Baby Bottles
Baby Bottles
Baby bottles are very useful when it comes to feeding the baby. It can be used inside the home as well as during travel. The types, colors and sizes vary and for sure, there is something suitable for your baby.
Convenient Feeding through Baby Bottles
Having a baby in the house can be both enjoyable and strenuous. The stress primarily comes from having to take care of the infant in the best way possible. There are diapers to change, rooms to disinfect, and of course baby's bottles to sterilize. Infants have to be fed round the clock so preparing and keeping the baby's bottles sanitized should be a priority. Baby's bottles are very convenient in feeding a baby.
For years, mothers have depended on this reliable product whether in the actual feeding of milk formulas, storing milk in the refrigerator, or in administering drinking water for the baby. Baby's bottles vary in sizes and styles, but are usually made of plastic or glass. Attached at top of the bottle will be the teat or nipple, made or soft rubber, where the baby can suck the milk. Infants have a natural sucking reflex, which makes the baby's bottles available in the market to be an ideal way of feeding.
Baby's bottles should be kept on hand all the time, whether at home or during travels. Babies generally need to feed every two hours or so, and having a steady supply of these bottles will be most convenient for both the mother and her infant. Baby's bottles however, can attract microbes when not properly cleaned and sterilized. This could be potentially harmful to the child. Washing and sterilizing the baby's bottles thoroughly should be done before and after each feeding.
Whenever the baby should brought out of the house, an additional supply of baby's bottles should be brought as well, depending on whether the mother is breast feeding or giving milk formulas. This way, even when the trip takes long hours, the baby still can be fed regularly by keeping well-stocked and thoroughly disinfected baby's bottles. Feeding will be a handy task whether in or out of the house.
Size Matters When Bottle Feeding
There are different sizes of baby's bottles widely available for distribution nowadays. The size of a bottle is very important because infants in varying months have differing appetites and patterns of milk consumption. Having the right size of baby's bottles can help prevent wastage and spoilage of milk, and can also help avert overfeeding. Therefore choosing the right size can be instrumental in giving mothers a good head start in proper baby feeding. A newborn infant usually requires a small bottle, which can hold up to four ounces of milk.
Newborn babies typically take in small amounts at regular intervals. Small-sized baby's bottles are most ideal because of the small appetite of newborns. Unlike older babies that can consume up to six ounces or more, young infants do not feed as much in the same amounts and by keeping small bottles around, there will be lesser risk of spoiled milk. When the baby can already consume the entire contents of the four ounce bottle, the next step would be to introduce bigger-sized baby's bottles for the growing appetite.
Normally, a larger bottle would be able to store more than six ounces of milk, but by keeping the milk at a little about six ounces, the infant will not be pressured into taking in the entire larger bottle's contents. In the event that the baby can already consume the six ounce formula entirely, then that would be an ideal time to increase the amount of milk. The entire large bottle could be filled enough to support the bigger appetite of a growing baby.
Baby's bottles, no matter what size, need to be examined regularly for possible cracks or tears, whether on the bottle itself or the soft rubber nipple. When the rubber nipples get too soft, infants might chew on them. Cracks and tears on the bottle can cause milk to spill, which is not an ideal event when feeding.
The Clear on Plastic and Glass Baby Bottles
There are several types of baby's bottles. But the one that has currently engendered quite a discussion involves the use of plastic bottles versus the glass baby's bottles. Plastic baby's bottles have been used more commonly since it is more convenient and lightweight than its glass counterpart. However, studies have shown that when heated, plastic baby's bottles will release a toxic chemical potentially harmful for infants.
This chemical is called BPA or Bisphenol A, which can be debilitating to a baby's health, as it was discovered to cause immune function impairment, hyperactivity, and even cancer. These discoveries have forced most parents to dump the plastic baby's bottles and opt for the glass variety. One advantage of the glass bottles is that it can be simply cleaned by a dishwasher. Another is that it does not develop an odor similar to the plastic baby's bottles, particularly when used after a long period of time.
Clearly, glass baby's bottles do not release the dreaded BPA chemical which makes them a better alternative to the plastic feeding bottles. However, glass baby's bottles are a lot heavier than the plastic bottles. Infants who are old enough to hold their feeding bottles may accidentally drop them and cause them to shatter. Shattered pieces of glass around children are very dangerous. Also, the glass varieties are slightly more expensive. Which is why for most mothers, plastic baby's bottles are safer, cheaper, and more convenient. There are also further studies stating that not all plastic bottles contain the toxic chemical BPA.
One consumer magazine asserts that the harmful type of plastic is polycarbonate, which is more prone to release the chemicals when heated than the other types of safer plastics. It was also suggested not to overheat the bottles, and to change them regularly because these chemicals appear in larger doses in over used plastic baby's bottles.
Excellent Baby Bottle Brands
There are several good brands of baby's bottles available through store distributions or through online orders. The most common types are the plastic baby's bottles which are free of the toxic substance Bisphenol-A proven to be unsafe to infants. These bottles have been tested whether they contain the lethal chemical, and as most mothers have become wary of this, they would naturally choose the safer plastics which do not trigger the release of Bisphenol-A.
There are also brands of glass baby's bottles available, and are patronized by mothers who are skeptical about plastic baby's bottles. The EvenFlo Classic 4-oz. Glass Nurser which comes in a 9-pack is one of the most reliable, retailing at $ 14.95 in online stores. This is sure to be without BPA, and most parents prefer this bottle because of its durability. Even when it is made from glass, it is easy to handle and easy to clean as well.
It also boasts of a Micro Air Vent feature that will prevent unwanted air from the baby's stomach while providing a soft and consistent milk flow. The Sassy MAM UltiVent is one of those plastic baby's bottles brand that have been tested to be free of BPA. This retails at about $ 11.99. Because this bottle has a removable bottom, it is easier to clean especially in hard to reach bottom areas. This bottle has already adopted a breastfeeding mechanism design wherein the nipple is soft and naturally shaped, plus it has a bottom vent that controls the milk flow to the baby's mouth.
The Playtex Bottle Systems is also one brand that tops the baby's bottles brand list. They have developed the Drop-Ins and VentAire systems that keep air from mixing with the liquid inside the bottle. These bottle systems were designed to help prevent colic build-up and possible ear infections caused by incorrect feeding positions. Each bottle set retails between $24 to $28.
Baby Bottles Accessories
There are other accessories needed, aside from baby's bottles when feeding and taking care of a baby. Bottle drying racks are very important because they keep newly-washed bottles naturally air dried. They come in plastic or metal varieties, but the plastic ones are more preferred because they are handy and easy to carry around. They also come in various designs, like having a shallow, curved bottom or slightly inclined base to hold the water drips when drying. Nipples are also a very important accessory in baby's bottles.
Keeping an extra store of soft, silicone nipples is ideal in cases when the original bottle nipple develops scratches and tears due to prolonged use. Sets of nipples are available for sale in most department or online stores. Infant pacifiers are also available. The best ones are those designed to guard against palate, teeth, and gums deformity.
Bottle warmers are also essential. They keep baby's bottles warm and can be placed conveniently anywhere: in the kitchen or in the nursery. This is ideal for parents who want fuss-free feeding time with their baby. They simply turn the warmer on, place the bottle in the warmer, and then wait until it warms the milk contents enough for the baby to consume. Some bottle warmers even have a soft-light feature, so as to eliminate the need to open harsh night lights when feeding every two hours or so.
During cleaning and washing, bottle brushes are much needed. While rinsing with soap and water can eliminate dried-up milk and other impurities, a durable bottle brush can ensure a more meticulous cleaning. This brush can scrub at the most hard to reach areas, and scour at the most stubborn dirt usually left over by repeated use. After cleaning and drying, the bottles can now be sterilized whether by conventional water boiling, or by using electronic steam sterilizers that disinfect baby's bottles in lesser time.