Bottle Feeding

Newborns need feeding often, and as a new parent, you’ll find that feeds take up a fair chunk of your time. If you're bottle-feeding with expressed breast milk or formula, the sheer number of bottle brand and styles can be overwhelming.  

One specific type of bottle or teat isn’t best for every parent and baby – as we’re all unique and feeding journeys vary – but we've created this guide to simplify the choices and help you find a suitable bottle for you and your baby. 

What to look for when choosing a bottle for your baby 

• Anti-colic: Reduces gas and colic. 
• Teat: Natural, breast-like shape, slow flow for newborns (but adjust to baby's needs overtime). 
• Cleaning: Wide neck, dishwasher-safe, self-sterilising. 
• Material: BPA-free plastic, glass, or silicone. 
• Durability: If your baby's bottle is damaged, scratched, or cracked, you should replace it. Teats need replacing regularly too – every two months or sooner if you notice any wear and tear. 

Explaining Tommee Tippee bottles  

Both of our bottle types can be used to feed expressed breast milk or formula, but some key differences set them apart. Because we know no two babies are the same, so neither are our bottles. 

Our Natural Start® bottles support your nurturing instincts when introducing your baby to bottle feeding. They come in a range of materials, including heat and stain-resistant PPSU, squishy silicone and medical-grade glass.  

If a baby needs extra anti-colic support, our Advanced Anti-Colic™ bottles are specially designed to ease the discomfort of colic, gas and reflux. 

Newborn bottles: What size bottles do I need? 

Getting ready for your newborns arrival? It's good to know about bottle sizes.  

For a tiny new baby, smaller bottles (around 120-150ml) are perfect. In the first few weeks, they’ll feed little and often, so these smaller bottles are just right. They also help cut down on waste, as you're not preparing lots of formula or expressed breast milk that might have to get thrown out.  

As your baby gets bigger and needs more per feed, you'll need to move up to larger bottles (260-340ml).  

Here are some important points to keep in mind when shopping for baby bottles.   

• Start small: It's generally recommended to start with smaller bottles. You can always increase the amount of milk in the bottle or switch to a larger bottle as your baby (and their appetite) grows.    
• Teat flow: Flow rate is as important as bottle size and teat shape when it comes to bottle acceptance. That's why Tommee Tippee bottle teats are available in a range of flow rates to support acceptance and switching between breast and bottle. Newborns and babies under 3 months usually require slow-flow teats to prevent them from drinking too quickly.  
• Individual needs: Every baby is different. Pay attention to your baby's feeding cues and adjust accordingly. If your baby is showing signs of discomfort, try a different flow rate. Signs it may be too fast: Gulping, coughing or gagging, refusing to feed, or excess milk dripping out of your baby's mouth. Or too slow: If your baby takes over 20 minutes to finish their feed, tugs at the teat, or falls asleep while feeding. 

Having a mix of small and large bottles, and different flow teats, means you'll be sorted for whatever your baby needs as they grow and their feeding routine changes. 

Sources 

• Best Bottles for Newborns and Toddlers in Australia | One Fine Baby 

• Comprehensive Guide to Bottle Feeding Your Baby | Tresillian  

• Bottle-feeding babies: giving the bottle | Raising Children Network