kids-toy

Bottles and nipples are used when breastfeeding becomes impossible for various reasons. They are also useful for those babies who are breastfed: first for drinking water, and later for juices, liquid cereals and mashed potatoes.

Kind

small bottle — a container for the food needed by the baby.

Nipple — attached to the bottle and provides feeding to the baby, and also replaces the mother’s breast (sucking reflex). The nipple has one or more holes through which the food from the bottle enters the baby’s mouth.

Important: Be sure to use a cap that protects the nipple from external influences between feedings. The nipple should be covered with a cap if you take the bottle with you, and also if it just sits for a long time.

Dummy — unlike the pacifier, it serves only to satisfy the sucking reflex of the baby. The pacifier has no holes.

Holder pacifiers – prevents the pacifier from falling on the floor or the ground, and hence its contamination. Attaches to baby’s clothing with a clip.

cup — a cup closed with a lid with a spout or a straw. Helps your baby move from a bottle with a pacifier to independent drinking from «adult» cups. The sippy cup compares favorably with a regular cup in that it does not allow liquid to spill onto the baby.

Spout (tube) – is attached to a sippy cup (bottle) and serves for comfortable drinking.

Feeding set — includes the necessary items for feeding the baby. The set for babies includes several bottles and nipples, as well as caps and coasters; for older children — plates, cups, spoons, forks.

bib — a piece of clothing that covers the upper chest of the baby and protects his clothes from contamination during meals.

Container — container for storing baby food. There are also containers in which pacifiers can be carried to ensure they are clean.

Thermal bag – maintains the original temperature of the contents in the bottles. Thus, the bottle will be cool in summer and warm in winter. Good for walking or traveling with a baby.

Breast pad – absorbs leaking milk, keeping the breasts dry between feedings.

Brush — Designed to wash the bottle. It is made of materials that do not damage the nipple and do not scratch the surface of the bottle. With this brush, cleaning the container will become simple and convenient.

Important: The brush should be changed every 2-3 months.

Sterilizer – easily and quickly disinfects bottles and nipples. It can be electric steam and steam (for microwave).

Important: The bottle and teat must be sterilized after each feeding. If there is no sterilizer, then you can fill them completely with water and boil for 5 minutes.

small bottle

Form

Standard — a narrow elongated bottle. A versatile option that is equally well suited for both liquid mixtures and drinks. Often used for very young children.

Ergonomic — often has a notch in the middle (waist), which makes it more comfortable for the child. This bottle will be the best option for older children.

curly (including triangular, polyhedral) — more convenient to hold, but suitable for children who can already independently hold various objects. In addition, curly-shaped bottles are more difficult to wash.

• bottle with handles
• Ergonomic bottle

Neck

Standard — occurs most often. Most nipples will fit this neck.

wide – makes it easier to clean the bottle and fill it with mixtures.

Material

Glass – a durable and easy-care material that tolerates repeated sterilizations well. However, the glass bottle is heavy for infants who may drop it and break it, causing them to cut themselves. Therefore, it makes sense to use such bottles for older children.

Important: it is better to opt for more expensive bottles made of heat-resistant glass. Cheap containers can simply burst during sterilization.

Plastic — combines low weight and high strength. The plastic bottle does not shatter when dropped, making it a good choice for little ones. In addition, plastic can be given any shape. However, with frequent sterilization, such a bottle fades and loses its transparency. There are disposable plastic containers that are sold already sterilized.

Important: when choosing a plastic bottle, pay attention to its safety for the health of the baby. The material must be free of phthalates, PVC and BPA.

Silicone — lightweight and durable material that can withstand high temperatures well. Due to the softness of the silicone bottles, they can be squeezed, which is useful when feeding the baby with mashed potatoes and thick mixtures.

Volume of containers

The volume of the bottle can vary from 30 to 330 ml. It should be selected based on the age of the child. For a two-month-old baby, a bottle of up to 120-125 ml is suitable, older children can purchase a capacity of 250-260 ml.

Important: Bottles should be of a size that fits easily into a refrigerator, drawer or sterilizer.

Quantity

If the baby is breastfed, then it is enough to have 1 small (100-150 ml) and 1 large (250-300 ml) bottles. The first is for water, the second is for expressed milk. If it is not possible to breastfeed the baby, and he is on artificial or mixed feeding, then 2 small (for water) and 6 large (for mixtures) bottles will be required.

Nipple

Form

Plain (round) — repeats the shape of the mother’s nipple. A good option for the smallest children who are breastfed or mixed.

Anatomical (orthodontic) — has different shapes (flattened, elongated). Such a nipple follows the shape of the baby’s palate and helps the correct formation of the arch of the palate.

• Regular nipple
• Anatomical nipple

Material

Silicone — it is odorless and does not cause allergies, it can last for several years, however, it is not cheap.

Latex — softer and cheaper than silicone, but short-lived — darkens and cracks, and also has a taste of rubber. The latex nipple should be changed every 2 weeks.

food flow

This indicator means the volume of food flow and its pressure. The flow of food depends on the size of the hole or the number of holes in the nipple. It is indicated on the packaging by numbers from 0 to 5.

«Mini» (0) — pacifiers are designed for babies under 6 months of age to take additional liquids (juice and tea). However, we must remember that they are needed only for those children who are fed mixtures. Breastfed babies do not need extra fluids.

Slow (1) — the best option for babies up to 6 months and premature babies. Good for juice and tea for older children.

Average (2) — used for children from 6 to 12 months. It is recommended for tea to a child who has already reached 12 months.

Quick (3) — intended for children over 12 months old. It should be noted that such a nipple is not suitable for thick food.

For porridge (4) — for porridge and other thick foods.

Adjustable (5) — the best option for children from 3 months. Allows you to easily set slow, medium or fast food flow.

Important: The size of the hole in the nipple should not be too big or too small. In the first case, it will be very easy for the baby to suck, and he may refuse to breastfeed, in the second, he will quickly get tired and lose interest in such a nipple.

For liquid food, the number of holes in the nipple should be less, for thick food — more.

Equipment

measuring scale — is located on the outer surface of the bottle and allows you to prepare the exact amount of the mixture, as well as monitor the amount of liquid drunk by the baby. It is better if its divisions are convex, and not drawn, as they can be erased. They must be multiples of 30 ml with marks in milliliters and grams.

Anti-colic system — equalizes the pressure inside the bottle, which prevents the baby from swallowing air while eating. Bottles with an anti-colic system are found in 2 types — reservoir (with a built-in system) and with a tubule in the nipple. It is better to stop at reservoir ones, which, although they are more expensive, are more reliable and efficient. But bottles with such a system are more difficult to wash.

Non-spill valve – built into the sippy spout. Provides comfortable drinking for baby without the risk of spilling liquid.

Thermal indicator — measures the temperature of the contents of the bottle. It is enough to stick it to the container to see how warm the food is for the baby.

For weakened babies (for example, premature babies, with sucking problems) — there are such items:

• additional feeding systems to increase or resume lactation;
• bottles with a smaller capacity (10-25 g);
• special drinking spoons (including for babies with lip defects).

Handles — provide the child with a comfortable grip of the bottle. They are worn on the neck or built into the bottle. Bottles with handles are suitable for babies over 8-10 months old.

Council

• It is better to opt for products from well-known manufacturers — they are certified and tested to confirm safety.
• Buy bottles and nipples from the same manufacturer. Then you will not have problems with their compatibility and possible fluid leakage. The same applies to the brush needed to clean the bottle.
• Inspect bottles and teats regularly. If damage, cracks, plaque are noticed, then replace such items.
• Before each feeding, check to see if the hole has widened. To do this, turn the bottle upside down and determine how the milk flows out: freely or with pressure. The best option — milk comes in small drops.

Manufacturer

When buying a pacifier or bottle for a baby, you must immediately discard Chinese and unknown brands, for example, Bead, Sun and Moon, ECO-PUPS. Such models can be generally dangerous for the health of the child, since there are few of them on sale and there are no reviews on them at all. Among inexpensive bottles, you can choose some products from Canpol babies, Baby Team, Baby-Nova, Lindo, Nuby. Before buying, be sure to read the compositions, look at the certificates of compliance with sanitary standards. It is advisable to study specific models — there is a high probability of size deviation from the norm, which can lead to colic, complicating the baby’s digestion.

Still, it is better to buy models of already proven and reliable brands Dr.Brown, Chicco, Medela, NUK, Philips, Tommee Tippee. These companies conduct thorough research to release their products, use the most environmentally friendly and safe materials, and often have an anti-colic system. It is worth remembering that it is categorically not recommended to save on such products, because the well-being and health of the child may depend on it!