The different types of baby bottles

Modern Baby Feeding Bottles designs range from plain to just plain weird. Lets take a closer look at the different types of baby bottles you may come across.

1, Standard baby bottle 

A standard baby bottle has no bells or whistles and is little more than a lid and nipple attached to a bottle (and maybe a cover to protect the nipple). Standard baby bottles are also known as straight-neck bottles. Standard bottles are cheap. You can pick them up for as little as a couple of dollars and are found just about anywhere. If you need a bottle in a hurry then you should be able to pick one up at your local pharmacy. Because standard bottles have a basic shape, they will easily fit in conventional bottle warmers, sterilizers and carriers that have all been designed around this common shape.

Pros: Incredibly cheap. Widely availble. Simple design. Simple to clean. Can fit conventional accessories like warmers and sterilizers.

Cons: Cheaper bottles can be poor quality. No exciting or useful features. Your baby will likely swallow air as he feeds.

2, Wide neck baby bottle

 As the name suggests, the neck is wider than that of a standard baby bottle. Because the opening is wider, so is the nipple that attaches to the bottle. The wider nipple resembles the look and feel of your own nipple. The similarity in nipples may prevent nipple confusion. As a result, wide neck bottles are a suitable option for mothers who wish to switch back and forth between breast and bottle feeding. The wider neck also makes cleaning than narrow necked bottles. Once you remove the nipple and collar you will find that the mouth of the baby bottle will easily accept the largest of bottle wands. It used to be that wide neck bottles were shorter and squatter than regular bottles. Nowadays they come in all shapes and sizes but they all share one thing in common. A wider neck

Pros: Mimics breast feeding. Prevents nipple confusion. Easy to clean.
Cons: Standard nipples wont fit. More expensive than ordinary baby bottles.

3,Angled baby bottle Also known as angle-neck bottles; these baby bottles have come with a very visible bend in the neck of the bottle. The bend is designed to keep the nipple filled with milk (or formula) while preventing air bubbles getting trapped in the nipple. The result – your baby swallows less air, which is only a good thing. Pediatricians recommend that you bottle feed your baby in a semi-upright position as it may help prevent ear infections. Angle necked baby bottles promote feeding in this position and are easier for the parent to hold. Angled bottles do come with a learning curve, you will need to hold the bottle sideways to fill it up or use a funnel. While the first few times filling an angled baby bottle can be messy, you will soon get the hang of it.

Pros: Helps prevent your baby from swallowing air. May be more comfortable to hold. May help prevent ear infections.
Cons: Considerably more expensive than standard bottles. Not all stores stock angled bottles meaning you will have to hunt around. Can be difficult to clean. 

4,Vented baby bottle

When your baby sucks on the nipple of a baby bottle a vacuum is formed. This vacuum can cause air bubbles to become trapped inside the nipple. If air is in the nipple then it is one step away from being swallowed by your baby (resulting in colic or gas). A vent prevents the air from becoming trapped or mixing through the milk and swallowed by allowing air bubbles to back towards the base of the bottle. Vented baby bottles are also known as natural flow bottles ,or anti-colic bottles. Baby bottles can be vented from the nipple, by use of a straw or by a valve in the base of the bottle. In order from worst to best, the venting systems are as follows: Worst – Non vented: Contains no venting whatsoever. Air enters the bottle as soon as your baby stops sucking. Fair – Top-vented: The nipple has small holes that allow air to pass through and into the bottle. Since air is still bubbling through the milk, your baby will still ingest some of the air. Better – Straw Venting: Air is drawn through slits in the nipples and passes through the milk via a straw. Since air can go directly to the bottom of the bottle, it wont mix through your baby’s milk or formula. Best – Bottom Venting: When the bottle is upended and sucked on, air is drawn into the bottle through a valve at the base of the bottle. Since negative pressure is completely eliminated, your baby’s milk or formula will be virtually air free. If your baby is fidgety after feeding and suffers from gas or colic then it is well worth your time trying a vented baby bottle. While vented baby bottles do not work on every gassy baby there is a huge army of parents that swear by them.

Pros: Reduces the amount of air your baby swallows. May prevent help prevent colic and gas.
Cons: More difficult to clean due to extra pieces. More expensive than ordinary baby bottles.

5,Disposable baby bottles Disposable baby bottles are designed to used when traveling or in other situations where you are unable to clean up your regular baby bottle. Rather than clean these bottles, you simply throw them in the trash when feeding time is over.

There are two different types of disposable baby bottles.

1). Disposable baby bottles a packet of disposable baby bottles A pre-sterilized baby bottle that comes complete with a nipple and lid. Sold in multiple packs, simply add breast milk or formula and throw the whole bottle in the trash after use. 

2). Disposable liner baby bottles baby bottle with disposable liner nipple and lid These bottles come with small plastic pouches that sit inside the bottle. Your milk or formula is added to the plastic pouch and never comes into contact with the bottle itself. Each liner is usable for a single meal. As your baby drinks, the liner collapses, leaving less room for air bubbles.

While you have to initially buy the baby bottle that holds the pouch, disposable liner bottles are cheaper in the long run. A plastic pouch is much cheaper to buy than a whole disposable bottle. Extra pouches are sold seperatelt.
Pros: No cleaning required. Convenient. Great for traveling.
Cons: Not eco-friendly. Bottles that fit liners are more expensive that standard bottles Requires ongoing purchase of liners.