Choosing Baby Bottles and Nipples

Overview

You have choices for the types of bottles and nipples you use to feed your baby. Here is some information to help.

Bottles

Small, 120 mL (4 fl oz) bottles are a good size for newborns. As your baby starts to take more formula during a feeding, you will likely want to have bigger 240 mL (8 fl oz) bottles on hand.

Nipples

General guidelines for buying bottle nipples:

• Buy more nipples than bottles. With repeated use, nipples tend to crack and leak.
• The nipple hole should allow liquid to drip slowly. To test the nipple drip, hold the bottle upside down without shaking it. Milk should drip about 1 drop a second.
• Bottle nipples come in a variety of shapes. You may need to try a few different types of nipples until you find one that works best for your baby.