Guide to Choosing Baby Bottles — Have a Safe Feeding Time
As a new parent, feeding your baby can be quite the challenge. Not many parents are prepared for just how trying it can be to deal with late-night feedings and fussy babies. On top of that, there are so many other things that new parents have to deal with, and finding and purchasing quality baby bottles shouldn’t have to be difficult at all.
Shopping for the top baby bottles isn’t very complicated; after all, baby bottles themselves are pretty straight-forward, too. However, recent studies have shown that good baby bottles can make a big difference in reducing gas and preventing colic as well has keeping your baby satisfied after feedings.
Glass vs. Plastic: Which Baby Bottles Are Best?
A long time ago, the only type of baby bottles available to parents were made from glass. Glass bottles weren’t necessarily ideal; breaking glass was a concern, and they were typically heavy and hard to babies to hold. Eventually, plastic bottles were invented, and since many parents thought these were the best type of baby bottle, glass bottles nearly disappeared.
Unfortunately, there have been recent reports that some types of plastic baby bottles contain a harmful compound called BPA that was potentially a toxin for babies. This has obviously been quite a concern for parents, and although the Food & Drug Administration in 2008 deemed items with BPA to be safe, it’s still rightfully a concern for many people.
Should I be worried about BPA?
Although there are no studies that show that it may be harmful to humans, many parents feel more comfortable using baby bottles which are certified BPA-free. Although many modern plastic baby bottles are BPA-free, if it’s still a concern for you, you might consider purchasing glass bottles.
Glass vs. Plastic
Some parents may be trying to decide between buying glass or plastic baby bottles. When it comes to deciding between glass bottles and plastic bottles for your little one, there are just a few things you should think about:
Glass bottles are much heavier than plastic bottles, making them harder for babies to grip and hold. Also, an obvious concern with glass bottles is that they are breakable; if you or your baby drops one or hits it on something hard, it might shatter. On the plus side, glass bottles are easier to clean, are sure to be free of harmful chemicals.
Plastic bottles are lighter and generally less expensive than glass bottles, but as mentioned, some parents are concerned about BPA. Of course, it’s possible to purchase bottles that are certified as being BPA-Free, which should ease any concerns you might have about the chemical. Plastic bottles are usually less durable than glass bottles, too; plastic will eventually wear down, and you should never put plastic baby bottles in the microwave. If your plastic bottle ever starts to become scratched or damaged, you should throw it out right away.
Baby Bottles: Our Top Picks
Given the above, here are our choices for the best baby bottles and why we chose them.
Overall Top Baby Bottles: Dr. Brown’s BPA Free Natural Flow Feeding Set
Dr. Brown’s BPA Natural Flow Bottles are some of the best baby bottles you can find. As the name says, they are BPA free, so you won’t have to worry about harmful chemicals, and are dishwasher safe. If you don’t have a dishwasher, don’t worry; the bottles are very easy to clean by hand, too, thanks to the included bottle cleaner. The feeding set includes everything you need to feed your baby:
- Two 4 oz standard bottles
- Three 8oz standard bottles
- Two extra level 2 nipples
- Two storage/travel caps
- Three small cleaning brushes
Dr. Brown’s baby bottles are the best-selling bottles on Amazon, with an average rating of 4/5, and thousands of parents around the world are using them. If you have a breast pump then these bottles will connect to most of them, too. If you want a more basic set of bottles, there is also a set that includes only the three 8oz bottles for a slightly lower price.
Click here to see the full set of 5 Dr. Brown’s BPA Free Bottles on Amazon
Click here to see the smaller set of 3 Dr. Brown’s BPA Free Bottles on Amazon
Top Baby Bottles For Storage & Travel: Thermos Foogo 10 oz Insulated Leak-Proof Bottles
If you are planning on having a day out with your baby or want to keep their milk cold while they’re at daycare, the Thermos Foogo insulated bottle is a great choice. It features Thermax double wall vacuum insulation which should keep milk or any other beverage cool and fresh for 10 hours, and along with the large 10 oz capacity, it should be more than enough for any outing. You’ll probably be glad to know that the Thermos Foogo has a kid-proof design with an unbreakable stainless steel interior, because you know that it will eventually be dropped on the floor. Like any good baby bottle, the Foogo is BPA-Free, and it’s also dishwasher safe for easy cleanup. The Foogo is suitable for babies, toddlers and older kids with different methods of drinking depending on age, too. All in all, for the active family or parents that need a storage bottle, you can’t go wrong with the Thermos Foogo 10 oz Insulated Leak-Proof Bottle.