Which baby bottle is best? Don’t fall for the marketing

- Julie Matheney
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Don’t fall for the marketing. There are SOOOO many bottles out there that claim to be closer to the breast. Honestly, if it’s shaped like the breast, it typical works LEAST like a breastfeeding latch. Here’s my bottle schpiel: if you’ve found a bottle that works for your baby and you’re reaching your feeding goals, there is not necessarily a need to change your bottles. If your baby is clicking, leaking milk, coughing, choking, or taking really large bottles really quickly, pops on and off the latch, consider changing bottles

Pictures here:

Como Tomo: my LEAST favorite bottle system ever. I never recommend this bottle. It promotes a straw-like, narrow latch. The bottles tend to flow really fast as well.

Nanobebe: the same goes for this bottle. It has a short nipple and isn’t tapered from tip to base, promoting a shallow latch. You can see how the baby slides up and down the nipple shank. If baby did this on your breast it would hurt.

Dr Brown’s: This is a very standard bottle that does promote a deeper latch. While I LOVE the Dr Brown’s, it’s still not my favorite bottle for all babies. The long nipple can gag sensitive babies. It does promote a deeper latch.

Lactation Hub Gentle Flow: Designed by an IBCLC lactation consultant, this gradually tapered nipple is so much better for a breastfeeding latch. This system is my second favorite system to recommend for the breastfed baby as it does promote a wider latch than the Dr Brown’s. I have found the do flow faster than the Pigeon nipples of the same flow rate

Evenflo Balance: This is my favorite system. If the Lansinoh/Pigeon/Gentle Flow and the Dr Brown’s had a baby, it would be this bottle. It has the widest taper and a shorter nipple tip to help reduce gagging for sensitive palates while promoting The widest latch. This helps transfer the skills of a wider latch back to breast.

At the end of the day, we all have a favorite mug we like to drink from. The handle is angled just right and the rim the perfect width. If your baby can go back and forth from breast to bottle, go with what works for your baby. If it’s not working for either of you, work with an IBCLC to figure out why.