Important Notice: Breast milk is the ideal, natural food for every infant: it is best suited to their specific needs. When using infant formula, when the mother cannot or does not wish to breastfeed, it is important to strictly follow the instructions for preparation and use and to follow the advice of the medical profession.
Choosing the perfect bottle for your baby can seem like a daunting task with all the options available. Between the different shapes (round and flat), sizes (flow rates 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.), and materials (glass, plastic, or silicone bodies), it's essential to find a bottle that not only meets your baby's physiological needs, but also ensures comfort, convenience, and safety during feeding.
First of all, it is important to remember that the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, followed by a gradual introduction of complementary foods while continuing breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond.
The choice of a bottle will therefore be made for you according to the breastfeeding method: if the mother cannot or does not want to breastfeed, if it is mixed breastfeeding or breastfeeding where the mother expresses her milk. This choice of bottle can also take place if you wish to give water to your baby in case of high heat, fever, vomiting or diarrhea of your baby (from birth to 4 months) 1 .
Let's explore together the essential criteria to consider when choosing your baby bottles and find advice from Dodie, a leading French brand in baby care.
The essential criteria for choosing a baby bottle:
1. BOTTLE MATERIALS
- Made of glass : durable, it is resistant to sterilization, easy to clean, and does not absorb tastes or odors. However, it is heavy and can break.
Dodie's plus: Dodie anti-colic glass bottles are made of pharmaceutical-grade borosilicate glass, which is ultra-resistant to thermal shock! They come in 150ml and 270ml sizes and are available in pharmacies!
- Plastic : Lightweight and unbreakable, it's easy for parents and babies to handle. It's important to choose BPA-free* and BPS-free bottles to avoid controversial chemicals.
Dodie's plus: Made in France, Dodie plastic bottles are guaranteed BPA* and BPS** free! They have a triangular shape for easy handling and their graduation starts at 30 ml for adaptation from birth.
- Silicone : flexible, durable and BPA-free*, but can be more expensive and more difficult to handle, especially when full.
2. THE PACIFIER
-
Its different forms :
Flat nipples are the most common nipples on the market. They are designed to fit easily into a baby's mouth. They replicate the flattened shape of the nipple while breastfeeding, allowing for easy latching. They are ideal for all babies and all types of breastfeeding: bottle feeding, combination feeding, and for seamless transitions from breast to bottle.
The Dodie plus: at Dodie, our anti-colic bottles with flat teats easily adapt to the baby's mouth thanks to the flattened shape of the teat. With ridges to prevent the walls from sticking, this Dodie teat allows for easy feeding, accepted by 95% of babies 2 !
Round nipples are nipples with a natural shape that replicates that of the mother's breast, thus providing suction closer to that of the breast.
Dodie's plus: A pioneer in this pacifier shape, Dodie offers a round, 3-speed anti-colic pacifier for an adaptable head. The pacifier adapts to your baby's sucking rhythm, thanks to its 3 rhythms. It's ideal for babies with varying appetites throughout the day.
The Dodie extra plus : Dodie has pushed innovation even further by developing an EXTRA pacifier Designed specifically for babies. Recommended by midwives 3 for its breast-like characteristics, the EXTRA anti-colic teat promotes more natural suction. Its extra-soft teat replicates the movement of the nipple in the baby's mouth, and its soft, ribbed surface allows the baby to position optimally and make feeding more comfortable. Featuring multiple perforations that mimic active channels, this teat is closer to breastfeeding.
-
The flow rate adapted to the baby's age and nutritional needs:
Slow flow is ideal for newborns, allowing for a reduced flow and reducing the risk of choking. Medium flow is suitable for older babies, generally 0-6 months, allowing for faster feeding without too much effort. Finally, fast flow is designed for older babies, generally 6 months+, or those with special needs, ensuring a heavier flow to meet their growing appetite.
The Dodie plus: Dodie has developed teats with a special flow rate: flow rate 4 on all Dodie teats and flow rate 5 on the flat teat, to allow the passage of thick liquids (thickened by cereals for example) with a rapid flow rate.
3. THE ANTI-COLIC SYSTEM
Anti-colic systems are designed to reduce air intake during feeding by ensuring a constant flow, which can help prevent colic and gas. All bottles come with an anti-colic system, but the practicality of the system varies: sometimes it's simply integrated into the teat or it's located in an additional part of the bottle (such as a stem in the center of the body or a screw-on joint at the bottom of the bottle body).
The Dodie plus : at Dodie, all our bottles are equipped with an effective anti-colic system directly integrated into the teat. This anti-colic system prevents air from being absorbed by the head and reduces the risk of colic and regurgitation.
4. EASE OF USE
- Ease of cleaning : Choose bottles with easy-to-clean parts. Wide-mouth bottles make filling and cleaning easier.
- Assembly and Use : Make sure the bottle and nipple assemble easily and quickly to save time when your baby asks for food (no matter the time or place)
The Dodie Extra Plus : Dodie has developed the EXTRA anti-colic bottle , designed for parents. Extra practical, thanks to its unique one-piece teat, the bottle is ready in a single movement. Quick to assemble and easy to clean, it is ideal for preparing your baby's meal in record time.
5. ERGONOMICS
- Bottle shape: important for a comfortable grip for both parents and babies! Ergonomic bottles with curves or angles can be easier for little hands to hold. The Dodie plus: at Dodie, all of our anti-colic bottles have an ergonomic shape for a good grip.
- Capacity : Baby bottles come in different sizes. Small bottles (120-150 ml) are ideal for newborns, while larger bottles (240-330 ml) are better for older babies who consume more breast milk or infant formula.
In conclusion, choosing a bottle for your baby depends on a combination of factors, from practicality to comfort of feeding through the choice of teat. Take the time to explore the available options and understand your child's specific needs. Rest assured, ultimately, the best choice will always be your baby's!
Why choose Dodie anti-colic bottles?
Dodie is above all an essential brand in childcare, a French brand with anti-colic bottles manufactured and assembled in France.
By choosing Dodie anti-colic bottles, you are opting for an effective, simple, practical and local solution, offering your baby a unique feeding experience:
- natural breastfeeding thanks to the EXTRA teat ,
- easy breastfeeding thanks to the flat teat ,
- an adaptable feeding thanks to the 3-speed round teat,
Biostime, Inostime and Dodie are brands of H&H Group, a certified B Corp™ company.
*In accordance with current regulations.
**All components of Dodie baby bottles are made from materials that do not contain BPA or BPS.
1. Public Health France: MEMO Diversifying your child’s diet up to 3 years old – mangerbouger.fr [accessed 09/18]
2. Test carried out by IDM Families in October 2014, over 5 days with 20 children aged 0 to 12 months.
3. IDM Families study carried out in 2022 with 60 midwives.
4. Only Dodie plastic baby bottles are made in France, in Ain.
