Video:Choosing Baby Bottles

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Transcript:Choosing Baby Bottles

Hi I am Kathy Moore for About.com Parenting. Regardless of whether you choose to breast-feed or use formula to feed your infant, you will need baby bottles. This program offers some tips on selecting the best style of bottle for you and your child.

Baby Bottle Shapes and Sizes

Bottles come in many shapes and sizes. Some styles are slanted or angled. Others offer a vented airflow system, which is supposed to help prevent gas pain associated with bottle feeding. Most bottles are made from plastic, but glass bottles are available too.

Baby Bottles for Breast Pumps

A few styles of bottles even have the ability to connect directly to a breast pump. Others provide a holder only bottle format where the milk is actually placed into plastic liner bags, which then fit inside the holder bottle. Both of these systems are a great time-saver for if you plan to pump any breast milk for your baby. Using a liner system also reduces clean up time.

Newborns only consume a few ounces of milk at each feeding, so using a smaller 4 ounce version of any bottle may be easier to handle in the beginning.

Baby Bottle Nipples

Bottle nipples also come in different styles and sizes. Be sure to purchase nipples sized to work with the bottles you select.

Nipples are made from latex or silicone, and are sized to grow with your infant. Manufacturers mark the nipples with a hole sizing scale and the packaging also usually lists the average age of the baby who would use a particular size. As babies grow, they can swallow more and want the milk faster, so larger holes and or more holes in the nipples are needed.

Be sure to inspect your bottles nipples regularly. If the nipple becomes cracked, torn or shows other signs of excessive wear, replace the nipple. Nipples could be a chocking hazard if a piece breaks off.

If you are unsure as to which style of bottle is best for you and your baby, choose one or two brands and test them out. Your baby will be a great research partner as you determine which bottle works best for both of you.

Thanks for watching. To learn more, visit us on the Web at parenting.about.com.