Once we had a shortlist of 15, our parent-tester Katrĩna, a mum of two, spent several weeks washing bottles repeatedly, filling them, sterilising them, and testing their solidity and safety. NHS (2019b) Sterilising Baby Bottles, Available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/breastfeeding-and-bottle-feeding/bottle-feeding/sterilising-baby-bottles/ [Accessed 3 December 2021] You might find attending one of our NCT New Baby groups helpful as they give you the opportunity to explore different approaches to important parenting issues with a qualified group leader and other new parents in your area. You may hear that you should keep the teat full of milk to avoid swallowing air. However where the milk flow is too fast and not in your baby's control, it is more likely to cause indigestion or gas (Kellymom, 2020). Anecdotally, babies whose parents use paced feeding suffer less from gas (Herman, 2021).

As a rule of thumb, buy how many bottles you think you’d need for a 12-hour period so you’re not constantly washing and sterilising them – life with a new baby is busy enough. What makes a baby bottle safe? Keep an eye on the silicone teats. If they degrade, get damaged or are bitten through, they’ll need replacing immediately so as not to present a choking hazard. If your maternity unit is not yet on this list, you can speak to their infant feeding lead or call the NCT infant feeding support line on 0300 330 0700. What size bottle will my baby need? Pearson-Glaze (2019) Best bottle for a breastfed baby, Available at https://breastfeeding.support/best-bottle-breastfed-baby/ [Accessed 4 December 2021]

She filled each bottle with boiling water and timed how long they could be held comfortably, measured any squirting hot water from the teat due to pressure escaping If your baby seems to be suffering with indigestion, it’s worth trying a few different feed formulas as well as trialling different teats. How do I make up a bottle?

Hurley, K. M., Cross, M. B., & Hughes, S. O. (2011). A systematic review of responsive feeding and child obesity in high-income countries. The Journal of nutrition, 141(3), 495–501. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.110.130047 [Accessed 6 December 2021] Beloved by parents far and wide, this clever little bottle is self-sterilising, leak-proof and surprisingly budget-friendly. The super-soft silicone teat has been designed with a flat shape intended to mimic the nipple when breastfeeding, but it's the faff-free sterilising that sets them apart and earns MAM the top spot in our round-up.If you are mixed feeding (feeding from both bottle and breast) it may help to choose a teat that will encourage your baby to open their mouth wide and take in the whole teat rather than just the tip. Those with a medium wide base and a short to medium nipple length encourage babies to open their mouth wide and cup their tongue around the teat (Pearson-Glaze 2019, Bahr 2010). This article describes it well. When should I change bottle teat size? Almost all bottles on the market include anti-colic features. One of the potential causes of colic and reflux is swallowing too much air during feeds, so bottle designers include venting systems to reduce the amount of air that gets into the milk as the baby drinks. As a parent to an eight-, six- and two-year-old, all of whom were combination-fed as babies, Rachel has years of experience using a wide variety of baby equipment, including baby bottles. That easy-flow teat has one disadvantage: with the hole on the side rather than the top, it makes for more accidental leaks and splashes than other bottles. Sealing discs are provided for transit, which should avoid a damp changing bag. The volume markings are also rendered in a grey that can be difficult to read in dim light.