Baby Bottles

Glass baby bottles were once the norm, but most parents now opt for more durable plastic models that can withstand the heat of modern dishwashers as well as an occasional drop on the floor. Today's bottles and nipples come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but don't be daunted by all your options. In truth, the best bottle and nipple combination is any one that your baby can nurse from with ease and comfort.

How to Choose a Baby Bottle

Buying your first bottle? When you boil down your choices, there are two types to consider: reusable and disposable.

Reusable Baby Bottles

Standard reusable bottles are made from clear, break-resistant plastic and come with a synthetic nipple that's secured to the top of the bottle with a plastic, screw-on collar. Choose bottles that are safe for the dishwasher and boiling.

Reusable bottles are generally inexpensive, easy to fill and use, and should fit a variety of standard nipples, breast pumps and bottle warmers. The downside of reusable bottles is that they must be thoroughly cleaned and sterilized before each use. When you're feeding a baby many times a day, that adds up to a lot of bottle washing.

Reusables come in a range of sizes that hold anywhere from four to nine ounces of milk or formula. (Any bottle you buy should have ounce and milliliter markings.) Smaller bottles hold enough milk to satisfy most newborns and are easier to fit into a purse or diaper bag. Some newer models feature angled necks to improve the flow of milk through the nipple and wide necks that can be easier to hold and clean.

Disposable Baby Bottles

The "disposable" part of disposable bottles is actually a plastic liner or bag that holds enough milk for a single feeding. The liners fit into a hollow, plastic tube called a nurser or holder. Once the liner is filled with liquid, a screw-on collar secures it, and the nipple, to the nurser.

Because a new, presterilized liner is used for each feeding, some parents find disposables preferable to reusable bottles, which have to be cleaned before each use. Still, there's a price to pay for convenience: You can expect to go through a box or two of liners a month, which can add up to some expense.

Nursers for disposables come in the same range of sizes as reusable bottles, and should be made of the same durable, dishwasher-safe plastic. Gift sets are available, with all the parts you need to get started.

Baby Bottle Nipples

Synthetic nipples have long been made from latex or rubber, but nipples made of odorless, tasteless silicone are increasing in use and popularity. Nipple shapes can range from a flat or curved top to orthodontic nipples, which are shaped like a mother's nipple during breastfeeding. (Claims that orthodontic nipples rest more naturally in a baby's mouth and may reduce future orthodontic problems are largely unproven.)

The hole sizes on nipples vary; infants generally prefer small holes, which limit milk flow and encourage sucking. Smaller holes mimic the flow of milk from breasts, making smaller-hole nipples a good choice when you're alternating between breastfeeding and bottle-feeding. As your child grows, switch to nipples with increasingly larger holes, using the recommendations on product packaging as a guide.