teats/bottles, so much choice?!?!

[squishy]

Am in the process of creating a baby-list as lots of people want to buy things, but I'd rather get things we want/need than loads of clothes and toys.

It's likely that a significant part of feeding will involve bottles (am unsure if or the extent to which I might be able to breast feed following reduction) but there are so many types of sterlilizers and teats and bottles.

Some seem to reproduce nipple like appearance, which seems sensible but some say that they are "anti-colic", which also seems sensible !!! But they don't seem to have one that does both!

I like the look of the Tommee Tippee sterliliser and bottle/teat, but would appreciate any info or feedback either way....

I think Avent are anti-colic aren't they? and nipple like.

I used Avent and liked them, but its probably wise not to buy too much of anything as i have known people with babies who have colic and they end up buying every make under the sun until they find one that suits their baby.

I tried avent bottles and teats but dd didnt get on with the teats. They are very solid and the milk used to spill out the sides of her mouth regardless of the flow rate. Started using tommee tippee Nuby teats (with dimples on) on the avent bottles and had no more problems. I wouldnt use avent teats again.

I used the avent steam steriliser which was easy and quick to use and was able to take 6 wide neck bottles. I have no experience of other bottles/teats/sterilisers.

Squishy - Any sterilser should be fine - they all do the same.
Personally I would go for Avent bottles and Tommee Tippee Nuby Teats.
We had both TT & Avent bottles - the TT ones were rubbish as the oz markers have rubbed/worn off. DS would only drink from TT Nuby teats - tried Avent ones, but he wasn't having any of it!
Another good gift would be a selection of GroBAgs / Sleeping bags (0-6, 6-18 months and variety of togs) - have found ours invaluable.
Travel Cot? (that doubles as a playpen?) Just a thought...

HTH
Brownie

I'm using the Tommee Tippee bottles, wide neck ones that come with teats that look like breasts/nipples. I think that they are called "closer to nature" or something like that. dd really seems to manage well with them and I think that they must mimic a breast/nipple quite well as I am mixed feeding and she has had no breast/bottle confusion probs. When we bought them there was on offer on with the TT electric sterilser, it came with three of the bottles and teats and a cup, I think it was about £40.

Ive used Avent/tommy then ended up with Dr Brown which were expensive but brilliant for my ds although used avent with dd and they were fine - the Dr Brown ones supposidly help with colic and seemed to for me so i would recommend them. another good thing for your list would be the plastic moulded baby support for bath - a godsend as you can have both hands free !

Wow, thanks, so much information! Sounds like it's all down to the baby, but getting one of those brands should mean we only have to change teats if necessary. Don't want to pre-empt own milk production ability so will save breast pump in case I can (don't want to jinx it!!!!).

We're lucky that we've had so much stuff handed down to us, so had spent ages saying "no, we don't need anything, if you really want to get us something vouchers would be great" but it seems clear that people prefer to buy "things" for babies, rather than vouchers IYKWIM! So we don't need a huge amount, but there's so much stuff out there to choose from!

Have included gro-bags; high/feeding chair and am also thinking about a booster seat (for eating at other peoples' houses)...... other ideas?!?!

I've bottlefed two babies and bfed one. Dd1 got bad wind probs and has already been mentioned we ended up trying everything before we found something that suited. So with ds we bought just a couple of bottles until we were sure he liked them! I would definitely go for the Avent steriliser, and a few of their bottles, and also get a couple of Dr. Browns which are pricely but absolute life savers should your baby get colic/wind problems. And I would get a few dummies/soothers as you may have a sucky baby. When I switched ds to bottles due to his tongue tie he was wanting to suck and the only way to keep him happy was to give him bottles, but of course he got way too full - dh got some dummies the next day and they are great.

Also if you do want to try breastfeeding have you found a local counsellor? Posting on here might help too.
HTH

Other things: car seat, moses basket, muslins - as many as you think you need then double it! Also sleepsuits and bodysuits - you will be amazed how many you get through! And loads of cot sheets for the same reason.

Just adding to what nearly3 said. I found loads of people bought me clothes for 3-6 months 'because everybody will buy you 0-3' but they didn't. Also all the 3-6 stuff was for winter and of course dd is 6 months and it is now summer so useless. Needed LOADS of 0-3 vests and sleepsuits (was winter) and hardly any 3-6 + because dd not nearly as pukey or leaky as she was.

Thanks for all the advice - have been lucky enough to get loads of clothes; blankets; muslin; car seat; moses basket; bouncing chair; bath support etc etc handed down. Like you, Jenn, have asked for NO clothes as I don't want to be overwhelmed with stuff that s/he doesn't get the chance to wear!!

Nearlythree, there aren't many people who can help following this type of breastfeeding, it'll be a case of letting him/her suck and see but am in touch with BFN and BFAR, thanks.

meant to also ask, any preferences re: microwave sterilisers vs. electrical sterlisers?

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Hiya
We bought the mothercare own steralising bottles, that way we saved money on not having to buy a steraliser (sp!), and they might be worth it especially as you may end up b/f anyway!
I bottle fed both my ds and dd on these bottles, and neither suffered colic etc.
HTH

I have used Dr Browns bottles with the MAM ULTIvent teats, the best of both worlds a colic minimising bottle and a soft silicone teat.

If you have a microwave then would get the £4.97 micro steriliser from tesco's, does 2 bottles and great if travelling.

For bathtime i use a floating bath cushion, it is filled with poly beads and floats on the water and is hands free and a comfy place for baby to lie on and kick about when dry.

Lots of muslins, great for leakage at both ends.

swaddling wraps a godsend even in the warm weather.

All the best with the breastfeeding, has anyone mentioned the Medela supplemental feeding system?

Thanks, again. MNP, have seen the Medela supplementers on their website, but they haven't got back to me about where i can get one and how much they cost!

I used the Avent bottles and teats with the microwave steriliser. Dead easy to use. Just 5 minutes and you're done.
No problems with the Avent bottles except some did loose their shape after a while and go a bit wonky.
DD wasn't colicky so don't know how she would have fared on the above if she had been.
A rockable baby chair is a great thing to have and also serves as somewhere to feed them until they're big enough for a high chair.
Clothes wise - I would get a couple of newborn sleepsuits. My daughter was a big baby at birth, but still drowned in the 0-3 month ones until at least 6 weeks.

just thinking about what jambot said. You will notice that the actual garment size of baby clothes varies a lot between shops even if they are meant to be the same, ie newborn at next is lots bigger than new baby at mothercare.

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No they don't, but hated the 'little orphan annie' look! And DD was nearly 10 pounds!

You can imagine the problems I had trying to clothes for a 3lb 3oz baby! Only mothercare were any use.

well I mix fed dd from about 4 months and she would have any bottle. no noticeable difference in wind/colic with any of them.

otoh I tried every bottle I could lay my hands on with ds and he refused them all.

think most of it's a load of old marketing.

DD2 gets on well with the 'closer to nature bottles and teats' and we bought the steriliser to go with the bottles for £5.99 in boots (half price), she does'nt like Avent teats but likes 'nubby' and 'chicco' teats.

DD1 would drink from anything, Avent, nubby, boots own etc...

Boots do a sterilser that you can use as an electric one, cold water or microwave. We've just bought on even though I'm still using my Avent one as we live in an area prone to power cuts and liked the idea of being able to use it for cold water.