Choosing the Best Bottle for Your Baby

Making Sense of All the Choices

From angled bottles to straight bottles, from reusable to disposable, today's parents have many choices when it comes to the vessels with which they feed their babies. When purchasing bottles, how do you choose? And what should you take into consideration?

Pediatrician Robyn Jacobson, M.D., of Tampa, Fla., says that when she chose a bottle for her daughter she thought about cost. "I asked myself, 'Should I buy the cheaper bottle or the more expensive one?' says Jacobson. "I decided to go with the cheaper one and she did fine; it didn't seem to matter."

Dr. Jacobson says moms should not be concerned about bottles affecting the health of their babies and that the type of bottle you use is really a matter of personal preference. "Medically, does it really, really make a difference? No," explains Dr. Jacobson.

Still, there are pros and cons to each different feeding system. Some can help reduce gas while others can help prevent ear infections. When choosing a bottle, it may be helpful to remember the two basic kinds: reusable (those that can be washed and reused) and disposable (includes a holder or nurser and a disposable bag). From there, you will need to decide which system is best for you and your baby based on your needs. Here are the most common choices on the market today:

This is probably one of the most cost-effective, reusable bottles. This bottle could be right for you if you are on a budget or like bottles that are fairly easy to clean.

Beth Farley of Naperville, Ill., used this type of bottle to feed both of her sons. "I tried other types of bottles but my sons didn't take well to the nipple – they couldn't get anything out of them," she says. "I just like the regular bottle better. They are easy to clean and you don't run out of liners."