Bottle Feeding Products
Have you had the experience of going to create your baby registry, standing in the aisle of a big box store, and feeling paralyzed by all of the choices? So have I, and I want to help you out. Today I’m sharing my favorite bottle feeding products. Although each family’s needs vary, these products come highly recommended!
I breast-and bottle-fed all three of my kids! Some of these recommendations are specifically for formula-feeding moms, while others will be helpful for combo-feeders or exclusively pumping moms.
Bottles
I breastfed all of my babies, and it was important to me that they could also take a bottle. None of my children had no issues going between the breast and the Philips Avent bottles. If your baby is picky, you may need to try a few brands before you land on one that works for your baby.
As far as bottles go, Comotomo is the clear front runner for moms concerned about baby alternating between breast and bottle. If you’re interested in a budget-friendly glass option, try Mason Bottle. You use your own glass jars as the “bottle,” using the attachments to fit the nipple onto it. Dr. Browns is a highly recommended glass option, as well. Try the preemie nipple for slow flow. If you’re interested in saving time washing bottles, check out these Playtex Drop-ins. Mamas also love the Boon drying rack and bottle brush to help with clean up.
On the Go
To avoid messy formula powder situations, many mamas recommended something like this Baby Powder Formula Dispenser. You may also want to invest in a bottle cooler for on the go, like this one from Tommee Tippee, or you can do it the old fashioned way, with a small cooler and ice packs.
I personally used a small cooler bag and lunchbox size ice packs any time I needed to travel with milk. It worked perfect and fit easily into my bag.
Gadgets and Miscellaneous Bottle Feeding Products
If you’re researching formula options, check out Beyond Organic Baby or Huggable. These are where many mamas find European formula options. There are so many different choices out there, and no “right” one. The needs of each baby are different.
If you’re planning to bottle feed, you may want to invest in a bottle warmer, like the BEABA bottle warmer because it’s really fast or Dr. Browns.
For formula-feeding mamas
Check out the Baby Brezza Formula Pro. If you are balking at the price, try checking your local buy/sell groups or consignment shops for a used one! Some mamas prefer something less high tech, like the Dr. Brown’s Formula Pitcher. This is especially helpful if you notice your formula tends to clump when you mix it.
For exclusively pumping moms
Hands down, the favorite breast pump brand is the Spectra. They are hospital grade pumps with a reasonable price tag. Before you purchase a breast pump, look into what your insurance may cover. The Spectra S2 is a double pump and saves a lot of time. The Spectra S1 breast pump (same as the S2 but with a battery) is great, too.
I rented the Medela Symphony through my insurance when I was pumping often for my premature twins. It worked so well and I was sad when I had to return it!
Lastly, pumping mamas, don’t forget that you may want to look into purchasing extra pump parts so you don’t need to wash every time. You can search for your pump on Amazon to find compatible parts or order extra through the manufacturer. Make sure that your flange size is correct, as that can greatly impact output. Some mamas like to use Freemies to help with the hands-free aspect, as well as a good pumping bra. Dairy Fairy has some really nice options!
Honorable mention – helping hands
After the first few weeks, my husband and I fell into a nice routine. I was eager to go to bed early because of those exhausting night feeds. Each evening, I nursed my kids right before they went to bed. Then, whenever I was ready to go to sleep, I would pump last thing before falling into bed myself. My husband would do a dream feed with a bottle of expressed breast milk or formula. (If you’re unfamiliar with the dream feed, this article explains it!) This worked well for all of my kids and I was able to get a longer stretch of sleep every night.”
Anything I missed? Let me know your must-haves! Find my recommendations for c-section recovery products here.