When I was pregnant the first time around I knew nothing about breastfeeding, bottles or pumping. I was planning to go back to work full time (I didn't but that's another story) so I knew I would need a pump and some bottles for my breastfed baby. So, what are the best bottles for breastfed babies? There are so many choices it can be very overwhelming. I did a little research on pumps and bottles and decided that Dr. Brown's bottles sounded good and seemed to be popular with breastfeeding and non breastfeeding moms alike. In my excitement I bought a full bottle gift set for myself with all kinds of sizes and nipples. Yeah, big mistake. My baby never really did take to the Dr. Browns bottles. Not that they aren't great bottles, they are for many people, but not in our case.
When it comes to bottle feeding and your breastfed baby; some trial and error will probably work the best. Don't make my mistake and run out and buy a large quantity of one kind of bottle unless you are really confident that you will be using it.
If you are going to be introducing a bottle to your breastfed baby it's best to way until your baby 3-6 weeks old and after breastfeeding is established. In my case I ended up going back to work part time and not pumping as much as I thought. I only needed a bottle for occasional use and had to try several before I found one my daughter liked. When I had my second baby I had to try a couple of different kinds to find the one he liked best. I have heard this trial process is common. When bottle feeding a breastfed baby make sure to always use the slowest flow nipple available.
There are some bottles that are recommended as best for breastfed babies. Here are some of the most recommended bottles as well as my favorites:
Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Bottles
This is the bottle that I ended up using with my first baby the most after trying a few others. She never was much of a bottle drinker but I could count on her to take one of these when needed.
Tommee Tippee's Closer to Nature bottles are known for their wide neck that makes it more similar to latching onto a breast. The nipple mimics the feel and movement of breastfeeding. The bottle itself has a wide shape that makes it really easy to hold onto. Many of my mom friends love these and swear by them for breastfed babies. They also are known to be anti gas and colic with a little valve for airflow. They are super easy to clean with minimal parts.
The only negative of the shape is that it can be hard to fit in some bottle warmers. I ended up buying the Tommee Tippee bottle warmer as well.
You can find the Tommee Tippee bottle here.
Lansinoh mOmma Bottle with NaturalWave Nipple
This is my hands down favorite bottle for a breastfed baby. While I did use and like Tommee Tippee with my first baby, my second baby still seemed to have issues with the nipple. It seems like many breastfed babies have trouble latching onto a bottle nipple since it works so differently than a breast. He would take the bottle nipple and just sort of move it around in his mouth without getting any milk to swallow. I had heard about the Lansinoh bottle being great for breastfed babies and decided to give it a try. It is with this nipple that I saw my son immediately latch on and suck just like he does on a breast. He drank it quickly and we never looked back.
Now they have changed the bottle shape some from when I had it. I had the older more rounded shape and the newer one is longer and thinner but the nipple is the same and the nipple is the magical part! I found this bottle super easy to clean and tote around with us.
older bottle design same nipple
You can find the Lansinoh mOmma Bottle with NaturalWave Nipple here at a discounted price!
Dr. Brown's Natural Flow Wide Neck
I know, I just said above that Dr. Brown's bottles did not work with my first baby. But... I have still heard great things about them and they work for many breastfed babies. I tried the original Dr. Brown's bottles but they now have a new one with a wide neck option that is even better for breastfed babies. I bet if I had tried the wider neck I might have had more success. The great feature about Dr. Brown's bottles are the vacuum free feeding experience that is more similar to breastfeeding and helps prevent gas, colic and spit up.
The main negative about these bottles is all of the parts to clean. This was another thing about them that bugged me but if they work for you it may be worth it.
You can find them here.
Phillips Avent Natural Bottle
When I was pregnant the first time around I took a breastfeeding class and Phillips Avent was what they recommended for breastfed babies. I did buy a single standard Avent bottle and my baby did not really take to it (again, trial and error). But now they also have come out with a wider "natural" bottle that is even better for breastfed babies. The wide base is more breast like and it still has great features like anti-colic with a valve system and a special nipple that is more like breastfeeding. I know these bottles are LOVED by many breastfeeding moms, even before they made the wider natural bottle.
You can find the Phillips Avent Natural bottle here.
Comotomo Natural Feel Baby Bottle
I have not personally tried this one but I am listing it because I have heard that this bottle is another great option for breastfed babies. I was ready to purchase this one as my next option if the Lansinoh did not work out for us. Features that make this bottle a breastfed baby favorite include a soft wide nipple base and a soft squeezable bottle. That's right it's soft, so your baby can squeeze it just like he does with your boob!
This bottle is available here 13% off retail.
The best baby bottle is the one your baby will take
While these are some recommendations to help steer you in the right direction; you may find that your baby prefers a completely different bottle. It's overwhelming with so many choices, so hopefully this can help you narrow it down and find a bottle your breastfed baby will take happily.
Please let me know if you have any questions or if I missed a bottle that you love for your baby. Thanks!