How to buy bottles and nipples

The number of bottles and nipples you'll need depends on whether you'll be mostly bottle-feedingOpens a new window or mostly breastfeeding. If you're mostly bottle-feeding, you'll probably want eight to ten bottles, and if you're mostly breastfeeding, three or four should be enough.

Start with 4- or 5-ounce bottles. They're perfect for the small amounts of breast milkOpens a new window or formulaOpens a new window newborns eat in one sitting. Shift to 8- or 9-ounce bottles at about 4 months, or whenever your baby's growing appetite makes bigger bottles more practical. (You can also start out with larger bottles, and just fill them halfway when your baby is very little. But it can be nice to have the smaller sizes.)

Bottles come with coordinating nipples, usually the slow-flow kind for newborns and infants. You'll need to buy replacements when nipples wear out, or as your baby gets older and needs a faster flow of breast milk or formula.

Here are some things to consider when deciding how many bottles to purchase.

• Cleaning and sanitizing: If you're able to clean bottles immediately after feedings, you won't need as many.
• Preparing ahead: If you'll be preparing bottles ahead of time and storing them in the fridge, you'll need to have a few extras.
• Daily routines: Will your baby be at a daycare or babysitter's house? If you need bottles to give to a caregiver, you’ll need to buy more.
• Cost: Traditional glass and plastic bottles range from about $4 to more than $10 apiece. Stainless-steel and silicone baby bottles range from $13 to $30. Silicone and latex nipples range from $1 to $7 each (but are usually sold in packages of 2 or 3). Starter sets and gift sets, which include several bottles and nipples, as well as accessories like cleaning brushes and sterilizers, run from $30 to $110.

Some babies will take any bottle with a smile. Some take to a particular type of nipple or bottle and outright refuse a different brand. And some babies have less colic, gas, and spit-up with certain bottles. (Many bottles are designed to prevent these feeding problems by venting air more effectively.)

You may also find that your baby doesn't have a preference, but you probably will if, say, a particular brand of bottles and nipples leaks or has too many little parts to clean.

To start, buy or register for a small selection of bottles and nipples – either a few different bottle and nipple combinations or 2 different brands of newborn starter sets. Ask friends which brands they recommend, and check reviews online.

To make it easier to transition a breastfed baby to a bottle, manufacturers have designed various types of bottles and nipples to mimic the feel of nursing. Again, you may have to try a few to find one that works for your baby.

Glass bottlesOpens a new window are popular again partly because of concerns about chemicals in plasticsOpens a new window. Because of this, many manufacturers now make both glass and plastic versions of their top-selling baby bottles. Glass bottles also last longer than plastic but are more expensive. Glass is heavy and can shatter if dropped, but you can usually buy protective silicone sleeves to prevent this.

As far as glass goes, though, these are especially durable thanks to the pharmaceutical-grade borosilicate (think Pyrex) glass that is heat- and thermal shock-resistant. The bottle can go directly from the fridge to warm water without worry. While incredibly easy to set up and clean, they also have a built-in anti-colic system to prevent gas bubbles from building up in your baby’s belly. There are no extra parts, just a special venting system in the nipple. 

Silicone bottles are light, unbreakable, and easy for your baby to hold. They're more expensive than plastic bottles, but they may be safer, because they're unlikely to leach chemicals into your baby's formula or milk. Silicone bottles are harder to find (for now at least), which can be inconvenient if a part cracks or breaks and you need a quick replacement.

This silicone bottle was designed to closely mimic the feel of nursing from the breast, and has two anti-colic vents. It's soft for babies to hold and squeeze, and can safely go in the microwave, boiling water, dishwashers, and sanitizers. It comes in packs of two (either 5 ounces or 8 ounces).

Plastic is light, shatterproof, and inexpensive, but many plastic products contain hormone-disrupting chemicals. Plastic bottles also deteriorate, so they need to be replaced regularly.

The Avent brand is popular because its bottles don't have lots of parts to keep track of, are easy to clean, and are known not to leak. You can choose from glass or plastic versions. The soft, wide nipple appeals to babies who also breastfeed.

Stainless steel is light, unbreakable, and free of harmful chemicals. These bottles last forever, but like silicone bottles, they are more expensive and can be hard to find.

We like the Pura Kiki's special features, which make their bottles user-friendly and adaptable. Stainless steel can hold heat, so there's a sleeve to keep your baby's hands safe. While the Kiki is the most expensive bottle on our list, you'll use it for years: As your baby grows, different tops allow you use it as a sippy cupOpens a new window, a bottle with straw, or a snack container.

Bottles with drop-in plastic inserts that you fill with formula or breast milk can be handy when you're on the go: just toss the liner and wash the nipple. Each insert can be used only once.

The downside of bottles with disposable inserts is that you have to keep buying refills of the single-use plastic liners. But some parents say it's worth it to avoid washing as many bottles, especially when traveling. Playtex says the liners can be recycled at some grocery and retail stores. And the liners, which collapse as your baby drinks, may prevent air from mixing with breast milk or formula.

Traditional bottles are narrow and straight. They fit into most cup holders and bottle holders and may require a bottle brush for cleaning.

Nuk's Simply Natural bottles are popular with parents because while they have just three pieces (bottle, collar, and nipple), they have a powerful anti-colic effect thanks to the venting system built into the nipple. They're available in glass or plastic versions, and their wide mouth makes them easy to fill and clean. 

Angled-neck bottles keep air from forming in the nipple, and may help your baby avoid gas, burping, and fussiness. But because of the angle, these bottles can be a little more work to clean.

Made for babies to drink more easily while lying semi-upright, the VentAire may help babies who are prone to gas, spit-up, and colic. These also have a bottom vent to prevent air from mixing with your baby's milk or formula. They come in plastic only.

Wide-necked bottles allow for a wider nipple that's meant to feel more like a real breast and appeal to breastfed babies. These bottles are usually easier to clean and fill, but often don't fit in cupholders.

The Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature bottle, which comes in plastic or glass, has a lot going for it. The curvy shape is easy for babies to hold, and the soft silicone nipple gently flexes during feeding to mimic breastfeeding. There's also an anti-colic valve in the nipple designed to keep air out. And with just three parts, this bottle is easy to clean and store.

Some parents prefer bottles with handles, especially as their baby grows and is able to hold the bottle more independently. Keep in mind that handles are an additional piece to clean and assemble.

Many bottles, such as Philips Avent, Comotomo, and Dr. Brown's, have attachable handles you can buy separately. Just fasten the handle on and you're all set to hand the bottle off to your baby.

Many bottles are marketed as preventing colic. These designs may have straw-like components that fit into the bottle to prevent your baby from ingesting gas-causing air bubbles, or they may have a venting system built into the nipple or bottom of the bottle. The jury’s still out on whether these features work, but many parents firmly believe they do.

When it comes to venting systems, Dr. Brown's has been leading the way for a long time, and we can see why. Although the extra parts can be a hassle to clean, the Dr. Brown's system is beloved by parents who know the struggles of colic, spit-up, and gas troubles. And with the Options+ system, once your baby is past the colic stage, you can leave out the vent straw and continue using the bottles. They're available in glass or plastic versions too.

Some babies have difficulty feeding due to a cleft lip or nontypical palate or facial structures. Valve-feeding systems help babies who struggle with suction by creating a one-way flow of milk. If your baby has trouble with suction, your doctor will help you find the right bottle.

Dr. Brown's specialty feeding system is very similar to its anti-colic bottles, but with one additional piece that creates a one-way-flow of liquid. Of all the specialty feeding options, this most resembles a traditional bottle. That can make it easier for babies to transition from these to a standard bottle later.

If you're pumping breast milk and feeding with bottles, you can make life simpler by pumping directly into the bottles you'll be using or pumping into pouches that click into coordinating baby bottles. Tommee Tippee, Medela and other brands sell these sets.

Don't want to lose a single drop of precious breast milk? This system may be for you. Kiinde takes the work out of transferring milk with its Kiinde Twist Pouches, which twist-lock onto pumps from all major brands. When you're ready to feed your baby, just snap the pouch into the Kiinde bottle and your baby is good to go. The only downside is that you'll need to have all of the parts of the Kiinde system.

Latex nipples are often referred to as the "old school" nipple. They're softer and more flexible, but they don't last as long as silicone and some babies are allergic to them.

Parents sometimes turn to this latex nipple when their breastfed baby refuses to take a bottle – many say the NUK nipple makes a big difference. These fit on standard bottles from NUK and other brands.

Silicone nipples are firmer and hold their shape longer. They're more heat resistant and easier to sanitize than latex, but are often more expensive.

If you have a Medela breast pump and the accompanying breast-milk bottles, you can use these nipples, too, and never worry about transferring your breast milk to a different container. These nipples are compatible with wide-base collars and come in slow-flow and medium-flow varieties. They work with a few other kinds of bottles, too.

American manufacturers stopped using the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in baby bottles in 2009, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups in 2012. But plastic bottles still contain other chemicalsOpens a new window that can leach into your baby's formula or milk.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents take precautions to reduce their family's exposure to chemicals in plastics:

Avoid plastic when possible.

• If you use plastic products, avoid those with recycling codes 3 (phthalates), 6 (styrene), and 7 (bisphenols) unless plastics are labeled as "biobased" or "greenware."
• Because heat may cause plastics to release chemicals, don't boil plastic bottles, heat them in the microwave, or wash them in the dishwasher.

Other bottle and nipple safety tips

• Inspect bottles regularly to make sure they're free of cracks that can harbor bacteria. Sticky or discolored nipples can be a sign of deterioration, while cracked nipples can be bitten or chewed off and become a choking hazard.
• Baby-bottle recalls are infrequent but do occur. Use the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's list of product recallsOpens a new window to check if your bottles have been part of a recall.