Feeding little and often takes up a lot of your time when you have a newborn. If you're using bottles to feed your baby expressed breast milk or formula, the choices and finding the best baby bottles for newborns can sometimes be confusing.
While there’s no evidence that a certain type of teat or bottle is better than any other, we’ve written this post to simplify things a little, and help you find the right type of bottle that works well for both you and your baby.
How to choose baby bottles for a newborn
- Anti-colic features: Many newborns experience gas and colic, so bottles with built-in venting systems can help reduce air intake.
- Teat shape: Look for bottle teats that mimic a breast in shape and movement to encourage a natural latch. Slow-flow teats are usually best for newborns and babies under 3 months, although this isn’t always the case as all babies are unique.
- Easy cleaning: Bottles with wide necks are easier to clean. Dishwasher-safe components and self-sterilising functionality are also a plus and will help save you time and effort between feeds.
- Bottle material: Options include plastic, glass, and silicone. Ensure any plastic bottles you use are BPA-free.
- Durability and quality: If you notice that your baby’s bottle is damaged, scratched or cracked, it’s a good idea to replace it. Baby bottle teats need to be changed regularly, too. We recommend replacing your bottle teats every two months or at the first sign of any damage or weakness.
Explaining Tommee Tippee baby bottles
No two babies are the same, and neither are our self-sterilising bottles. They can both be used to feed expressed breast milk or formula, and are designed to provide anti-colic protection, but there are some key differences that set them apart.
Our Natural Start® bottles support your nurturing instincts when introducing your baby to bottle feeding. They come in a range of materials, including soft, squishy silicone and 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.
What's the best bottle for a breastfed newborn?
Breastfeeding is a beautiful way to feed your newborn, and breast milk is the best natural nourishment for babies, with experts recommending exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. But sometimes, bottle feeding becomes necessary, and choosing the right bottle is crucial – especially for breastfed babies – to minimise nipple confusion and ensure a smooth transition between breast, bottle and back.
When exclusive breastfeeding isn’t possible, our Natural Start® bottle, with its soft, breast-like silicone teat, can help support parents on their combi-feeding journey, whether they’re combining direct breastfeeding with formula or expressed breast milk in a bottle.
Made from soft medical-grade silicone with unique patented ripples and a built-in anti-colic valve, the teat is designed to mimic the feel and motion of breastfeeding and can naturally elongate to the soft palate and flex during feeding. Its wide, breast-like shape encourages a natural latch and is specially designed to help reduce nipple confusion and help parents switch between breast, bottle and back again.
“Great product! Would highly recommend to newborn mums. My little one loves the bottles, and I love the fact you can sterilise them in the microwave. If anyone is looking for a bottle for their newborn, definitely go for these!” - Sophie, UK
The best bottles for formula fed newborns
Formula provides essential nutrients for your newborn, but the process of preparing and mixing formula can sometimes cause air bubbles to form. So, when bottle feeding formula feeding, minimising air intake is important to help prevent feeding discomfort.
Tommee Tippee Advanced Anti-Colic™ bottles are specially engineered to soothe. These bottles have a patented vented wand and silicone valve that draw air away from baby's tummy and help reduces air intake to combat the discomfort of colic, gas and reflux. For calmer, more comfortable feeds with less gas and less stress.
“These bottles are life-changing. The baby no longer has issues with wind and has stopped dripping as much milk down his chin. I’ve had no issues with him latching on. Sterilising in the microwave is a game changer. Super easy to clean and sterilise. Would definitely recommend to family and friends.” - Fay, UK
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What size teat for a newborn?
Tommee Tippee teats are all the same size but come in different flow rates for different feeding paces.
Newborns and babies under 3 months usually require extra-slow or slow flow teats to help make sure they don't feed too quickly.
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.
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When should you change teat size?
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.
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What size bottles do I need for a newborn?
Small baby bottles (4-5 oz/120-150 ml+) are ideal for newborns. In the early weeks, newborns have small stomachs and eat small amounts frequently. These smaller bottles are perfectly suited for those initial feeds. They help prevent waste, as you're not preparing large amounts of formula or breast milk that might go unused.
As your baby grows, the amount they need per feed will increase, and when that happens, you’ll need bigger bottles (8-11 oz/260-340 ml+).
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.
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How many bottles does a newborn need?
If you're exclusively bottle feeding a newborn, you will need 4 to 6 bottles to get started.
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How to clean newborn bottles?
- Disassemble the bottle
- Wash all parts in warm soapy water and rinse or use a dishwasher (top shelf only).
- Use a teat brush to gently clean the teat. Do not turn it inside out as this may cause damage. Do not clean the feeding hole or anti colic valve with the brush as damage may occur.
- Reassemble your teat and screw ring and then place all the parts in boiling water for 5 minutes or use another method of sterilisation such as microwave, UV or steam sterilisation or cold water tablet/liquid solution.
- After sterilising, reassemble your bottle ready to use.
- To prevent the teat from collapsing during feeding, pinch the valve gently between your fingers to ensure it’s open.
