What Bottles to Buy for Your Baby

If you're a first-time, soon-to-be mom, you're probably wondering what are the best bottles to buy for your baby. As a new mom myself, I have looked at and used a variety of baby bottles. After reviewing them, I have determined the best bottles to buy for your baby.

There are hundreds of types and brands of bottles out there for babies. Each bottle claims to be the best bottles for your baby. And, despite being different on the inside, the boxes almost always claim the same thing: easy to use, reduces colic, reduces gas, as close to the breast as you can get! Since they all claim the same thing, you begin to think they all are the same-the only difference is price.

After using a variety of bottles, I have found that they are not all the same. And sometimes the priciest-or the cheapest-is not the best bet.

First of all, there are a few main things you want to make sure your bottle has. Most bottles on the market today are BPA free, but you definitely want to check to make sure this is the case. The following reviews four brands that I have come into contact with when trying to figure out the best bottle for my baby.

Avent: I registered for these baby bottles based on product reviews I read. I received the box that included one 4 oz bottle and 2 9 oz bottles. They are BPA free. I really liked the nipple that came with these bottles. But, there are quite a few problems I found with these bottles. First of all, compared to some of the other bottles I have tried, they are rather bulky. Instead of the traditional long and skinny bottle, they are a bit shorter and fatter. While this isn't that big of a deal the first month or so, it does become an issue when you begin to take your child places (they take up more room in a diaper bag) and may be more difficult for your child to hold when they are able to. The second issue, and a far bigger issue, I have with these bottles is that they randomly leak and can be nearly impossible to screw the lid off of again, randomly. It really doesn't have any rhyme or reason to these issues either. Sometimes, the bottle will leak when I begin feeding my child and sometimes it will work perfectly. Sometimes, neither me nor my husband can screw the lid off to save our lives and sometimes it will pop right off. I don't know what these issues stem from, but because there is no sensible pattern, they are very frustrating.

Dr. Brown's: Now, for full disclosure, I did not actually get to the point of using Dr. Browns. I have heard really great things about this bottle, so I bought a box. When I took them out of the box and read the directions, I found that each bottle has five parts-four of which have to be taken apart, cleaned and put back together after each use. For me, the process of washing bottles is already tedious and I have bottles with only two parts (when I don't use the cap). I just couldn't foresee myself not getting annoyed and frustrated with all the parts (some of them somewhat small).

Born Free: I had the same experience with these bottles as I did with the Dr. Brown's. Too many parts. Another issue I had with the Born Free is that it specifically states in the directions to not create any bubbles in the formula-to stir it gently instead of shake it together with the water when using these bottles. For me, that is silly. When using other bottles, the bubbles go to the top anyway so my child is not ingesting them. Also, it is so much easier and less messy to shake instead of stir. Stirring adds just another piece to wash, which is what I am definitely trying to avoid. Also, like Dr. Brown's, the Born Free are more expensive than some of the other options.

Medela: So far, I have only seen Medela bottles in conjunction with their breastpump, but if you get a chance to use these bottles, I highly recommend them. I only have the 5oz size, but we have had no problems with leaking, difficulties opening/closing, and my son eats out of them no problem. I do have one con in that after about 2 months of use, the markings are starting to come off, which I would understand if we used the dishwasher, but we always hand wash the bottles.

Evenflo: After returning the Dr. Brown's and the Born Free bottles, I bought the Evenflo Comfi set of three 9 oz bottles. I was worried because they were almost ten dollars cheaper for 3 than the other two brands were for only 2 bottles. However, so far I have been very impressed with these. They are lightweight, BPA free, only two parts, and so far no leaks or difficulties with getting the caps on or off. They are nicely angled, so there is always liquid in the nipple. The only possible con I can foresee is that since they are angled they may be more difficult to transport.

In the end, my child will eat out of any baby bottle, but I made choices depending on what I wanted and the time I was willing to put forth. Even though the Avent leak, we still use them and he eats just fine out of them. The Medela continue to work well, and the Evenflo have been a nice addition. In the end, I think the Evenflo is the best bottle for me and my baby.