Guide to bottle feeding

Like many great things in life, efficiency doesn’t just happen—you have to plan for it! If you’re a bottle feeding parent, this guide shows you how to keep things clutter and fuss-free: from how much gear you actually need, to nifty ways to prepare and serve a feed.

What are the essentials?

Let’s begin with the basics. How many baby bottles do you actually need? And what about accessories?

An ideal starting point is:

Six baby bottles with teats and caps 
Bottle brush 
Breast pump (if you’re expressing)
Baby bottle sterilizing and warming equipment

The size of bottle you need will depend on your baby’s age, as will the flow of the teat, so look for the age indication on the pack. We recommend changing teats every 3 months.

Also remember to take into account other caregivers. Many mums find it handy to have a few extra bottles on hand for those times when someone else is bottle feeding away from home.

Simple ways to prepare and serve a feed

Here are some ways you can keep the preparation side of your baby’s feeds quick and easy.

Label milk storage containers so it’s easy to know what expires when
Know your milk storage rules to avoid wasting any milk
If you’re on the go, use microwave steam sterilizer bags to save on handbag space (ours can be reused 20 times)
Cut back on kitchen clutter and effort with a baby bottle electric steam sterilizer
Use your baby bottle sterilizer to sterilize pacifiers, breast pumps and teething rings too
Save on effort and preserve the quality of your milk by using a baby bottle warmer to defrost and warm it gently and evenly
Warm only as much milk as your baby needs to avoid waste
Get the whole family in on bottle feeding. They get to bond, and mum can put her feet up!