68: My New Favorite Bottle for Newborns
Quick Takeaways
There are multiple factors to finding the right fit bottle.
Most flow bottles sold for newborns are too fast for most newborns.
Dr. Brown's bottles have a nice range for babies, but they don’t usually come with the ideal nipple.
The Pigeon Super Slow Flow Bottle is a great option for most newborns.
You don't need to buy separate nipples with Pigeon bottles.
A slow flow nipple in one brand is not the same in another.
There's no standard for milk flow rates based on labels.
Hey Mama, I have a quick announcement before we get to the show. If you think you would be interested in checking out a newborn feeding course that will have you well prepared to feed your baby your way, and includes lots of current information for common issues, then I have exciting news. The Newborn Preparation and Feeding Course that I have created in partnership with Baby Boldly is now available! Even more exciting is that the first half is free, so you can be sure that it's a good fit for you before you purchase and be left with some good info even if you don’t. I feel really proud of this course and I'm excited to share it. I'll put a link in the show description for direct access to the Baby Boldly website.
Hey Mama, today I want to share a new bottle and flow rate I am really liking for newborns. I don’t typically like to push specific brands because I believe there are multiple factors to finding your right fit and don’t want parents to think they have to get a certain brand or spend a certain amount of money for feeding to go well. But since I get asked this question so frequently, and since I do believe flow rates are typically too fast for most newborns, I’m going to share specifics. Because let’s face it, sometimes we really do just want a specific recommendation.
It’s no secret that I like Dr. Brown’s bottles for newborns. They come in 4 ounce bottles, they have the option for glass, and their flow rates have a really nice range for babies. Especially ones with coordination issues. They are even generally easy for babies to keep their lips flanged out on (instead of tucked or curled under). Historically, my usual preference is the Dr. Brown’s bottle with the narrow neck transition (or “T”) nipple. Unfortunately, Dr. Browns sell their bottles with the level 1 nipples which is slightly faster and many newborns do have some milk spillage out of their mouth or some gulping until they get their skills going and get a bit bigger. But it’s a pain to have to buy separate nipples given the bottles are not cheap. Plus, so many families keep all the nipples together and accidentally end up mixing them up or not consistently using the same one. So they might use level 1 this feed and the Transition nipple the next. This is… not ideal. Also, there are a lot of parts to clean on the Dr. Brown’s bottle, including parts that require a little tube brush. But the flow rate options are great and you can pivot easily without changing your bottle system should you need to. This is one reason that speech language pathologists working with babies to help them learn to better coordinate sucking-swallowing-and breathing frequently are familiar with and like the Dr. Brown’s bottles. So I still really like them! If this is what you are going for, or it’s already on your list, or definitely if it is working for you- please don’t change it.
But there’s a new bottle that I have been eyeing for some time and I am impressed. It’s the Pigeon Super Slow Flow bottle and nipple. It also comes in a smaller 5 oz bottle, with the glass or plastic option. The nipple shape is great, narrow with a nice slope, encouraging that lip flanged position. And the “SS” or super slow flow rate is a really great one for most newborns. Although this is still not a cheap bottle, it is like the Dr. Brown’s bottles, in that the quality allows for more uses before the nipples stretch or get gummy (many cheaper bottles warp or the nipples get funky in which case you need to throw them away.). Another perk is that the bottles come with the SS nipple! So you don’t need to purchase any separately. The venting system is also built into the nipple rather than the series of tubes so it’s less parts to wash. If you haven’t decided on your bottle yet, I suggest giving this one a try.
If you want to know more about signs that your baby’s bottle is too fast check out next week’s episode where we dive into the signs that mean the flow rate is too fast for your baby. And remember, that a “slow flow” or a “newborn” nipple label in one brand is not the same flow rate in another. And that there is no standard for the speed at which the milk comes out of those bottles. If you need help choosing a bottle system for your baby, or have specific questions shoot me an email at Barbara@FeedingbyJanuary.com. I’d love to hear from you!
Links mentioned in the show:
Email me with your bottle questions!: Barbara@FeedingByJanuary.com
Check out the Newborn Feeding Course and sign up for the first free half!