These were the first bottles I used with both of my children. I was breastfeeding at the time and needed a bottle which was suitable for pumped breastmilk. The Avent Natural Feeding Bottles were the perfect bottle to use with the Avent Isis Manual Breast Pump that I was using at the time. You could pump directly into the bottle, then store the milk in the refrigerator directly, and then heat the milk when you needed it, all without having to change any containers. One Avent bottle served all these purposes, which saved so much time. It was especially important to me that the Avent bottles were recommended by my pediatrician to help with my first son’s reflux. And, indeed, I noticed a decrease in the amount of air he was ingesting, which thus reduced the amount of spit-ups after bottle feedings.

The Avent Natural Feeding Bottle is recommended by many doctors. It features a nipple with a unique anti-vacuum skirt and one-way air valve that has been clinically proven to reduce the incidence of colic. It is microwave and dishwasher safe. The bottles come in 4 ounce and 9 ounce sizes, and are nice and wide for easy cleaning and/or mixing formula if needed.

Popularity: 41% [?]

My son was diagnosed with really bad reflux at the age of 3 weeks, and at the time he was receiving some of his nutrition through bottle feeds as I was pumping breastmilk for him. My pediatrician suggested I try to use Dr. Brown’s bottles to decrease the air that he swallowed, thus preventing him from spitting up as much when he was burped. As my son got older, I needed to thicken my son’s feeds, again to decrease his reflux and spitting up. I found out that Dr. Brown’s makes a Y-cut Nipple for thickened liquids for just this reason. After using the Dr. Brown’s bottles with the Y-cut Nipples, my son’s reflux greatly improved and the frequency of his spitups decreased. I had a much happier baby and way less laundry! Also, my son had no problems with latching onto the nipple of the bottle, and we did not encounter any nipple collapse either - this was important because a few other bottle brands that we tried had the problem of the nipple collapsing while my son was feeding.

Dr. Brown’s bottles are marketed for colicky and gassy babies, but can be used by any baby comfortably. They feature a patented venting system that basically prevents a vacuum effect inside the bottle and lessens the amount of air that is ingested during bottle feeding and lessens fluid in the ear. The premise being - reduce the air bubbles, reduce the gas, and reduce the colic associated with uncomfortably distended air in the stomach or fluid-filled ears. Dr. Brown’s make these bottles in standard width and wide width. I personally find the wide bottles to be more comfortable to hold and easier to clean. Dr. Brown’s bottles also have several nipples with various flow rates to adjust to the needs of your child as he or she gets older.

For more information, please visit Handi Craft, the maker of Dr. Brown’s products.

Popularity: 26% [?]

When I breastfed my children, I needed to pump breastmilk in order to increase my supply and also to store some for times when I would not be home. I had tried the electric pump while in the hospital, but for some reason I wasn’t able to express much milk and I could never find a setting which seemed comfortable. I then decided to purchase a manual pump so that I could control the rate of pumping, the flow, and the comfort. I decided to try the Avent ISIS manual breast pump since I already had the Avent bottles, and I knew the two were compatible with one another. After trying it for the first time, I realized that I was more relaxed because it seemed more comfortable to use, and thus I was able to express more breastmilk. I then used the Avent bottles to store the milk in the refrigerator - it was super simple! Plus the Avent ISIS was so much more quiet and discrete than the electric pump.

The Avent ISIS breast pump features a trademarked Let Down Massage Cushion for faster and easier let-down and has been clinically proven to be as effective as an electric breast pump. The pump is interchangable with the Avent bottles, which allows you to pump, store, and feed from the same containers, reducing time and cleanup. For more information, please visit Avent’s website.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Almost every picture of my son, has the Nuby Straw Sippy cup somewhere in the foreground or background. He takes this sippy cup with him everywhere. This is an item that gets used everyday, all day! We also take it with us whenever we leave the house and go out. This has definitely become our sippy of choice. My son took a liking to this sippy cup at about 8 months of age. He wasn’t able to tip up the regular spout sippy cups, and I read that straw cups were supposedly better for a child’s dental development as well as reduced cavities. So, I decided to get the Nuby Straw Sippy cup, thinking he might find it easier to use and that it could be better for him in the long run. From the moment he tried it, there was no going back to the other sippys. It was very easy for him to hold and sip from, and he did not need to tip the cup up at all. Now, even my youngest has taken a liking to his big brother’s sippys!

The Nuby Straw Sippy cup features a spill-proof silicone straw which adjusts the flow to how hard your child sips from it. My son throws this cup around a lot, and it truly is spill-proof! There is a sliding mechanism at the top to hide the straw for travel. The Nuby Straw Sippy does require some care in putting it together, but after doing it once or twice it became pretty easy. For more information about the Nuby Straw Sippy cup and other Nuby items, please visit Nuby’s Website.

Popularity: 11% [?]

There comes that awkward stage in a baby’s development when they are interested in exploring the world but they still are not able to sit upright without some sort of support. I loved the Bumbo Seat during this stage because it allowed me to free up both of my hands and play with my sons, plus it kept them happy by allowing them to be in an upright position.

The Bumbo Seat is a very cool invention which allows you to have your baby in an ergonomically upright supported sitting position once the baby has good head control, freeing up both of your hands for play or feeding. There are no straps on the Bumbo Seat, but rather the shape of the seat allows for the weight of the baby to anchor the seat down on the ground without the risk of tipping. One of the best things about the Bumbo Seat is that is is lightweight and portable. I have taken my Bumbo Seat to grandparent’s homes, restaurants, and on vacation. It is even used in pediatric physical and occupational therapy centers, as well as school based therapy programs to aid with increasing trunk strength and control.

The Bumbo Seat is made from a soft foam and is easy to clean. It is available in 5 colors, and you can also get a play tray which attaches to the seat. The play tray is great for playtime with toys or when starting out with finger foods. For more information about the Bumbo Seat, visit the website HERE.

Popularity: 11% [?]

This is truly one item I could not be without - everywhere I go, it goes too. I use it several times a day for feeding my 7 month old. I also used it throughout my older sons first year for feeding, tummy time, and supported sitting.

The Boppy Pillow is initially great for feeding your baby, whether you breastfeed or bottle feed. It puts the baby in a comfortable and safe position on your lap or around your waist. Later, I have used the Boppy Pillow for supported tummy time, as well as supported sitting. (My husband even used it as a pillow for himself in the hospital while I was in labor!) The Boppy Pillow has a washable cover which can be bought in various gender specific or gender neutral patterns, styles, or colors.
For more information about the Boppy Pillow, visit the Boppy Website.

Popularity: 10% [?]