This isn't a complaint as much as it is a question and plea for advice.
The topic? Bottles. The specifics? Keep reading.
1) When I only had a few I felt like I was constantly cleaning bottles, now that I have more I feel like I'm cleaning just as much but double the load. I thought having more would result in less cleaning. Then Crista the nanny comes by, with only one Dr Brown in tow. She said it's easier to just bring one because she just cleans it out and reuses it. Here I thought having, you know, 2-3 per baby was good but one does sound better...So what works best? More, or less?
2) Nursery water, distilled, or tap? Is fluoride good or bad? I keep getting different answers from my sources.
3) Warming? Yes or no? I've heard people who warm every bottle and I really don't want the girls use to that since I may not always be able to warm a bottle. Some say don't warm at all. I'm thinking a warm bottle at night will help their rest? What do you think? And if you've done this, which warming method seems more safe and effective?
4) Dr Browns and Avent, really the best? I noticed a considerable decrease in gas when we changed from their standard Playtex bottles they came with but what is the best bottle and why? I have some vented bottles and a ton of Soothies people swear are great but I'm still hesitant. What are your ideas?
5) Flow rates? When do I change nipples?
Help me out, is there any secret or trick for bottles? Besides laundry it's what I spend the majority of time messing with and would love input from experienced moms.
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Hey Lena...When I brought my son, Christian, home from the orphanage in Guatemala he was about 6 months old. I used the Dr. Brown's bottles and I thought they were incredible. They greatly reduced gas. They are a pain though because of all the parts. :-) I had several bottles in different sizes.
ReplyDeleteI also had this plastic thing that looked like a cake cover. You'd fill the bottom with a little water and and microwave it to sanitize the bottles.
I doubt any of this was helpful but just wanted to say hello. :-)
I'm thinking about you.
Richard
Hey Lena,
ReplyDeleteI'm not a parent but all or most of my Speech Therapist friends with kiddos and who work with babies with feeding difficulties use the Dr. Brown bottles and the Soothie pacifiers. The bottles help with gas and the pacifiers allow you to put your finger in and massage their tongue when they are fussy. It's soothing I guess bc I know it helped my nephew Louie calm down sometimes. Amanda had the microwave sanitizer and it seemed to help with clean-up. I will tell Amanda to post because she is going through the bottle upgrade process. I hope this helps! I'll be interested to see what other parents have to say.
Hi Lena, I would like to tell you that I worked for many years in child care at Primrose Schools We used to warm the baby bottles up using a small crockpot. We would just sit the bottle in the crockpot water that was adjusted to the heat that we needed it to be. It was much better than using the microwave because it warmed the bottles evenly. However, there are many different ways to do things and sometimes more than one right way. Just ask God for guidance and talk with your Mother and Mother in law. Best of Wishes to you. I will pray for you to be the best Mommy!
ReplyDelete@Richard & Jessica, I think I have the same sanitizer you both mentioned! It was given to us by a friend and it seems to do the trick but I find it quicker for me to sanitize them instantly with thee scorching hot water my faucet provides :) I'm not one to wait for a dishwasher!
ReplyDeleteI've started using warm tap water for mixing instead of the "room temperature" nursery water which really wasn't room temperature, it felt chilled to the touch. Ironically once I did that it seems their mid and pot meal hiccups went away instantly. I guess the cool water was shocking their little warm bodies. I don't see that it calms them or relaxes them more but that's okay, I'm use to being a night owl ;)
I can't type,
ReplyDelete*the instead of thee
*post instead of pot
I've been meaning to post on this. I say whatever your gut tells you... on EVERYTHING. Personally, (1) I feel that 1-2 bottles is easier than many (2) I used distilled (any kind) water for Ashton, but have used regular bottled water with Brennan when we use formula. I never really paid attention to the flouride... bad Mommy! (3) I try to at least get the bottle where it's not COLD. Just room temperature is fine for my boys. Although, it's a little harder for them to take when it's cold. It depends on the baby though. (4) Dr. Brown's bottles worked really well for both boys, so I never switched. Why fix what's not broken? I'm definitely pro-Dr. Brown's! (5) Hmmm... I never really even knew or read about switching nipples my first time around, but I think you can look on the sizes and it will have a suggested age. I think 1's are for newborn to 3 months, 2's 3-6, 3's 6-?. I would double-check, but that's what I think I remember seeing.
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