Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
With my two babies I sometimes changed at just the right moment before they even showed any signs of needing to and it was seamless. If you’re wondering whether you should change the teat flow, this gives you a rough guide of flow speed by age: Flow rate With our award-winning Closer to Nature baby Bottle, switching between breast and bottle feeding has never been simpler. In fact, with guaranteed acceptance* and built-in anti-colic valve, it could just be the best thing for baby, since you! Inspired by mum, designed by experts. I noticed with both teats and breast pump parts, such as filters, how the plastic seems to just degrade over time. European Commission (2011) Bisphenol A: EU ban on baby bottles to enter into force tomorrow. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_11_664 [Accessed 3 December 2021]
For babies who will be fed with anti-reflux formula, a single hole, fast flow Is ideal. Can a Fast Flow Teat Cause Wind?Parents who bottle feed find that they may need to move onto using larger bottles as their baby grows and milk consumption increases. Every baby is different so there isn’t a set age for when this should happen (Unicef, 2019). It’s important to follow your baby’s feeding cues and signs that they need more milk, such as finishing each feed and seeming to want more (NHS, 2015; Unicef, 2016). What type of feeding bottle is best? Reflux is the phenomenon of food rising from the stomach of the baby. Sometimes this is manifested by regurgitation, but it can also happen that food remains in the baby’s throat. This is then referred to as “silent” reflux. Both types of reflux can occur in the same baby. You will have noticed a small tent like vent on the inside of the teat; this should have a small slit along it, which allows the air to flow through the bottle. If this valve reseals, it will cause the teat to collapse during a feed. Powdered formula is not sterile, so you need to use water at approximately 70 degrees to kill any bacteria that might be present (NHS, 2019a). If the water is too hot it can reduce the nutritional benefit of the powder, but if it is too cold it may not kill the bacteria in the powder. ‘Ready-to-feed’ bottles contain ready-made milk that has already been sterilised (NHS, 2018; Unicef, 2019). Once they’re older and used to bottle-feeding, you could move to a medium flow. Just follow your baby’s lead to see what teat is right for them. Some babies prefer to stay on the slow flow teats for many months. You can also buy variflow teats where the flow rate can be varied by changing the angle of the teat (Which? 2019).
Do not store or leave in direct sunlight or near a source of heat or leave in disinfectant (“Sterilising Solution”) for longer than recommended, as this may weaken the teat. These bottles are shorter and fatter than the basic ones but you can put the same amount of milk in them. They usually come with silicone rather than latex teats and have a self-sealing lid. You almost don’t notice how much a teat can have become worn until you switch to a brand new one and feel the difference. Final thoughts on changing flow speeds
Consider using a teat that is more suited to paced bottle feeding. This means it will hold enough milk when held in a horizontal position, rather than have to be tipped up so your baby can access the milk.
The valve will work wherever it’s positioned but the best place for the valve is at the top, near your baby's nose. Hegen's teats are designed to encourage seamless transition from breast to bottle feeding, minimising nipple confusion for your baby. Acceptance guaranteed: Easy latch: Shaped like a breast for a natural latch and acceptance guaranteed* The MAM Baby range features four different flow sizes for teats. Confusingly their final size is called Size x, not size 4, and is an extra fast flow according to the manufacturer. Herman (2021) How you offer a bottle can be more important than what’s inside, Available at https://www.todaysparent.com/baby/breastfeeding/paced-bottle-feeding/ [Accessed 6 December 2021]Variable – features an adjustable flow rate that can be change between 1 and 3 by turning the bottle.
If you plan to use bottles occasionally, or once a day, then it might make sense to buy just one bottle and teat. If they can't control the rate of feeding, they are more likely to over-feed. Non-responsive feeding has been associated with discomfort and fussiness in the short term (NHS 2021) and linked to obesity in the longer term (Hurley, 2011; Watchmaker 2020). Teats are made from silicone or latex. Silicone is less flexible but more durable than latex, which needs to be replaced regularly (Which? 2019). Cloudy looking teats generally occur as a result of strong cold-water sterilisation. Cold water sterilisation is perfectly fine, but if you’ve gone a bit over the top with the sterilisation solution (it’s easily done!), it can impact the colour. NCT advice says: "Once they’re older and used to bottle-feeding, you could move to a medium flow. Just follow your baby’s lead to see what teat is right for them. Some babies prefer to stay on the slow flow teats for many months. You can also buy variflow teats where the flow rate can be varied."Inspect before each use and pull the feeding teat in all directions. Throw away at the first signs of damage or weakness. However in other instances I was stumped as to why their feeding had suddenly gone haywire and they were more agitated. This will vary depending on the manufacturer – as there is no industry standard for teat sizes. When should I change from medium to fast flow teats? Our Closer to Nature® teats are made from a very sensitive soft silicone, therefore they may reform when not in use for long periods of time, for example, when in storage. Teats take quite a lot of hammering from little gums and teeth, so they need to be changed regularly. We recommend replacing teats every 2-months or at the first sign of any damage or weakness.
Great Deal 
New Comment