The first thing to know about baby bottles is that some are better than others! Every baby has unique oral anatomy, which means that a bottle that works really well for one infant might be a poor choice for another infant. However, there are several bottles that I recommend starting with to avoid some of the common frustrations that come with bottle feeding: slow feeds, poor latches, and leaking bottles. I have personally used each one of the bottles recommended below.
It doesn’t matter if a baby is breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, or both: the baby needs to be able to latch well in order to maintain a healthy suck. Bottles that have wide bases allow for a deeper latch. If a bottle has a narrow base, the baby will suck with the front of their mouth, which is not ideal because feedings will take much longer and the baby is likely to become frustrated with the slow flow. It is especially important for babies who are both breastfeeding and bottle-feeding to be offered a bottle with a wide base because babies need to learn to open their mouths wide to breastfeed efficiently and without causing pain to the mother.
Recommended Bottles for Newborn Babies:
The Dr. Brown’s is my favorite bottle for a few reasons. Firstly, it’s easy to hold and, though it may look complicated at first, it’s easy to assemble and disassemble. Secondly, the nipple is long enough to reach a baby’s soft palate while also providing a wide base for the baby’s lips. Third, it’s a relatively inexpensive option and can be found in most stores. I have seen many babies successfully switch between breast and bottle-feeding with the help of Dr. Brown.
I love how easily babies are able to achieve a wide latch with the Evenflo Balance bottle! The base of this bottle is so wide, it’s basically impossible to feed with a shallow latch on this option. Unfortunately, I rarely see these bottles in stores but they are easy to order online.
The Lansinoh Breastfeeding bottle looks pretty similar to the Evenflo Balance bottle. Once again, successful bottle-feeding is all about achieving a proper latch.