When you're breastfeeding your baby, however, you can choose to give him a bottle of breast milk or formula for his meals. But how can you be sure that its characteristics won't interfere with the breast-feeding you've taken so long to set up? In this article, we reveal 7 tips to help you make sure you're using the best bottle for your breast-feeding.
1. The best bottle should reproduce a sucking action similar to breastfeeding
First of all, you need to make sure that the bottle you choose imitates breastfeeding conditions as closely as possible. Make sure the bottle is fitted with a physiological teat. This type of nipple is best suited to a breast-fed baby, since its shape is reminiscent of the mother's nipple.
Parents: Be aware of pacifier sizes and choose the one that corresponds to your baby's age. Note that different teat materials exist, and that not all have the same advantages and disadvantages. To find out more, readour article on physiological teats at .
2. The best bottle for your breastfeeding needs to be practical for everyday use.
Make sure that the bottle you choose to take over from your breastfeeding is easy to use. The bottle must not break if it falls on the floor, your baby could be injured. All in all, if you absolutely must have a glass bottle, you can fit it with a silicone sheath to protect it from possible shocks.
It is essential that the feeding bottle be easy to clean by hand and that no traces of milk remain embedded in hard-to-reach corners. This would encourage bacterial growth and represent a health risk for your baby. Dishwasher-safe bottles are a time-saving bonus! Its size should be ergonomic for easy handling!
3. The best bottle for breastfeeding should not cause your baby tummy aches.
It's out of the question to entrust the heavy responsibility of feeding your child to an unsuitable bottle. Colic, gastric reflux, regurgitation... A feeding bottle must not cause your child digestive problems.
Fortunately, some containers are equipped with devices to limit the influx of air during feeding. For example, some bottles feature anti-colic valves. Other bottles feature special shapes (angled or S-shaped) to ensure that the teat is always full. Here again, the amount of air swallowed is greatly reduced.
4. The best bottle for your breastfeeding needs to be comfortable for your baby
A feeding bottle made from a soft soft material that resembles the texture of mummy's skin will be much appreciated by your little one! He should be able to hold it easily in his little hands, without it slipping out or weighing too much. Babies don't deal well with frustration, and any interruption to their meal can trigger a crying fit, or even lead them to refuse to drink the rest of their bottle.
The bottle size must be adapted to the baby's age.
It's best to offer a graduated bottle that can hold 150 ml up to 2-3 months of age, to accommodate the small quantities of milk that infants take. Larger bottles will fill the bottle with air, which can increase the risk of colic.
5. The best bottle for breastfeeding must meet current manufacturing standards.
Today, it's virtually impossible to find baby bottles in French shops that don't meet current manufacturing standards.
However, the increase in second-hand outlets and online accessory resale sites should make you cautious. A twenty-year-old feeding bottle will certainly no longer meet standards, and should not be used to replace breastfeeding for your baby.
We strongly advise you to buy a bottle with the original packaging and the required approvals. Check that the words "Conforms to safety requirements" also appear on the packaging.
6. The best bottle for breastfeeding must not be damaged
It may seem obvious. Yet chewed and damaged pacifiers are regularly offered to children every day in France. Doing so is dangerous for your child. He could ingest small parts and choke on them, or even risk medical complications (infections, occlusions...).
Always check that the bottle is in good working order before giving in good working order and poses no risk to your baby. If the bottle is damaged or broken, don't throw it away, but send it to the TerraCycle association, which will recycle it and give it a second life.
7. The best bottle for your breastfeeding needs to be heat-resistant
When you're breastfeeding your baby, the milk he or she swallows is at your body temperature - around 36°C. By preparing a bottle of powdered milk or cooled breast milk, you can encourage breastfeeding by heating it in a bain-marie. Somebottles, such as plastic ones, do not stand up well to boiling and may eventually warp. Glass bottles, on the other hand, may burst if the temperature difference is too sudden.
On the other hand, silicone feeding bottles are highly resistant to extreme temperatures! What's more, they're very soft, and babies particularly appreciate their silky texture.
Warning: always check the temperature of the milk on the inside of your wrist before feeding your baby. Never refreeze thawed breast milk.
To remember:
The best bottle if you're breastfeeding must be able to mimic breastfeeding conditions as closely as possible, be comfortable for your baby and be practical for everyday use. P
o do this, you need to be able to prepare, wash and store it easily. It must not make your baby's tummy sore, let alone be damaged in any way that could endanger him or her.
Check that the bottle you choose to replace breast-feeding complies with current regulations before giving it to your child.If in doubt, don't take any risks, but don't throw away your baby bottles; give them a second lease of life thanks to collection and recycling associations!
