Reddit mentions: The best baby bottles

Overall tips:

• You don't need 10 of everything. Start with a couple. If you find you use them/could use more, THEN buy them. Especially true for washcloths and towels. Half the time, we use adult ones and they work just fine for LO. (pacifiers, bottles, etc included in this!! Some LO's hate certain kinds, love other kinds). Don't bother with changing pad covers. They'll just get peed on. We have the waterproof changing pad which works just fine.
  
• More clothes = more volume of laundry, more storage space for too small, current, and future clothing. Less clothes = laundry more often, but smaller loads and less overall storage space. Mix and match outfits are HUGE here. (ie: we were a strict "black and grey" base (bottoms, socks, shoes). We bought no navy blue and very little brown. Most bright color tops and onesies paired perfectly with blacks and greys, and we didn't have to buy tons of shoes to match certain outfits, etc. Playing dress up is fun, but keeping clothing simple and practical has saved us a TON of money in the past 2 years. Each season we have 2 "nice" outfits to go out in/celebrate holidays in. The rest is play clothes, simple clothes, etc.
  
  ​
  
  Specific items:
  
  
• we liked the Avent bottle system. I bought a starter kit that came with everything we needed for the first 6mo. I liked that the pieces are all interchangeable with the spectra pump, and that they're even interchangeable with Avent sippy cups, etc. We made a pact to rinse bottles every night so we really didn't have too many. We had this, plus the 2 5oz spectra bottles that came with my pump + we bought 2 additional 9oz bottles. Later, we bought 2 sippy cups.
  
• Get the ikea high chair. Cheap, disassembles for travel, and works great! SUPER easy to clean, and my 2yo still fits in it with no issues. Both grandparents have one at their house as well.
  
• Skip baby carriers/swings/bumbo seat/etc until you think you need it. The only 'container' we had for LO was a rock and play (before all these issues) that we used as a bassinet. Otherwise, we'd prop him on the boppy pillow (that i used for breastfeeding) and he'd chill happily on the carpet. Some kids don't do well with this, but mine did. I would have wasted so much money/space on 'containers' that my LO quite frankly didn't need. Later on, we bought a doorway jumper which he loved!
  
• Get a nose frieda and gripe water. We waited too long on both items.
  
• The oxo wipe holder is one of the best items we own that was a surprise gift to us. We use amazon refill packages to fill it.
  
• THIS BOOK. It sounds like you're going the 'minimalist/practicalist' route and this book was super helpful with making me realize that you just DONT NEED A TON OF KID STUFF. I've used so many 'adult items' to entertain and care for LO that it's ridiculous how many toys and other items we DONT have or need in our house!
  
  ​
  
  Don't skimp on carseats and strollers. We use the keyfit carseats. Both grandparents had extra bases in their cars so all we had to do was 'click in' the seat to the base if traveling with them. SUPER convenient and well worth the cost if you're constantly switching cars. The citi mini stroller has been amazing for us as well. Love the one-hand fold!

I accidentally hit save, here are some more items you might want to register for:

Corner bumpers more of a concern when baby starts moving, but if you get it out of the way now you don't have to worry about it later. Same goes for plug covers and cabinet locks! Furniture anchors are a must-have, too. I haven't registered for those yet, need to figure out how many we need.


Pack'n'Play portable playpen, changing station, play mat, and bassinet. Even if you don't travel much, I think it will be handy for taking baby around the house while I do chores. They come in all kinds of designs, this one just stood out because of my nursery theme.

A glider or rocking chair, dresser/changing station, and crib. I don't have recommendations for these because I got mine as hand-downs.

Baby monitor I'm going with middle of the line video, because the audio only ones aren't much cheaper, so why not? I'd like to be able to peek in on baby and make sure he's okay without constantly disturbing him by entering the room. These come in all ranges with all kinds of features, so look at a few to figure out what you want.

Bibs. I love these because they have food-catchers. Mess will still happen, but it looks like these will at least lower the amount.

Infant soothie pacifiers

Breastfeeding pillow for sitting up Probably superfluous with the other one, but I like that it straps around your waist, cushions your back, and has pockets for drinks/snack/phone.

Pacifier clips, so you aren't knee deep in pacifiers that keep falling on the floor

Butt paste. I've heard a lot about this from other moms, apparently it's the best diaper cream.

Butt spatula admittedly I felt silly with this one, but the reviews are raving. Butt paste gets everywhere, and it's water resistant so an utter pain to clean - especially under your nails. On top of that, this makes sure you get a nice, even layer for baby's comfort.


Breastfeeding scarf! I think this thing is so neat, especially with a winter baby. You can wear it like an infinity scarf, but it'd big enough that when baby is ready to eat it will cover both of you comfortably! There are a lot of different styles, I picked a black one and a grey one just so they will go with any outfit.

Graco glider soother I picked this because I thought it was neat, then I saw a bumper with post partum advice list it on her must-have rundown.

Diaper bag! I went for the backpack style so DH and I could both comfortably use it, and honestly I don't want to deal with baby in one arm and an over-the-shoulder bag on the other.

First aid and grooming kit

Bottle sterilizer, because screw trying to hand wash them

Bottle warmer, no microwave/boiling water and guess


Bottles!

High chair. I picked this one because it is a 4-in-1, it adjusts from infant all the way up to toddler booster, so I know I'll get my use out of it.

Puj tub - it folds into your sink to be a warm, soft bathing surface for baby, and then when you're done you hang it flat in the shower, bo fuss, no mold!

I also registered at Target and BRU for some variety, some things that I don't have amazon links for:

Travel system.... I absolutely want one that is a carrier, clicks into a car base or a stroller. Getting two bases, one for each car, and the stroller base, would probably still be cheaper than buying two car seats, a carrier, and a stroller, and with these systems you don't have to wake baby up with every transistion.

Various cloth products, swaddlers, burp blankets, bath towels, bibs, etc. These are everywhere so just pick whatever suits you! I'm not registering for any clothes just because I know everyone is going to see "the cutest little onesie" and get it regardless.

Diapers! You can never have enough. I'd get a couple of packs from each size range. Don't open them until you know how big baby is, so you can exchange any that start too small.

Toys galore. Again, people will give you these registered or not, but if you see something that really strikes you, throw it in there! Jumpers and playpads are good to pick out.

Nursery decor - if you haven't gotten it all yet, black-out curtains, crib set, sheets, matress protectors, diaper genie, changing pad, laundry hamper, mobile, etc etc.

Books! Instead of cards, I'm going to ask people to bring inexpensive books with their personal note to baby, that way he can keep their messages as he grows. I put a good amount of books between $3-$6 on my registry for this, so hopefully we won't get a million copies of the same book.

This turned into an epic novel, but I hope it helps you with some starting places! Check out the reviews and similar products on things I linked, hopefully it will lead you to some things you like!

Aw, that is super exciting! Congrats. (:

I managed to find a few cute things for you!

I didn't go through the comments to make sure someone didn't already send them to you so I apologize if someone else already did. (:

1

2

3

4 a rattle,

5

6 This is neat. (:

7

8 and I LOVE these little onesies!

9

10 Love this too!!

11 PUMBAA!! (:

12 Rafiki. (:

13 Timon.

14 Zazu.

15 Nala.

16 Scar! >:(

17 ADORABLE.

I found a lot, wow. Haha. Oh well, I hope you like some of the stuff. (: Super happy for you guys!! (:

• The NICU should provide a pump and bottles if you're not able to breastfeed in the NICU. It depends on your circumstances whether you'll be able to breastfeed immediately. Hopefully someone who's been through a NICU experience can tell you more about that.
  
  
• They sell breastmilk storage bags specifically designed to store milk. I use the Lansinoh ones because I have never had one leak on me. To thaw it, run it under warm water. NEVER MICROWAVE. Some babies are picky about the temperature of the milk, some aren't. You'll have to learn what your baby will drink. Always be sure to test the milk on your inner arm or upper lip to be sure it won't burn baby. There are also bottle warmers out there, but I've never used one.
  
  
• Assuming you're able to stay with baby after the birth, you should be able to start breastfeeding pretty much immediately. In the early months, you'll want to pump every time she takes a bottle to help keep your supply up. Kellymom.com has a good page on how much milk baby will need.
  
  
• The best bottles for breastfeeding varies from baby to baby. If you can, try to avoid bottles until baby has the hang of breastfeeding. If you can't, look for bottles that have nipples with wide bases and slow flow. I ended up using Playtex Drop-Ins because Dad and I both work full time, my daughter hated EVERY kind of bottle anyway, and they were easy to clean. If you can't get baby to take a bottle, consider training him/her to drink from a cup or straw. My daughter started drinking from a straw when she was about 7 months old. As soon as she figured out straws she refused bottles.
  
  Poke around on the site kellymom.com. It's one of the best breastfeeding sites out there, very down to earth, with lots of good advice. Also see if you can watch some videos of how to latch and what a good feeding looks like. I love the videos at this site.
  
  Breastfeeding is hard at first, and it often hurts, but the rewards are wonderful. And always remember that the most important rule of breastfeeding is feed your baby however you need to. If it means formula, so be it.
  
  edit: clarity, also I can't get that one link working.

First of all Congrats! They are a lot of work but will also bring so much joy and happiness. Just remember and focus on the good parts. The bad parts (sleepless nights, etc.) all become a blur at that age.

Here is some tips I sent to my buddy a few weeks ago before he had his first:

1. Instead of sending out email updates to friends/family, I suggest you create a blog. Maybe even start writing it now before the baby comes. Then you can just email out the blog link to everyone after you update it and you and your family will always be able to look back on it and read the blog years later. We love going back and reading our blog posts from when the kids were born.
   
   
2. At the hospital you need to totally take advantage of the nursery and having them watch the baby at night so you guys can sleep. You will have plenty of time to stay up all night with the baby so take advantage of the help while you have it. I slept with the wife in the hospital (hint bring your own pillows and blankets) and wish we had used the nursery service more where they will come and take your baby so you can sleep. Also, try to get to bed as early as possible when staying at the hospital because starting at about 5am all the doctors and nurses start coming in every hour to check on the mother making it impossible to sleep in.
   
   
3. During your first night at home, come up with a schedule of who is going to stay up and who is going to sleep at what time. We made the mistake of keeping the babies in the room with us and neither of us got any sleep and ending up passing out on the bed with both babies. It made us exhausted for the rest of the week and I still have paranoid dreams that one of the babies is in bed with us and we are going to roll onto it. It is far better to let one person sleep and have the other one stay up with the baby in a separate room.
   
   
4. My favorite/most used baby accessories where the swing (something like this http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2452297&CAWELAID=107533453&pla=plab&cagpspn=pla) because you can strap the baby into it and don't have to worry about them falling out. They love it and will usually put them to sleep.
   
   Also, get the video on Netflix called The Happiest Baby on the Block (2003) or you might be able to buy it online for cheap. Your are probably in information overload right now so watch it when you get back from the hospital. It really helped us calm and sooth our screeaming babies when we had no idea what to do. You can also use Youtube and search for the "5s method" or "happiest baby on the block"
   
   If you get really desperate and need to do something instead of feeding the baby a bottle, we cheated and used things like this:
   http://www.amazon.com/Bebe-Bottle-Sling-Brown-Monkey/dp/B003Z6AO7U/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1354026564&sr=1-3-catcorr&keywords=bottle+holder
   and
   http://www.amazon.com/Podee-Baby-Bottle-Handsfree-Feeding/dp/B000GLKA9Y/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1354026611&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=bottle+holder+baby+podie
   
   Also, I wish I saw this video when we had newborns (How to interpret baby sounds)
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv3-74EFtWQ&t=3m44s
   
   GOOD LUCK!

Don't stress:

Check with your insurance on a breast pump. Most insurance will cover it and you don't need to buy one. Register for the bottle kit that fits your pump. Like this one for example. and buy it if you don't get as gift.

Definitely buy/register for some Lanolin nipple cream and breast pads for leaking and a nursing bra and tanks. Nipple shield if you want I never did and I don't think many people actually need them.

When you're in the hospital make sure your request the lacation consultant to come visit as often as they can. In my hospital they came once a day but I requested more just cause I wanted them to make sure baby was latching on correctly before we left, didn't have tongue/lip ties etc. Our breastfeeding journey was a breeze - we were lucky for sure.

Pick a bottle or two and get the slowest flow nipple. Baby will be on this nipple for the first few months or even longer if you are nursing in conjunction. We used the Avent Natural bottles - it was the only one she'd take and not until 6-8 weeks or so.

Stalk /r/breastfeeding and watch the latching videos on the sidebar. Research latching etc. Take a breastfeeding class. This is what I did and I was impressed how easily it came for us. :) Feel free to ask any questions.

I would actually get the onsie in a 3-6 month size. Most people get new moms clothes in 0-3 months so I go up at least one size when I buy a gift. Also check out the comments on the onsie if they have it as some infant clothes sizes are crazy wrong.

I have a lot of friends who are pregnant or just a baby in the last couple of years and was a Nanny for over 10 years and I buy one traditional gift for the baby and the rest are gifts that are not the 'norm. Depending on how much money you want to spend here are some ideas: mani/pedi or massage for mom (Groupon is great!), restaurant gift cards that deliver, house cleaning services, baby massage class, box of healthy snacks especially for breastfeeding moms,

Here are some more traditional but still very useful gifts parents might not know about that I posted somewhere else.

Hands free bottle holder
http://www.amazon.com/Bottle-Feeding-Bebe-Sling-LLC/dp/B003Z66X5W/ref=pd_cp_ba_3

Plush pacifier: I get this for almost everyone because you loose so many pacifiers and it keeps it in the baby's mouth.
http://www.amazon.com/WubbaNub-22352-Giraffe/dp/B003CK3LDI/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1398892663&sr=8-5&keywords=pacifier

Non-electric travel bottle warmer
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004I110D8/?tag=buzz0f-20

Swaddle Pod
http://www.amazon.com/Summer-Infant-SwaddlePod-Caterpillar-Newborn/dp/B006K6DF9Q/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1398893796&sr=8-8&keywords=swaddle

Cuddle-U Nursing Pillow- looks like a boppy but it does so much more. I really like to give this to parents because you're not supposed to lay infants straight on there backs after feeding so you prop them up with this. It helps with spit ups, gas, and colic.

http://www.amazon.com/Leachco-Cuddle-U-Nursing-Pillow-More/dp/B000RHYPS4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1398894056&sr=8-3&keywords=baby+lounger

Baby Shusher - actually works and just saw they have a app but only for iphones for now
http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Shusher-Soothing-Miracle-Babies/dp/B00D2JN87I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398894587&sr=8-1&keywords=baby+shusher

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/baby-shusher/id419606496?mt=8

Hope this helps!

I "gave up" on breastfeeding day 2 and stopped pumping after a less than a week. We've been EFF ever since. I have so much to say, this will be long.

Day and Night Feeding

Formula needs to be used within 1 hour if it's touched baby's lips regardless of temp, 2 hours if untouched at room temp and 24 hours untouched in the fridge. If you can get your kid to drink cold/room temp then that will help a lot with wasting.

• During the Day at Home I just bought the Dr. Brown's Formula Pitcher which has been really awesome because I mix a couple bottles worth and pour. My son goes from 0-100 real quick so mixing bottles at the moment he needs them was stressful for me.
  
  
• During the Day at Work I bring one bottle to work and just wash it with hot water in between. Use soap if you feel the need. I use formula dispensers to pre-measure formula and it takes up a lot less room than a canister of formula in the diaper bag. Saves on time too. This also helps for when you're out and about, just fill a bottle with water before you leave home.
  
  
• During the Night This I experimented with quite a bit. At first I was going to the kitchen to make a bottle whenever he woke up to feed. Then I would pour pre-measured water in the bottles and mix in the room. Now I pre-mix bottles for the night and keep them in the fridge and just retrieve them when he wakes up. This has been the fastest, most efficient way for us because our kitchen is not far from our bedroom.
  
  Bottles
  
  
• We have 6 bottles total - three Playtex VentAire and three Dr. Brown's Bottles. The VentAires we use at night and the Dr. Brown's we use during the day, usually with the filter.
  
  
• I try to sterilize the bottles once a week but usually I just let them soak in soapy hot water and then rinse with hot water, sometimes using a bottle brush. You can also use the dishwasher but we don't run ours often enough.
  
  Dealing with Reflux
  
  
• So this has been super hard for us to deal with and I think we have a pretty decent system set up. Most babies spit up but some babies get reflux and it sucks. We have tried different formulas to find one that he seems to like the most and we can tell by his poops (his seem to be similar to breastfed babies), wet diapers, and how much he spits up. We also use rice cereal in his bottles during night time feeds. The bottles we use are geared towards helping with reflux. We also do not burp him often; We only burp him if he seems fussy about air that needs to come out. We noticed that we would burp him and he'd throw up a lot. He seems much happier now that we don't burp as often.
  
  Final Thoughts
  
  
• As far as I know formula feed and breastfed babies are no different. I am still able to bond with my son by maintaining eye contact while feeding. He is a happy little boy and he's getting the nutrition he needs. It's helped me be a more sane mother as well, which is something every baby needs.

Breastfeeding did not work out for me so take it with a grain of salt but when I was pumping (and even afterward with formula in them lol) my daughter did really well with the Spectra bottles (some came with my pump but they sell them alone on amazon). Also, the woman who ran my childbirth classes is also a very well respected lactation consultant in my area and she highly recommends the Joovy Boob bottles for breasted babies they come in glass or plastic. I wish I had more experience to help you out, I hope you find something that works soon!!!!

edit to add one more trick that had been mentioned in my class was for the person feeding to smell like mom. Is it possible to send a shirt of yours or something for them to drape over them when they feed the baby?

Any little present that shows that someone loves me, CFS and all, is honestly the best thing I could get. I think that many of us (definitely me) get in our heads about whether we and our illness are too much of a burden for an SO. Even when we're single we can get in our heads about whether we'd be able to date an imaginary future person. For me this can get really amplified around holidays. A little card, a little toy, anything. It's the meaning behind it for me, doesn't have to be much.

In that vein, a lot of friends have given me stuffed animals since I got sick. While I feel a little silly to be a grown woman with a bunch of stuffed animals in the house it also serves as a nice reminder that I still have friends and they still care about me, even if we aren't always in close touch.

As for CFS specific things, some folks on here showed me this badass medbox with tons of room. I LOVE it.

A good comfy pillow to their liking.

Nice looking compression stockings if they have POTS.

Cozy socks/slippers

I got this almost adult looking sippy cup so that I can keep hydrated when I can't sit up.

A good bedside tray or table.

A SAD light for those who have trouble in the winter.

A nice poster for the walls, unless it's going to visually overstimulate them. When you're looking at walls all day it can be nice to change scenery.

edit: goddamn brain fog words are hard.

I made a post similar to this myself. We started bottle feeding around that age as well, and he was a sloppy eater. We tried multiple bottles
(including Dr. Brown and Tommy Tipee--which we also found was the worst) and still use a bib but we found the Born Free bottles worked the best. The reviews are iffy and yes the nipple "collapses" some when he's using it but I feel like that contributes to a better seal.

The advice I got before was just practice--it takes time and it's true. She might just need more time, it sounds goofy because I certainly thought that they would just "know" how to do it but they have to learn.

We have a bottle rejector, too. Mine will take it from me best, not my husband. We tried everything (bottles, temp, me in house, out of house, and more!)

It turned out to be a trust issue. She is not used to being comforted in this way by other people, so she screams. Someone told me it can be a biological instinct - don’t consume food from new/untrustworthy source. Bonding helped us - skin to skin time and baby wearing with dad. Also having one of my shirts (dirty) over his shoulder so she can smell me has been successful.

For several weeks she just didn’t eat while I was gone. I am only away 5 hours, so our pediatrician was not concerned. She said some babies just wait for mom and nurse more later. It’s ok if she takes a little or none at all. This made me feel better. She pointed out baby goes 6+ hours at night.

One more thing - ours did ok with como tomo and I thought it was as good as we would get, until we tried Lansinoh mOmma bottles. She actually latches to those!

We just did almost exactly what you're talking about doing.

1. Make sure you experiment with the Kindles in airplane mode before you leave. They're weird beasts.
   
   
2. Battery packs are your friends.
   
   
3. Make sure you give the headphones a try before you leave; I got over-ear style ones which proved to be too big for toddler ears.
   
   
4. Pack snacks. Our go-to is trail mix.
   
   
5. High quality tippy cups are a must. We use these for the kids. They're basically indestructable and are somewhat more resilient to pressure changes than your run of the mill sippy cup. Downside: they'll roll right down the center aisle of a climbing aircraft. Make sure you top off with milk after clearing security and let the flight attendant know that you might need a refill later; they can sometimes help you out.
   
   
6. You can gate-check strollers and your 4 year olds are allowed their own carry on and personal item. I gave mine backpacks to carry with all of their own stuff in them and put their personal item in the stroller and let them push. Mine take direction well and like to help so this meant that they handled most of the extra baggage that was required to support them and their little brother.
   
   
7. If you're checking baggage remember that you have to do baggage claim. Have a plan in place (scout the air-port maps in advance) where-in one parent gets a bite to eat with the kids while the other collects bags and a cart. It's way better than managing tired kids around the claim area.
   
   
8. If you're renting a car check on car seat laws where you're going. Mine were eligible for booster seats at our destination even though they're in 5 point restraints at home; it saved us having to rent/install/deal-with-a-car-sized-for two extra full-size kid seats.
   
   
9. Jet lag is a thing. If you can get the kids outside and playing from 11am-1pm on the day of your arrival or the day after, do it.
   
   
10. Don't flush diapers down the airplane toilet. Even if the signs suggest that you should. Trust me on this.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BUL6PCY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_gAE2BbFPM1E74

These bottles were great for overnight, and putting in the diaper bag if I knew we would need it on that trip. Make sure the lid for the formula is closed tight, but it was a lifesaver to just grab when baby was getting overly upset. I'd also suggest getting different nipples for the bottles, I know Dr. Brown's wide mouth nipples worked for us on the bottle. Parents choice formula at Walmart is the same as Enfamil, and for us was half the price. For the first few weeks definitely see about getting the ready to use liquid formula, our hospital provided us with some, as well as the disposable nipples that fit the little bottles, so make sure and check if yours will. Take a bag a d stock up on those nipples if you can, as well as the other goodies they give.

I got these to pump into from my Spectra https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ZETWYLA?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Personally I like to pump into bottles at work and when I get home I do "milk management" where I transfer into feeding bottles (we use Dr. Browns) or bags for storage/sending to daycare. I do this because I want to end up with 4oz bottles for baby.

I like having 2 sets of everything so I can pump at work, bring it home, and have another set for the best day just in case everything doesn't get washed.

If you will be pumping often (I'm 2x a day at work) I highly recommend the simple wishes hands free pump bra.

If you want to get doubles of items you can get everything on Amazon lol.

https://balancedbreastfeeding.com/the-breastfed-baby-that-wont-take-a-bottle/

Basically you just have to keep trying. At this age it probably doesn't matter if you are there or not. You could probably try yourself. I got my daughter to take a bottle first. She didn't seem to care if I was around or not. You want to offer her a bottle as often as possible. Try different milk temperatures. My daughter will only take it if it's really warm. Offer it before she gets too hungry when she is calm and happy. Sometimes it helps to breastfeed a little, then slip the bottle in her mouth. Don't force it if she's unhappy. Just keep trying and eventually she'll get it. Sometimes babies prefer a certain type of bottle. The Lansinoh mOmma Breastmilk Feeding Bottle

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H0DH2OM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Mq-Ozb8V1D5B5

is recommended here a lot. We tried 6 different bottles and that was the one she likes the most. Try not to stress too much! It takes time to learn how to do something new. She'll get it! Good luck!

How about funny and slightly disturbing?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gM5TjSOQ48

Happy cakeday!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001G4RWG4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=J9JA468FH4KM&coliid=I394A8URY9VXSP

/u/sassyma is awesome! I hope you're doing well lovely!

If I decide to pump exclusively after maternity leave, I am going to go with the Spectra. Specifically the Spectra S2 if they're still available (the first and third gens haven't had as many great reviews as the second).

Personally, I am going to breast feed and manually pump during my 6 week leave. I bought these breastflow bottles that I'm hoping will allow hubby to feed baby during the night with my pumped milk and not inhibit baby's taking to the nipple. I'm still contemplating how long I am going to breast feed. I believe I am going to try a combo approach closer to the end of leave and slowly wean baby off of the breast as he will have to be transitioned into day care.

Spectra has some excellent reviews, though, so I would really look into their products if they're covered by Aeroflow. There are two STMs that I work with who tried both Medela and Spectra and opted for the Spectra pumps. The biggest thing for me was the reviews about how quiet they are as I don't want to be announcing to my whole office that I'm pumping, you know?

How long will you be gone including drive time? How's your milk supply?

I always had extra milk in the beginning and would pump to build a stash since it would level out to babies needs at about 6weeks. The most productive time is 3-6am as this is when prolactin levels are typically the highest. Pump after feeding if baby nurses during that time. Pumping this early shouldn't have any real negative consequences other than a slight increase at whatever time you pump. But it should adjust back down when you stop pumping.

Or you could feed formula if you're more comfortable with that. Both my kids tolerated supplement formula in the very beginning. But later refused.

I personally don't believe nipple confusion will happen after a few bottle feeds unless you have latch issues to start with. I would recommend buying a couple bottle brands and testing them out before the show night. My first baby had a preferred brand and my second still refuses bottles at 8months.

Popular bottles for breastfed babies include:

This one is super soft like a breast and can semi-replicate the different flows of a letdown vs a suckle.

This has good reviews and can be found at Wal-Mart.

Yeah, it was a pain in the butt trying to wean him from it, but we did it in one day. He was like 3 months old by then. Hopefully you can find a way that works better. We also used the breast flow bottles which seemed to help correct his latch. http://www.amazon.com/The-First-Years-Breastflow-Bottle/dp/tags-on-product/B001R1SOSG

Just FYI, if you have the right bottles and formula containers, mixing powdered formula while out and about is not that bad.

We use these Playtex bottles when we're out an about. I use them because a) they don't leak with the lid on b) they are wide necked so adding formula is much easier and c) the disposable lining makes clean up when we actually travel a lot easier.

And we use this formula dispenser. I can't recommend these enough. They are fantastic.

I just make sure that I have premeasured water in the bottles before heading out and premeasured formula in the dispensers. And then I just dump formula into the bottle, screw the nipple and lid back on shake and feed. Before we settled on this set up, I found preparing formula complicated too, but as long as you have a widemouthed bottle that doesn't leak (this is the key) and a good formula dispenser it really isn't that bad.

Gerber first essentials

https://www.amazon.ca/Gerber-Graduates-First-Essentials-Bottle/dp/B00CXVJKB4/

They are slow-flow, and also have medium and fast flow for later when your baby is older. They say they reduce air intake. I also have Avent wide-neck anti colic bottles and I haven't noticed any difference in air intake between the two, so it's good for me. They are easy to clean, with a small nipple. The nipple also screws into standard ready to feed formula bottles, so great for when you're out of the house!

Oh, and they're $1-$2/bottle. Easy to stock up! When you're formula feeding you want a LOT of bottles on hand, I like having 15-20 available.

We love the Comotomo bottles. They have a really wide low nipple and my little girl easily goes back and forth between breast and bottle. The bottle is all a soft silicon, so when she's able to hold and squeeze, it will fee more like a breast! Good luck.


Comotomo on Amazon

We have had the hardest time getting my LO to take a bottle as well. She drank from them successfully until she was 6 weeks, and then she just flat out refused. Tried several different brands, I would leave the house, we'd get the grandparents to do it, all would involve either hysterical crying or her just tonguing it around like she didn't know what to do with it. We tried every day for three weeks and the most she would ever take was a couple of ounces. I was freaking out about going back to work, not to mention having to bring her everywhere I went in case she got hungry - I literally had my IUD placed while she was nursing.

I heard Lansinoh bottles were good for babies that had a hard time with the transition, so we tried that, and she latched on immediately the first time and drank the entire bottle. Such a huge relief. This is the one that worked for us. Hope it helps!

A couple of general thoughts...

• If they baby doesn't like frozen milk, you might have a lipase issue. I did but we never really solved it and just supplemented with formula instead. [This] (http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/milkstorage/lipase-expressedmilk/) website in general is a treasure trove of breastfeeding information.
  
  
• I used [this] (http://www.amazon.com/The-First-Years-Breastflow-Bottle/dp/B001QVG9YS/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1421501382&sr=8-6&keywords=breast+bottle) bottle with my son when he was first born because a lactation consultant recommended it. She recommended it because it was supposed to teach him to latch and suck properly but maybe it'll be more acceptable to your son as well?
  
  Finally I wonder about talking to early intervention? They might have access to feeding specialists that might be able to help with the gag reflex, solid food eating, etc.

A few things to think about --

Although there generally isn't harm to suckling on a pregnant woman's breasts, if your wife is at all going to have a high risk pregnancy, you may want to avoid suckling while she's pregnant as there is a chance that the oxytocin released into her body could cause her cervix to soften before it's supposed to. La Leche League suggests that women in high-risk pregnancies wean any existing children. For the rest of us, it's more than likely safe.

Obviously, no breast feeding for the first few days/weeks after childbirth, as the colostrum your wife will produce needs to be saved for the child.

In general, once the child is born, you can drink your fill after the baby is full.

While your wife is pregnant, practice your latch.

Here's a really helpful sticky post from Fetlife on adult latching and other topics.

1. The First Years Breastflow bottle is helpful for adults hoping to practice the vacuum/suction motion required for a proper latch. It's difficult to "trick" this particular bottle into releasing fluid without having a rhythmic latch. Drinking 3 - 5 ounces of fluids in the Breastflow each day should help in building tolerance and tone for suckling. Most adults will find this a bit tiresome and frustrating at first.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/First-Years-Breastflow-Bottle-Ounce/dp/B001R1SOSG?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0
   
   
2. When initially beginning to latch-on to the breast, the suckler should gradually build their tolerance, as tired muscles do not maintain a solid latch. When the adult suckler's mouth and jaw become fatigued, they typically adopt a "lazy latch", meaning without realizing it, they begin to lightly use their teeth for a bit of natural leverage. No one wants to develop poor habits, so start with short periods of suckling.
   
   
3. The instructional latching videos created for mothers of nursing infants are still helpful for participants in ANRs. Adult sucklers need to ensure their upper lip strikes the breast just above the nipple, with the majority of their mouth falling below the areola. The action of coaxing the milk from beneath the areola, versus trying to "suck it from the nipple", is also consistent in all nursing relationships.
   However, since an adult mouth is much larger than that of an infant's, an adult suckler will not be able to duplicate the nipple placement explained in traditional latching videos. A baby's mouth is so compact that the hard and soft palates consume the majority of its structure. So, the adult nipple obviously reaches a great distance into the infant's mouth or well into the soft palate.
   
   The adult mouth has a much larger surface area, and the size of the hard and soft palates vary greatly, making nipple placement a much more variable factor. Since there is no scientific data regarding adult suckling, the exact nipple placement in an ANR is always going to rely on trial and error. EARLY communication is key. Discomfort should be immediately discussed and patiently problem solved. Remember, once poor habits develop, it's more difficult for the adult suckler to learn new strategies than it is to develop successful ones early on.
   
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zln0LTkejIs
   
   
4. Pay close attention to body placement when problem solving latch difficulties. When working on latch problems, try to be side-by-side. Take time to make sure you're comfortable. The suckler is frequently too high on the nurser's body, so if there's continued latch discomfort, the suckler should move down towards the nursing partner's feet until the partner expresses greater latching comfort. It may surprise the couple how low the suckler is eventually placed before the latch feels right. Also, the suckler may have to switch sides before nursing the second breast. Sometimes a latch is not comfortable nursing both breasts from the same side; its just an inconvenient truth. In addition, EITHER the upper OR the lower breast may feel more comfortable being nursed on one side or the other; this too varies. Try to be flexible and start without preconceived notions until the latch feels free from discomfort.
   
   
5. Latching can feel uncomfortable during the Newman-Goldfarb protocol and during certain phases of the menstrual cycle. Higher levels of estrogen can cause nipple sensitivity for many women, which complicates the process of achieving a comfortable latch. If a normally painless latch feels uncomfortable, consider current estrogen levels as a potential cause.
   
   
6. Lower milk levels can contribute to a much less comfortable latch. The early stages of establishing a milk supply are generally some of the most difficult phases of latching. However, the more the glands and ducts develop, the more successful latching becomes, and the less discomfort suction causes. Hang in there! Use breast gel packs whenever possible to relieve discomfort and don't let those nipples crack. This is the time to lather on the nipple cream.

The First Years Breastflow is supposed to be very good and somewhat similar to nursing. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001R1SOSG/ref=cm_cr_asin_lnk

But to be quite honest there's a good chance that he's just not ready yet and you might have to postpone your trip. My daughter refused cups and bottles as well and it wasn't till she was a year that I could go anywhere without her. I'm not saying that you should feel guilty for wanting to get away Lord knows I sure did, but sometimes you have to play the cards you're dealt.

Comotomo bottles in 2 packs are on sale on Amazon today - both the 5oz and 8oz. $15.85 for 5oz and $18.79 for 8oz. Both of these are historically low prices.

I actually bought a singleton 5oz last week (grrr, regretting it now) just to see what it was like in-person and am really pleased with it so far! Obviously no guarantee that baby will like them, but I know these are popular bottles that tend to be more expensive.

I ordered a 21mm on amazon
Also, If you are going to work- I grabbed these bottles which fit my spectra - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZETWYLA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZETWYLA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s04?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hopefully something works for you!

My LO started doing the choking/coughing this week while bottle feeding. I found that she needs to burp whenever she does it. Of course she throws a fit an gets super fussy because she still wants to eat but still needs to burp. Once she burps she starts to eat again fine.

If you want to slow him down while eating and have more of a "breast" like eating experience I would suggest the Breastflow bottle as it slows them way down. But it's also kind of an annoying bottle. You can't get all of the milk out when feeding. But it's the one our LC suggested when we were still trying to BF.

The best bottles I've tried are Comotomo bottles with Y cut nipples...no modifications required. I've never liked any of the adult bottles. I prefer adult pacifiers, however...

Im not sure what's on your list, and it's a PIA because I'm mobile, but my couple recommendations,

I thought a diaper genie was a waste of money.

And those bottles with the disposable liners were amazing if you bottle feed

Can try a few things, One of the bottle recommended to me by the lactation people was this one from The First Years. They have to suck on the bottle like the breast in order to get the milk. http://www.amazon.com/The-First-Years-Breastflow-Starter/dp/B001G4RWG4/ref=sr_1_4?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1342829902&sr=1-4&keywords=the+first+years

Also, Try having her 'trick' him by putting the bottle in her armpit and having him suck on it like it is her breast. See if he will take it while being held and tricked. For my DD we had to for awhile just squirt a little milk in at a time til she went through her 4 ozs lol until she finally took a bottle from grandma.

They have larger Lansinoh bottles on amazon! https://www.amazon.com/Lansinoh-Breastmilk-NaturalWave-Resistant-Anti-Colic/dp/B00H0DH2OM/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_75_tr_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=J7AR94KGT33GNQVW1FXK

You can use any of the Spectra compatible bottles. The only thing that changes with different flange sizes is the funnel part on top. I have these bottles.

We had a long journey from fast flow bottles in the NICU to breastfeeding with no problem. The double nipple bottles (Breastflow) were a huge help for us. They make the baby both suck and squeeze, mimicking the nursing motions. Then we did a nipple shield and slowly weaned off of that. It took about 3 weeks before he would breastfeed without any extra stuff. Now he switches back and forth without any issues.

One thing I've found is sometimes my nipples deflate when he's trying to latch. I tug on them and get them to perk up so he has something to grab on to. It seems to help when he's frustrated. Also try different ways to hold your breast, her head, etc. Different pillows (i.e. Boppy vs. bed pillow) can make a difference too.

Try not to put extra pressure on yourself. It does take time and practice.

EDIT: I remembered something the lactation consultant had me do. Start out with a bottle and give her a little snack so she isn't freaking out. Then try to breast feed. We did this same method to wean off the nipple shield and it worked great.

I never sterilized bottles; in the US, at least from the pediatricians we have gone to, boiling isn't recommended anymore - just washing with hot soapy water is enough. But I know from seeing similar questions in /r/formulafeeders and /r/beyondthebump that the "rules" in the UK and other countries are different.

For us, again, we never sterilized our daughter's bottles or the water when mixing her formula. We used tap water and bottles with liners so we didn't even have to wash anything other than the nipples (and for those, we washed with soapy water and, a couple of times a month, ran them through the dishwasher).

> making up emergency ones on the go thing?

Don't do that. On all formula containers, they explain how long formula will "last" after being mixed.

If you need to take formula on the go, they make pre-mixed liquid formula. But, all we did was keep a small container of formula powder in our daughter's diaper bag, a bottle of water, and a clean bottle/nipple with extra drop-in bags (as mentioned above) in her diaper bag if we needed to feed her on the go.

I had the same problem. I waited too late and started to panic. I tried a ton of bottles and she ended up using the bottles I had tried initially - avent natural. I'm not sure if she didn't know what to do with a bottle or she was being stubborn. I purchased the breastflow bottle and I think that might have helped her transition, since the bottle works by compression and suction. The other thing I did was give her a bottle when she first woke up with a size 3 nipple, which kinda forced her to drink it. After that she finally got the hang of it and I went back down to a size 1 nipple. I only nurse her at night now. Good luck.

These three brands are the ones I have seen recommended, because they mimic the breast the most closely. They claim to limit colic and nipple confusion.

• Adiri
  
  
  
• Breastflow
  
  
  
• Born Free
  
  
  I have heard that this type of pacifier is nice, because it can't be upsidown in their mouth, and it has that little tab on it so that your baby can't easily get it in it's mouth sideways and get it stuck. It's also made of one single piece of medical grade silicone, so none of it can break off and choke your baby.
  
  
  Personally, I'm not putting any pacifiers or bottles on my registry because I don't know if I will actually need to use them or not. I figure people have doing just fine without them for hundreds of thousands of years, and if I have them around I might end up using them just because I have them.