Stubborn, Very Stubborn, Baby Bottles

Here we go:  Baby bottles.

They can't really be classified as gadgets, but they often have lots of parts; are covered by many, many patents (look at the packaging sometime); and are an absolute necessity for every child (at least at some point).  So they're almost gadget-like, and thus a good topic for discussion.  (Not to mention that a friend asked that I write about them -- thanks Jo!) 

My first qualm with baby bottles is that there are just too many options!  And the makers of these products are no fools.  Take a look at any bottle packaging and you'll most likely see well-placed and effective marketing.  It's a fact that you're newborn will likely have acid-reflux or an immature esophagus and will like to belch up lots of milk every time you turn around.  It's prevalent in about half of newborns -- a rite of passage, some might say.  Bottle makers are aware of this, and they are ready to pounce on your every emotion to get you to try their bottle in order to keep that white mess from flowing back up.  In addition, bottle makers also seize on the fears of parents that their baby will develop colic through use of an improper bottle (which may simply be a myth). 

But the problem is really that -- no matter what the bottle you try -- odds are you won't be able to completely stop the stuff from coming up!  (Experience tells me so.)  Only time will really solve the problem.

So does that mean that the bottle doesn't make a difference?  No.  I do believe that a good bottle can help tide the upchucks (along with putting the baby in a more upright position, burping often, and finding the correct nipple flow).  But then there's the problem of figuring out which bottle works. 

And again we have a problem.  Each child, like their respective parents, has its own temperament.  (Go figure!)  So trial and error may be the only solution in some instances.  That said, I've had my fair share of trial and error with baby bottles, and like most things, I have my stubborn opinion on which ones are good -- and which ones you are best leaving at the store for another unsuspecting parent to try, figure out it doesn't work, and discard with all the rest.

First up, the sizes: wide or narrow nipple?  Does it really matter?  Answer is, I don't know, but my guess is probably not.  Some articles I've seen on the subject suggest that some babies "prefer" wide nipples, and other articles suggest that breast-feeding mothers should choose wide nipples to deter nipple confusion.  I don't particularly like the wide ones because they tend to overflow often.  I otherwise don't have a preference, but your baby might.  So go with your gut (and baby) on this one, and let us Stubborn Dads know if there's a reason you prefer one over the other.   

Second, I can plainly say that, for a variety of reasons, there are some bottles that I would avoid.  These go in the category of marketing is good, but bottle... not so much.  They come in the most appealing packages, they're snake-like clever in their marketing, and they seek to appeal to your every emotion.  They say things like, "helps prevent fussing and colic" (or some similar empty promise that is hard to substantiate).  Not that their intentions aren't in the right place, but execution is lacking.     

Let's start with the Ventaire by Playtex. 

These bottles are unique in design because they can be opened at either end, and they have an angled neck, which allegedly helps alleviate inner-ear infections in babies. (Any time a bottle is used for feeding, your child has a greater chance of developing an inner-ear infection -- simply putting the baby in an upright position helps negate this possibility.).

My problems with the Ventaire bottles are numerous.  First, I'm not sure it always works.  You can tell when its working by the sound of air escaping the bottom of the bottle.  This means that you can also tell when it's not working -- something that happened often in my experience.  Second, there is a small rubber seal that goes in the bottom of the bottle to perform the "venting" process.  Word of warning here:  If you forget to put this seal in, it won't take you long to figure out that it's not there.  More than once I was the victim of uncontrollable spillage due to this design.  Third, although this is the second-best bottle in terms of retaining nutrients (based on the study discussed below), it's not the first -- and that matters.    

Next, there's the Philips Avent Airflex bottles.

These bottles have a "unique skirt" that purports to allow air to escape naturally while feeding. (See website for explanation.)  As with other bottles, there are also various nipple sizes that you'll need to select for your baby.   

Again, my main problem with the Aventis is that I didn't notice either a lack of spit-up or a lack of fussiness in my little one.  Moreover, I found the wide-mouth nipple to cause incredible spillage when in use.  With no proven ability to stop colic, these bottles also don't offer the added nutrient benefits (see discussion and graph below). 

Then there's the First Years Breastflow bottles. 

These bottles are designed to induce the natural sucking motion that babies use when breastfeeding, while also helping alleviate "fussiness and colic."  This all sounds well and dandy, but I'm not sure that babies really care if the bottle makes them perform the exact sucking motion used when breastfeeding, so long as they're getting milk.  Nipple confusion aside (to the extent that is a definitive problem), this is a non-factor.  Also, these bottles again didn't alleviate the frequency or volume of spit-up or fussiness (thankfully, no issues with colic for us). 

Further, due to the unique nipple design of the First Years, these bottles were a nightmare to operate and clean.  The nipple has two parts, an outer nipple and an inner contraption (for lack of a better description).  During feeding, milk fills the cavity between the two parts and refuses to return to the bottle unless two notches on the inner contraption are squeezed together (which is actually by design).  This additional requirement when using the bottle is frustrating and, moreover, in practice seems to cause more overflow of milk than decreased spit-up.  Thus, the First Years Breastflow is not a winner for me.    

Finally, for those who live by and religiously follow Moms on Call (a great tutorial on baby care, which I highly recommend), I'm sure you're prone to try the inexpensive Gerber bottles.  These are terrific bottles, but I don't think they can beat my first choice below.  That said, if you are looking for an inexpensive, yet good option, then try them.  And if you like the Gerber bottles and think they work just as good as my suggestion, then please let us know. 
     

So, after all that rambling, what is my Stubborn Recommendation?  For those looking for a bottle that truly meets the promises of its advertising, try Dr. Brown' BPA Free bottles (and ensure that you have the correct nipple level selection -- level one (newborn), level two (3+ months), level three (6+ months), etc.).

Dr. Brown's bottles are good for a couple of reasons.  Most importantly, they seem to really limit spit-up when used correctly.  This is due to the patented airflow system (positive-pressure, vacuum-free feeding -- see below), which diverts air away from the nipple, in turn limiting the intake of excess air into your already gassy child. 

But the bottles also offer another benefit that can't be matched by the others -- a feature especially beneficial for the mother using the bottles as a break from breastfeeding.  In particular, a recent test suggests that Dr. Brown's bottles best help limit the loss of essential vitamins inherent in baby milk that occurs through the natural oxidation of nutrients that occurs during bottle feedings.  

This means that -- when using the patented Dr. Brown bottles -- your little one is likely to get all the nutrients he or she needs from the milk or formula.  As noted in the test, this is particularly important when breastmilk is given through a bottle.  (Notably, the second place bottle was the Ventaire bottle discussed above.)    

The knock on Dr. Brown's is that "there are just too many parts to keep up with."  But guess what?  Having an infant around is pretty complicated, and the least of your worries will be keeping up with the two extra pieces that make this product work like it's supposed to.  And any baby bottle -- whether it costs $0.89 or $10.00 -- will have at least two pieces (the nipple and the collar) in addition to the bottle itself.  Accordingly, adding two more pieces (which are not likely to be confused with anything else) shouldn't cause that much additional grief.  Find a drawer to stuff the extra parts in and figure out where they should go each time you load the dishwasher.  If you do that, you're set.

But, hey, if you'd rather have a gallon of milk on your clothes, then by all means feel free to keep making the argument...

So there you have my long-winded thoughts on this subject.  What are yours?  Have you been through trial and error and found one bottle to reign supreme?  Do you agree that Dr. Brown's are the best?  If not, which one(s) do you like? 

Please do tell.  We Stubborn Dads want to know.