With so many varieties of baby bottle nipples
available in the market, choosing the right size and make can often be
very cumbersome for most new parents. There are baby bottle nipples or
teats made out of latex, silicone and rubber. While the latex baby
nipples are comparatively softer, they do not last long. Silicone
nipples, on the other hand, are firmer and maintain their shape for a
longer duration.
The shape of the baby bottle nipples also vary greatly. They can be
traditional, orthodontic or flat-topped. Orthodontic baby nipple, for
instance, have a bulb that's flat on the side so that it can rest on
your infant's tongue nicely. Orthodontic baby nipple is shaped in this
way to adapt to your infant's palate and gums. Flat-topped nipples
imitate the shape of a mother's breast.
Another important feature that you need to check before selecting nipple
for your baby's bottle is its flow speed. The flow speed of the baby
bottle teat depends on the number of holes and their sizes at the mouth
of the nipple. As such, always keep the age of the infant in
consideration while selecting a baby nipple with a particular flow
speed.
It's impossible to tell beforehand, which bottle teat your kid will
prefer. So you may have to try out a few sizes initially finally zeroing
on the one that's fit for your child. Another test to determine the flow
speed of the baby bottle nipple is by filling the baby bottle with milk
or formula and let it slowly drip out. If the formula pours out in a
stream, understand that it's unfit for very small kids.
Also, inspect bottle nipples regularly for traces of wear like
discoloration or thinning. If you want a baby bottle nipple for a new
born of zero to six moths of age, then pick the smallest size possible.
This will prevent that baby from gulping in too much of the formula. For
older kids, buy teats with a larger hole or more than one hole, which
allow more milk or formula to pass through. Replace baby bottle nipples
every few months.
