Many bottle feeding parents have questions about which type of bottle teat and which flow rate to choose and wonder when to change the teats on their baby’s bottles.
We've compiled this guide for parents to help you get to know our different bottle teat sizes, styles, and flow rates.
How many teats and bottles does a newborn need?
The number of infant bottles and teats you need depends on how often you plan to use them to feed your baby. If you're only going to be using bottles once a day or just occasionally, then you might decide to buy one main bottle and teat set, and maybe one extra as a backup. It's probably best to have at least two so that if lost, damaged or unclean you have a backup.
Newborn babies can feed anywhere between 8-12 times over 24 hours. So, if you're exclusively bottle feeding a newborn, then you should have four to six bottles and teats to get started with.
What flow rate should I be using for my baby?
Our extra slow teat is designed to suit newborn babies and help them get used to drinking milk from a bottle.
Our teats are all the same size and have the same breast-like shape, but come in different flow rates.
A bottle's flow rate is based on the size or shape of the hole in the tip of a teat. This changes the pace that the milk flows into your baby's mouth. The larger the hole, the faster the pace.
Different teats for different ages
Our nipple like teats for bottles come in different flow rates to keep up with your growing baby (and their growing appetite). Each Tommee Tippee bottle teat is marked with a letter or number according to its flow rate. Please note that these ages are only a guide as every feeding journey is different.
- X = Vari Flow: For use from birth and throughout their bottle feeding journey. With an X-shaped cut that means babies can control the flow and feed at the pace that’s most comfortable for them.
- 0 = Extra Slow Flow: For first feeds and a gentle pace from birth.
- 1 = Slow Flow: For newborns and babies below 3 months. With the smallest hole for slower feeds.
- 2 = Medium Flow: For babies aged 3 months and up. With a medium hole for medium paced feeds.
- 3 = Fast Flow: For babies aged 6 months and up. With the largest hole for faster feeds.
Please note that the ages mentioned above are only a guide. You know your baby better than anyone and will be able to tell when they’re ready for a teat with a different flow rate.
When to change bottle teat size
Baby bottle teats need to be changed regularly.
We recommend replacing your bottle teats every two months or at the first sign of any damage or weakness.
You should change the flow rate you use over time to keep up with your growing baby (and their growing appetite).
You can use the age brackets of each teat size to gauge when it's time to move up a size and/or flow rate, but your baby will also let you know when it's time to change, or even if you've moved up too quickly.
You may need a teat with a slower flow rate if your baby...
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gulps, coughs, or gags when feeding
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has excess milk dripping out of their mouth
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or refuses to feed
And a faster flow rate may help if they...
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take longer than 20 minutes to finish a feed
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tug at the teat
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fall asleep while feeding
