Bottle Review

When I was pregnant I had planned on breastfeeding my daughter. Between her having jaundice and other obstacles it didn't work out for us. I soon realized that in my stock of baby items I didn't have many bottles at the ready. So began my quest for the perfect bottle. So I present to you who may be interested:

A Year of Bottles in Review

Bottle Number 5 on the list: Soothie Slim Neck

I give it 2 stars

I bought a 3 pack of these bottles because I LOVED the regular soothie bottles so much and I needed some larger bottles for a plane trip I was going on. BIG MISTAKE.

I should have thoroughly tested these bottles before I went on a major trip with them. These bottles leak terribly. I had put premixed formula in these bottles and put them in my diaper bag. When I went to get the first one it was sticky all over the sides and I couldn't figure out where the leak was. It was a major mess and a major hassle.

The neck of the bottle is supposed to make it easier to grip, but in reality it makes it much harder. When the child gets old enough to grip their own bottle it is also very difficult for them as well.

The nipple on this bottle collapses after the baby has sucked on it for a period of time without releasing to give air into the bottle. I call this the "soda bottle effect"

Ill quickly explain the "soda bottle effect". The "soda bottle effect" is equivalent too an adult drinking from a 20 oz bottle of soda with their lips around the opening making a perfect seal, no air is allowed in or out and after a few huge gulps the plastic bottle begins to collapse on itself and the flow of soda is slowed.

There is probably a scientific term for that...but Ive been out of school a while now and I cant think of what it is....maybe its a vacuum seal? I dunno.. But YOU know what I am talking about.

The whole point is to prevent SBE so that baby does not get colic. BELIVE me you will pay any amount of money to prevent your kid from getting colic. Its hellish.

I digress. Now that we have SBE explained and out of the way I will continue.

The cap to the Soothe Slim neck is equally disappointing. It is very hard to take on and off especially when you only have one hand. You can also clearly see in the above picture how the cap is crappy. It dosent seal the top of the nipple...ughhh

Since this bottle has such a small neck it is also difficult to clean. The standard size bottle brush is too large to fit past the slim neck.

This bottle got 2 stars because it has few parts, as opposed to other bottles on this list. It also is not that expensive.

Bottle Number 4 on the list: Playtex VentAire WIDE

I give it 3 stars

In the picture shown we have 3 WIDE bottles and 3 STANDARD bottles. I have only used the WIDE bottles.

This bottles has a lot of pros and cons.

I like how it is angled so you don't have to tilt baby's head back to get the last bit of milk out of the bottle. I like the cute colors. The nipple design is very much like the breast and very comforting to a newborn. The nipple is also very sturdy. BUT I think this nipple is TOO sturdy. It isn't very soft.

The cap is also very secure and easy to attach.

I do not like how many stinking parts it has! When it is 2 am and you have a screaming infant this bottle can become your worst nightmare. It has 5 pieces people!!!!

You have the bottom cap, the vent, the bottle itself, the top ring, and finally the nipple.

The whole point of the vent is to prevent "SBE". It lets air release through the vent to keep down on the bubbles that get into baby's tummy. In theory this is an ingenious idea. But it isn't always practical.

I have set the bottle next to my night stand with just water inside (to keep it ready for nighttime feedings so I don't have to put ALL 5 PEICES TOGETHER in the middle of the night) when I woke up in the morning the nightstand would have a small water ring. The "vent" does let water out eventually.

One time I had accidentally left a VentAire bottle in the diaper bag and forgot it had formula still in it. We didn't go back out for a few days and when I discovered the old bottle it was moldy (eww). The vent had mildew stuck in the little holes. So it had to be thrown out. Playtex does sell vent replacements.

The price on this bottle is not outrageous.

Number 3 on the list: Gerber Premium bottle

I give it 3 stars

These bottles are better for an older child because when the SBE happens the nipple completely collapses. Not such a big deal for an older child, but could be a hassle for an infant. This is a straight to the point no bells and whistles bottle.

It has 3 parts: the bottle, the ring, the nipple. That's all there is folks.

I like how the bottle is shaped like a triangle, it makes it easy for baby to grip. The cap on this one is also very secure. I have NEVER had one single leak from this bottle.

This bottle is very inexpensive.

Number 2 on the list is: The Soothie bottle!

I give it 4 stars!

I love this bottle. The nipple design is sturdy and very easy to stick right into baby's tiny mouth. It only has 3 parts!

One of the best things about this bottle is the cap. It fits very snug on the top AND bottom of the bottle. So when you are sitting on the couch and you don't want to loose the cap in a couch crack it fits right on the bottom of the bottle.

I have never had a problem with the SBE on these bottles. They are super easy to clean. The wide design makes it easy for baby to grip. Natalie first held this bottle on her own when she was only 3 months old.

I wish I had the formula caps that fit on the bottom. That would have been so convenient.

And now for the cadillac of all bottles #1 on the list!!!!!

The Avent bottle system!!!!

These are the grandaddy super bottles! They get the max in stars 5 STARS!

This bottle only has 3 parts, which makes for very easy assembly. The cap is also very easy to attach and never leaks.

This bottle accomplishes the same effect the Playtex VentAire attempts to do, WITH LESS PARTS.

Direct from the website:

The only bottle clinically shown to reduce colic
The only anti-colic bottle that is easy to assemble and use
The only reusable bottle that shares the same naturally shaped nipple with a disposable nurser, so you can interchange both systems easily
The only bottle that integrates with an entire feeding system to give you flexible choices from birth and beyond

When it gets down to it, its really all about the nipple. The nipples on Avent bottles are super soft yet sturdy at the same time. What can I say? They are perfect.

The people at Phillips (the same people who make TVs) figured out how to make the best bottle.

I do have a few tiny things I dont like:

Sometimes if you dont thread the cap on correctly it will leak all over and you have to stop and fix it.

This bottle is very expensive. A pack of 3, 9 oz bottles costs about $15. But hey, its worth it and the company knows it.

This bottle is the only bottle system I have seen that sells nipples in 4 different stages.

0 months, 1 months, 3 months, 6 months.

I think this part is a scam. Natalie is 1 years old and she still uses 1 month nipples. We tried to bump up to 3 months and she was gagging it was so fast. The only way anyone could know this is by trial and error. Its an expensive trial and error because replacement nipples are over 4$ for just 2 nipples.

A small sidebar here. I loved the Avent bottles so much that I continued on to buy Avent sippy cups. They are no good. LEAKS everywhere. I prefer Playtex sippy cups.... Maybe Ill blog about sippy cups next.

So there you go people. You have the knowledge and the buying power. I hope this info gets to someone who needs it.