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Choosing the Right Feeder & Nipple

Always start out with a few baby feeders and nipples to experiment with what design and material you and your baby are most comfortable with. Your baby might be happy with whatever bottle you feed him with but you will notice that with time you will develop a preference. Most mothers prefer bottles that are easy to clean and sterilize and don't come with a lot of little parts. Colicky babies tend to be the most difficult when it comes to choosing and sticking to a particular design. It is because not many feeders may provide with enough air venting. So it is always wise to first check the type of material the nipple and feeder are made out of.

Feeder Material

There are several materials that are used in the manufacturing of baby feeders such as plastic, silicone, glass and stainless steel. While plastic bottles are cheap, readily available and breakable, they leech chemicals into the milk even if they are labelled as safe. Never go for this toxic material as eating or drinking in plastic is known to cause endocrine disruptions. Silicone and stainless steel baby feeders are the most expensive out of all and are hard to find. Silicone bottles also are not safe when used with hot liquids. The safest option is glass as it does not leech any chemical at all and is easy to clean. The downside to glass feeders is that they are heavy, expensive and shatter easily. If you can afford glass bottles and can handle them well, there isn't a better option than them. Whenever you need to, store your breast milk in glass containers too instead of any other material. In case you are not comfortable with glass then go for the stainless steel variety as they are a close second to glass.

Nipple Material

Nipples come in a variety of shapes and materials. Most commonly used materials are latex and silicone. Latex nipples are soft and flexible but not durable. Also, some babies may be allergic to them. Food grade silicone is better when it comes to durability and retaining the shape of the nipple. Natural rubber nipples are also safe to use. Just make sure to wash and sterilize the nipples well after each use and replace them after 2 months. Invest in a nipple brush that is a small too for effectively cleaning the small insides of a nipple. This is to ensure thorough cleaning so that no milk residue is left inside. 

Venting Mechanism

The next step is to check the venting system of the bottle. Babies with colic and gas problems tend to suck in a lot of air while drinking from feeders. This makes them gassy and gives them colic issues. If the baby feeder has a good venting system it will prevent the baby from sucking gas-causing air bubbles. They have straw-like elements that fit inside or at the bottom of the feeder 

Sterilizing Baby Feeders

It is important that you sterilize your supply of baby feeders after every use even though many parents do that only once in a while. If your baby has been sick, it becomes mandatory to sterilize the bottles to make them infection-free. You don't need to invest in those expensive sterilizers as the feeders can be sterilized at home too. All you have to do is soak thoroughly washed bottles in a wide pot filled with clean and boiling water for not less than five minutes. This would kill all the bacteria and make your bottles all clean and ready to be used.