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When you are looking for baby products, baby bottles top the list. Certain things we can make do without, but at some point, you will want bottles available to feed your little one, even if you are a staunch supporter of breastfeeding.

So, which baby bottles are the best for your baby? With so many brands on the market, making the right choice for your child can be a bit tricky, so let’s take a look at three brands that you may be considering: Dr Brown, Comotomo, and Life Factory.

Dr Brown Baby Bottles

Baby bottles are pretty straightforward, right?

Dr Brown’s looks a bit more complicated at first glance than you would expect for a baby bottle, with a removable venting system that is responsible for keeping air from mixing with breast milk or formula. 

As baby drinks, air is vented into the bottle, rather than baby’s stomach. This, in turn, helps to cut down on gas, which is believed to be a factor in causing colic. This makes Dr Brown a top choice for those with colicky babies.

The bottle has 6 pieces in total, including two for the internal vent. This makes cleanup a bit more work than the typical bottle, but when you are looking to your baby’s gas and spit-up issues, it is a price worth paying. It does come with a cleaning brush for the venting system

The Options baby bottles are somewhat slimmer than average, which permits quicker heating in most bottle warmers, but presents certain issues, such as making it a little bit trickier to fill with powdered formula.

The Good: Great choice for those with colicky babies. 

The Bad: More work to keep clean.

Comotomo Baby Bottles

Comotomo baby bottles, with their soft silicone material and naturally-shaped design, are excellent baby bottles to help prevent nipple confusion. If you are a breastfeeding mom who is looking to make the transition to bottle, or even just wanting a partner to help feed baby, Comotomo baby bottles make a great choice.

Comotomo’s soft mound and nipple help baby make the change from breast to bottle with less fuss. The bottle is made from the same material as the nipple, meaning that it is easy for little hands to hold and squeeze.

The neck of the bottle, like the mound, is wider than the average bottle, making it easier to clean with a regular dish sponge; no special bottle brush is needed. Alternately, being made from medical-grade silicone, you can also either boil the bottle, or even put it in your dishwasher’s top rack.

Baby bottles come with a slow-flow nipple, but replacements are available in slow, medium, or fast. Be aware, though, that the flow rate is not marked on the nipple, so once the packages are opened, you will need to keep track of which is which. Slow-flow nipples have one hole, while medium have two and fast have three. An available variable flow nipple has a Y-cut.

The Good: Helps avoid nipple confusion, easy latching for baby, easy cleanup. 

The Bad: Nipple can stain and change colour, soft bottle can tip easily, measurement markings can be difficult to read.

Life Factory Baby Bottles

Life Factory Baby bottles are an excellent choice if you wish to avoid plastic. These baby bottles are made form thermal shock resistant borosilicate glass with a silicone sleeve for extra protection in the event of a drop. Well-designed, with quality components, Life Factory baby bottles come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

These baby bottles are compatible with most major brands of breast pump, making transition form the breast easier, and while some care needs to be observed in their handling, they are durable, and able to go from freezer to boiling water safely. Cleanup is easy, with only a few parts, and no tricky venting system to complicate matters.

The standard nipple is smaller and narrower than some others, but still easy for baby to latch onto. If, however, the standard choice is not desirable, it can be interchanged with Dr Brown’s nipples, and certain other brands. The bottle also has the option to change from nipples to sippy tops.

The Good: A great choice for those who want to avoid plastic, easy to clean, durable. 

The Bad: Lack of measurements on the bottle itself (but on silicone sleeve), possibility of breaking if dropped.

As with any baby product, much will depend on your and your baby’s preferences, but any of the above options make excellent choices, depending on your needs. Find them all at activebaby.ca, along with all of your other baby needs.