To some babies, yes teat size matters. This is because the size and flow rate of different sized teats might not always suit your baby’s feeding habits. But it’s pretty common for a baby to be perfectly content with one teat size the whole time they’re bottle feeding, but the flow rate will need to change over time as they develop. All Tommee Tippee teats are the same size, but with different flow options. Can a faster flow teat make reflux worse?

Step 2: Fill the base with silicone valve with 20 ml of cool water. The protective cap makes a practical measuring cup. Kimata, H. (2004), Latex allergy in infants younger than 1 year. Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 34: 1910-1915. Available at doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2004.02128.xIf they can't control the rate of feeding, they are more likely to over-feed. Non-responsive feeding has been associated with discomfort and fussiness in the short term (NHS 2021) and linked to obesity in the longer term (Hurley, 2011; Watchmaker 2020).

Some advantages of using these bottles are that they can be easy to fill and clean. On the other hand, they can take more space in a steriliser so you probably won’t be able to clean as many bottles at once (Which? 2019). Ready-to-feed bottles Ready-to-feed bottles can be a convenient short-term solution if parents have been advised to give their baby formula on medical advice. They’re more expensive and not great for the environment though (NHS, 2018; Unicef, 2019). Sterilising bottles is recommended for babies under a year because bacteria can easily grow in any milk remaining on the bottle or teats (Unicef, 2019). Babies are more vulnerable to these bacteria.NHS (2019a) How to make up baby formula, Available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/breastfeeding-and-bottle-feeding/bottle-feeding/making-up-baby-formula/ [Accessed 3 December 2021] Scheel, C. E., Schanler, R. J., & Lau, C. (2005). Does the choice of bottle nipple affect the oral feeding performance of very-low-birthweight (VLBW) infants?. Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992), 94(9), 1266–1272. Available at https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1651-2227.2005.tb02087.x Step 3: Place the screw ring with teat in the bottle base. Place the bottle body on it (optionally screw in slightly to avoid pouring out hot water by removing the bottle from microwave). Place the protective cap on top. Pearson-Glaze (2019) Best bottle for a breastfed baby, Available at https://breastfeeding.support/best-bottle-breastfed-baby/ [Accessed 4 December 2021]

You might find attending one of our NCT New Baby groups helpful as they give you the opportunity to explore different approaches to important parenting issues with a qualified group leader and other new parents in your area. If you plan to use bottles occasionally, or once a day, then it might make sense to buy just one bottle and teat.

Find in store

This will depend on how frequently you’re planning to use bottles to feed your baby. Newborn babies generally feed between 10 and 14 times in 24 hours, with feeds becoming a little less frequent as they grow. If you are exclusively bottle feeding your baby, whether formula or expressed breastmilk, you might want around four to six bottles and teats to get you started. This allows for sterilising them between feeds. Mam provides highly safe baby products for infants. Buy a Mam Bottle Starter Set , Mam Bite and Play Teether or Mam Teat Size 1 Slow Flow to help to promote and support healthy development of babies. Mam is a brand you can trust. They promote and support the healthy development of babies by providing a range of attractive, innovative, well researched products which are developed and manufactured to the highest quality. MAM are committed to designing products to meet the oral care needs of babies from birth to pre-school age. Since 2011, the European Commission has banned the use of Bisphenol A (BPA) in baby bottles. This was due to concerns that the chemical could leach out of the plastic and be absorbed by babies. None of the bottles for sale in the UK should have BPA (NCT, 2011). If you are mixed feeding (feeding from both bottle and breast) it may help to choose a teat that will encourage your baby to open their mouth wide and take in the whole teat rather than just the tip. Those with a medium wide base and a short to medium nipple length encourage babies to open their mouth wide and cup their tongue around the teat (Pearson-Glaze 2019, Bahr 2010). This article describes it well. When should I change bottle teat size?