yourself a wider bottle, do keep in mind that you can just use the spare parts from some of your older bottles to replace the ones from the larger one.
Bottles with Disposable Liners
For those people who just can’t be bothered with washing their nursing equipment over and over again, getting yourself a bottle with a disposable liner may be a great solution! While there are disposable bottles you can use once and then throw away, these models with disposable liners offer a bit different user experience.
For example, if you’re about to go on a field trip, and need to carry your nursing equipment with you, obtaining a set of disposable liners may be an excellent idea! You just insert the liner into the bottle, fill it with milk, and then throw it away after you’ve used it.
What should we pay attention to when looking for the best baby bottles?
Getting yourself (that is your baby) a brand new baby bottle can be a tricky task since there are so many models to choose from that the entire experience can get a bit head-spinning for a young mother. Therefore, acquainting yourself with the basics of ‘baby-bottlery’ can give you a massive advantage in your quest for a perfect nursing utensil! Read on to find out about BPA-free bottles, delicately carved hand grips, and most importantly- naturally-shaped silicone nipples!
The material of choice
As varied and complicated these seemingly simple utensils tend to get, when it comes to the kind of material they’re made of, the story is fairly straightforward. The majority of the models you can find nowadays are made out of either plastic, glass or somewhat more rarely- stainless steel. Whatever the material of choice, all of them can be said to do their job well. The differences come into play mostly when it comes to their longevity. Let’s see what that’s all about:
Plastic baby bottles: Relatively inexpensive and easy to obtain, plastic baby bottles are the usual weapons of choice for many young mothers. The typical malleability of plastic enables various manufacturers to come up with innovative and cheeky shapes that are not only pleasant-looking but also feature different kinds of ergonomic grips for good measure!
Another important feature of this material is that it’s relatively lightweight and durable, so you won’t have to worry about accidentally dropping it to the floor. That being said, the baby bottles made of plastic do have their arch-nemesis, and that is- hot water. (anything hot really, high temperature and plastic don’t exactly go hand in hand) So, make sure to sterilize your plastic bottle in some way which does not include hot water or steam, as they might bend out of shape and become completely useless.
Glass: In the past, when the first baby bottles started getting mass produced, the choice of material was almost exclusively always glass. And for good reason, too. Glass features some great durability characteristics, as it can be used for a number of years without ever showing signs of wear, or retaining some of the tiny traces of food over time like plastic bottles usually do.
On the downside, glass bottles do tend to be quite brittle, so dropping them on a hard surface will almost always result in a complete demise of your favorite nursing utensil. Also, they are typically much heavier than their plastic counterparts.
Stainless Steel models: Last but not least, the stainless steel baby bottle is a kind of milk container that isn’t really that popular among the young mothers. This is mostly due to the price of these high-end nursing contraptions, which can be several times higher than that of the plastic or glass models. If you choose to get yourself one, though, you’ll sure to enjoy the following characteristics of this exquisite material:
First of all, they’re quite tough and definitely, won’t break if you happen to drop them to the floor. Also, it will keep the temperature of the milk to the desired level for a period of time, as this material possesses excellent insulating properties. About the only downside of these bottles is the fact that they aren’t see-through, which may a bit irritating as you won’t know exactly how much milks is there left in it.
The typical sizes of baby bottles
Although baby bottles can be found in all shapes and sizes, the most common models can hold up to 4 oz. The biggest ones go up to 8oz, and there are, of course, different models for every size in between.
Nipple material
When it comes to the material of choice for the top part of the bottle on which the baby suckles, better known as- the nipple, manufacturers typically go with either latex or silicone. The latex versions are less expensive, but will eventually show signs of wear, while silicone ones are significantly more durable, although a bit pricey, in all fairness.
A bit more on the artificial nipples – the shape
Baby bottle nipples are produced in two different shapes: the standard one, resembling the actual nipple, and the orthodontic one which is specifically enhanced so that it fits perfectly in your baby’s mouth. Unsurprisingly, the standard ones are the less costly variant here.
Yet more info about nipples – the size
The size of the nipple your baby’s sucking onto is a really important thing that’s always worth taking into consideration. The smaller versions are typically best suited for very young babies, possibly those who are trying a baby bottle for the first time. As your baby grows bigger, of course, you may want to get it a larger nipple as the milk flow will be greater as well.
The assembly- how complicated can it get?
Typically, a baby bottle consists of just a couple of parts- usually three: the bottle, lid, and the nipple. Therefore, the assembly is not something you’ll have to worry about, at least when it comes to standard bottles.
For some of the more elaborate versions, though, the additional parts such as liners and specialized lids may take a bit more time to clean up and get ready for another feeding session. Still, nothing too horrible.
Additional features of the more complex models
Filling lines: These usually come in the shape of a simply printed line with measurements written on it. A simple and useful addition to your nursing bottle.
Protective covering cap: Used for covering up the nipple, covering caps can be useful means of protecting the often sensitive nipples that these bottles possess.
Handgrips: Certain models come fully equipped with a couple of handgrips as well. These are meant to be used by babies when they’re old enough to hold a bottle on their own.
To wrap it all up, a short overview of the best models corresponding to the above mentioned categories:
The best baby bottle with a disposable liner:
When it comes to these handy variations on the standard baby bottles, these Playtex liners are a great way to keep your nursing gear close to you when you head out on a field trip! Of course, obtaining one of the Playtex bottles as well is even better!
Best Baby Bottles resembling breastfeeding:
- Comotomo Baby Bottle (8 ounces)- With an additionally widened neck area, this Comotomo model is one of the best baby bottles for babies who are just getting used to baby bottles. A must-have if you’re switching from breastfeeding to bottles!
- Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Fiesta Bottle (9 ounces)- Another bottle with a wide neck comes in the shape of this Tommee Tippee Fiesta Bottle. What’s more, this model also has a wider nipple base for better grip!
- Comotomo Natural Feel Baby Bottle (5 ounces)- If you appreciate the Comotomo’s wide neck but don’t need a particularly large model (we’ve mentioned above), you can try out this scaled-down 5-ounce version instead!
Best Glass Baby Bottle:
- If a glass is what you’re going with, the Philips Avent baby bottle might be a great solution for you. It features a twin-valve system that prevents flatulence AND has a high-quality silicone nipple! What’s not to love?
All in all, we hope that this article helped you get a better idea of what your future baby bottle may be. There is a great amount of models currently available on the market, and many of them are surely worth taking into consideration. The models we’ve suggested to you above are, in our opinion, the best ones you can currently purchase.