Conference moira::parenting

    Hi Pam,
    
    We tried disposables for our first child.  I found them annoying to
    assemble.  My son also did not like the nipples, so we went with non-
    disposable bottles.  I can't answer your question about more or less 
    gas, but I suggest you buy a starter/sample pack of disposables and a
    few regular bottles, with an assortment of nipples.  Some babies don't
    like certain types of nipples, so your baby will help you decide.
    
    By the way, congratualtions on your pregnancy.  (Do you remember me
    from SPR Admin.; I'm now a tech. editor in PKO3.)
    
    - Sheryl   
             

    Both of my kids were such chow-hounds that any nipple was all
    right by them.  I think the "less gas, less spitting up" argument
    is specious.  Breast-fed babies get colic, too.  
    
    Probably the advice in .1 is best.  At the same time, I have a problem
    with the disposable nursers because of the environment and all that.
    Plus, I've heard that they tend to leak more than plastic/glass
    bottles, and they do cost money.  With the "regular" bottles, at
    least you don't have to keep buying them every few weeks.
    
    My $.02.

    Another comment worth two cents:
    
    Forget about sterilizing! Maybe sterilize things once after getting
    them home from the store...after that, no need. Just wash well with
    hot water and soap. 
    
    Lucy

    
    For us?:
    
    	We used the disposable bags to store breast milk in the freezer.
    (Those were *perfect* for that!)
    
    	When we fed Spencer from a bottle, we used the non-disposable
    bottles. One reason was that he did not seem to care for the playtex
    nipples, another is that when we used formula it was powder and I found
    it difficult to gague how much water to add when the disposable bag did
    not line up with the markers.
    
    	If you are holding the bottle for the baby, no air will be getting
    in. If the baby holds the bottle, it is possible that they might be
    swallowing more air. Never seemed to make a difference on our camp.
    
    	Lastly, one note in favor of those disposable bottles, I know of a
    baby that could only drink from those (when he got the the point of
    holding his own bottles) because he was strong enough to hold the
    bottles but not directly in the air. 
    
    	I think that having a sample or starter pack of both might be just
    the thing to do.
    
    			Wendy

    I used the disposables for my daughter and I liked them.  I can't
    compare to regular bottles because I didn't use them.  I will say that
    one advantage is when your child can hold the bottle herself but isn't
    strong or adept enough to lift it, she can still suck up the milk.  You
    don't need help from gravity.
    
    About the liners.  I didn't replace it for each feeding.  After a
    feeding I dumped the remaining formula or milk and rinsed the liner
    with hot water.  I then put it back in the refrigerator to use again. 
    Never had a problem with bacteria.  I replaced the liner every few
    days.  Your mileage will vary...
    
    I bought the liners at Toys R Us.  Their brand was less costly than the
    name brand.  I only had a liner break once.  (Don't boil them, though.) 
    It's easy to get the liner installed when you learn how.  Just stretch
    it well over the opening to the bottle.
    
    You don't have to stay with the nipples they sell with the starter kit. 
    Several brands sell varying nipples, notably Nuk and Gerber.  Because
    my daughter was so tiny, I got the Gerber nipples when she couldn't
    suck hard enough to utilize the Playtex nipple without a mess.  
    The Nuks are bigger than the Gerber and come in several sizes, right up
    to toddler.  If you get another nipple, see if you can get a cover for
    it.  I didn't have covers for the Gerber nipples and eventually the
    Playtex cover didn't snap on anymore because the Gerber nipple was
    bigger than the Playtex.  It was pretty annoying.
    
    I liked not having to put the bottles in the dishwasher.  Frequently
    the bottle holder didn't even get milk on it, if the liner was pulled
    over it enough.
    
    The earlier advice is good:  get several types and try them out.
    
    L
    

    The disposable system was great to store breast milk, but once we
    started formula, forget it..  Plus, if you ever run out of those bags
    at an inconvient time it is terrible.
    
    Do you have a dishwasher?  Our doctor told us that washing in a
    dishwasher was just fine for cleaning purposes, provided you rinse the
    bottle and disassemble the ring and nipple and rinse soon after
    feeding.  A nipple brush was also recommended.  
    
    I vote for the environment on this one!  
    
    Beth

    For me it was about half and half between the regular plastic or glass
    bottles, and the disposables.  BUT... it wasn't the Playtex system. 
    There was, might still be, another system which uses a more
    conventional shaped nipple.  My mind is saying Gerber made is, but not
    sure.  I do remember buying them at Toys R Us in Auburn.  I think both
    Playtex and this other system made an "orthodontic" or "natural" shaped
    nipple, which AJ liked. 
    
    His complaint, as many others seemed to mention, is that the Playtex
    system seemed to be slow, too slow for him.  I think I may have one
    left, and tucked away under the sink, I'll go home tonight and check
    for a brand name.  I liked the idea of only needing a few "frames", and
    only having a small basket for extra nipples and bag refils.
    
    One thing I did notice was not to boil the nipples, they tend to turn
    white and disgusting with boiling.  Our pedi said the normal dishwasher
    cycle was sufficent for sterilizing.
    
    Lyn

    Lyn - how about Evenflo.
    
    
    We used the regular plastic bottles (no sterilizing), gerber brand
    regular style nipples.  While you are in the hospital, they will supply
    you with formula for the baby.  Ask for a few different kinds of
    nipples (they will supply you with the regular and ortho-type of
    disposable nipple).  This worked great because we could try both to see
    which worked for the babies.  Don't go crazy and spend too much money
    on them now.  The hospital will probably supply you with some formula
    (in little 4 ounce bottles), too.  I used those bottles over and over
    again.  They can also toss in some extra nipples for you.  I would toss
    one only after the rubber became sticky.  They are washable.
    
    -sandy
    

We used the Playtex nursers and they are more work and the liners are an
added expense ... a few will break, too (can be messy!).

Juli was lactose intolerance and colicky ... so the Pedi recommended that
we use "nursers" and burp all air out of the liners ... so it must help
babies who are more suspectible to gas pains or colicky! ... I was glad we
were already using the nursers, because I understand (and did verify) that
babies tend to get used to a certain type of nipple (and bottle) and will
often reject a "different" nipple/bottle (as they often reject a change
in their formula), so I was glad that we didn't have to "switch nipples and
bottles" and go through an "adjustment" period.

You also have to be a little more organized ... babies are often intolerant
of the extra time it takes for you to fumble with the liner at 2 am... and it's
one more thing to think about when packing bottles in the diaper bag.

I'm still glad we used the nursers, though.

Dottie

PS:  If you run of liners at 2 AM, you had best hope there's a local 24-hour CVS
     store!

Thanks for all of the suggestions so far.   We do have a dishwasher.

Sooooo, I would think that you would need more bottles if you go with glass
instead of disposable.  How many bottles/nipples did you find you needed?
I don't want to be running the diswasher nightly.  

Any comments about silicone vs. rubber nipples?   Do they cost more but
last longer?

How did you warm the formula?  boiling water?  holding under hot tap water?
nuking?   I remember reading a big controversial note about the nuke
vs. no nuke before.  

Pam................with a million questions!

    I used regular bottles, not disposables, but I bought the plastic
    bottles instead of the glass.  The plastic bottles are lighter so
    the baby was able to hold him own bottle sooner then he would have
    with glass.  (Heck, even my hand would get tired from holding a 
    bottle all the time.)  I put the plastic bottles in the dishwasher
    right next to all the regular glasses and cups.  I also had two of 
    those dishwasher nipple baskets (bought at Lechmere in the baby
    section) which allows you to lock in the nipples and the rings so they
    won't get tossed around in the dishwasher.  My pediatrician said that
    this was adequate for cleaning and sterilizing the bottles, nipples, 
    and rings.  (He also said to only keep nipples for 6 months as they
    begin to break down and small pieces of the rubber could break off.)
    I'm still using the nipple baskets, now that my son is a toddler, to
    hold the lids of the Tupperware sipping cups in the dishwasher.  
    
    I recall my husband had to make many trips to the store during those
    first weeks in an effort to find the nipple that our baby would accept.  
    I would strongly recommend (if you don't mind the expense) having 
    1-2 bottles/nipples of 2-3 brands ready at home before you have the
    baby, and run them once through the dishwasher before you have the 
    baby.  Once your baby settles on one brand, you could always give the
    other ones to a friend.  
    

> How did you warm the formula?  boiling water?  holding under hot tap water?
> nuking?   I remember reading a big controversial note about the nuke
> vs. no nuke before.  

   Well, this one could almost become a religious discussion as well, but
   I recall seeing soemthing in previous versions of this conference
   about this... basically, one of the conclusions indicated that kids
   are very tolerant of stuff like this until patterns are developed.
   That is, you might want to see if the child will accept room-temp or
   even chilled formula.  It could save you lots of time in the wee hours
   of the morning, as well as the occasional trips where you are not near
   any means to heat the bottle.
   
   - Tom

    
    Well, I've used both.
    
    I breasfed for 4 months and went to the Evenflo disposable.  I
    am now using regular bottles and hate it!
    
    As far as cost:  I paid $3.29 for 120 liners....relatively
    		     minor expense I'd say.
    
    Nipples:     I made the holes bigger with a pair of scissors.
                 Works great.
    
    Sterilize:   I sterilized the nipples the first time and every
                 so often to prevent bacteria build-up.  They tell
                 you to turn you water heater to 120 degrees and
                 I didn't feel that that was hot enough to thoroughly
                 clean the nipples.
    
    Washing:     I only had to wash the rings/nipples and once in a while 
                 a bottle.  They never really got dirty.
    
    Amount:      6 bottles was more than enough.
    
    Hassle:      I made the days bottles up the night before.  For a
                 newborn you don't need many.  Store for 48 hrs. For the 
                 night time feeding just pop it in some water while you change
                 the diaper.  The liners are really no big deal to put
                 on.
    
    Heating:     I put them in a bowl with hot water a few minutes.  You
                 may want to get the baby used to somewhat cool bottles.
                 Sure makes it easier when you need to travel or can't
                 warm bottles.
    
    Leakage:     Never happened.  I liked the Evenflo the best for
                 the markings.  Playtex doesn't have the markings.
    
    Now for the regular plastic bottles:
    
    I went to these because Mitchell started getting choosy about the
    nipple (thanks to daycare!).  But recently he's started back...so 
    I'm switching!
    
    Washing:	What a pain in the *ss.  You have to scrub the bottles.
    		The dishwasher is fine but with only 2 and the baby in
                the household, running the dishwasher all the time is
                not practical.  Someone mentioned the environment...
                that's a lot of water for a few bottles!   
    	     
    Cost:       Have to buy about 15 bottles or you are washing bottles
                twice a day.  Never mind where the heck to store them all.
               
    Heating:    Don't heat as easily as the disposable but really not
                that big a deal.
    
    
    As you can see, I favor the disposable.  I always laugh when
    people talk about cost.  3 cents a liner compared to how much
    water you use to wash a plastic bottle can't compare.  Same goes
    for the environment....that's a lot of water for a few bottles
    compared to how much space for a liner?
    
    Just another opinion....Kristen

    With us after Charlotte was about 3 weeks the doctor said we should
    suppliment the breastfeeding so:
    1/ several friends had given us playtex bottles so we used them (plus
       a coupon we had for another set, so we had lots of playtex bottles.
    
    2/ Charlotte was colicky no matter what you fed her at that time, so
       it didn't make much difference, whether or not she got air.
    
    3/ we prepare the bottles every one or two days thusly:
       a) wash all nipples, caps, rings, cylinders in hot soapy water
          after rinsing them and discarding the liners.
       b) during step (a) turn on stove to boil large and medium sized
          pot (larger to boil nipples, smaller full of filtered water).
       c) after the pots boil let the smaller one boil for 5 minutes then
          take off burner. For the larger one put all nipples rings and 
          caps into it (along with any pacifier not in use) and keep
          boiling without lid for 5 minutes. Remove contents and throw
          in a pyrex measuring cup for another 5 minutes. Remove and 
          turn off burner.
       d) let all cool and assemble bottles. Use measuring cup to put
          a little less than 8 oz for the big bottles and a little less
          than 4 oz for the smaller ones.
    
    About an hour before using unscrew ring (which had been assembled with
    nipple and lid) and put in 2 scoops of formula for the 4oz bottles
    and 4 for the larger bottles. Problem: sometimes there's a little too
    much water to add all the powder - pour a little out before putting
    in powder if it seems too full). Shake, then when feeding time comes
    we use a large container (big beer mug for us) put in hot water from
    tap and drop prepared bottle into it. Should take 5-10 minutes max to
    warm, depending on size of bottle and heat of water.
    
    A day we use 4-5 bottles for formula, and optionally we feed her water
    once in a while. Having about a 1.5 day supply (i.e. we have a total
    of about 9 bottles "in service" now)
    
    Advantages: you don't have to refrigerate the bottles, and you've got
    the ability to use them for either formula, straight water or even
    medicine if you want to. I also just put the powder in a little tiny
    tupperware container and take bottles of water a long if I am 
    out of the house and mix when I need them.
    
    Disadvantage: I DO feel a little enviromentally guilty about them,
    and may have used another system had I been given something else.
    However now we are set on this system. So, environmental issues
    and cost. Also, it's a little bit of a bother to make sure there
    is enough room for the powder in the bottle (a mess could result
    from trying to heap the stuff and then get the cap closed again!)
    
    Charlotte doesn't care which kind of nipple you use, so we were
    lucky there.
    
    Monica
    
    
    Disadvantages: 

I used the plastic bottles, and bought either 18 or 24 (I have twins) of the
large size plus about a dozen of the 4 ounce ones.  I had tried the disposable
nursers, but Jessica didn't like that nipple, so I went back to regular bottles
with regular nipples.  Brad didn't care as long as food was going in his 
direction.  I actually got so many nipples from the hospital when Brad came
home (they gave me a shopping bag full of them) that I never had to buy any,
and I've still got some unopened that I'll be giving to my sister-in-law.

I found that washing the bottles in the dishwasher was sufficient as long as
I rinsed them out first to get rid of any residue left by the rice we had to
put in the formula.  And I found that a lingerie bag worked great for putting
all the nipples and rings in, plus it was flexible so I could stick it anywhere
in the dishwasher.  I typically sterilized everything before I used it the
first time, but then just washed the stuff in the dishwasher.

My kids never really held their own bottles, but I got the plastic anyhow 
because it was lighter and I'm such a klutz I figured I'd drop it on the floor
and break a glass one.  Brad actually would hold his own bottle, and I did
just give him the bottle to feed himself a couple of times so I could feed
Jessica, but Jessica refused to hold her own bottle.  In fact, she refused to
hold her own cup for the longest time if we were within sight.  

I switched them both to sippy cups just before they turned 1 (which would be
9 months corrected for them), and they have both done fine.  They do tend to 
turn the cup over when they're done, but I don't really care about spills and
such, so that doesn't bother me.  They'll figure it out eventually.

To heat the bottles, we tried sitting them in hot water (we'd warm the water in
the microwave) like they did in the hospital, but eventually switched to 
heating the bottles in the microwave (that's how they do it at Children's
Hospital).  I think it's up to you, but if you do zap the bottle, you have to
do it for a short time, and be very sure to mix up the formula completely 
after heating.

Something else we did was to make 2 days worth of formula at a time (hence
the need for lots of bottles).  I coordinated it so that I was always making
formula at night before we went to bed, so I didn't need to worry at 2 am if
I had a bottle ready.

Cathy

    
    I used the plastic bottles. I had a few different brands of
    bottles/nipples, but finally settled on the Gerber brand. One of the
    other brands I had (can't remember which one) would leak when the cap
    was loosened enough to let the formula come out. If I didn't loosen the 
    cap Anna would just end up sucking on the nipple until it was
    completely collapsed.
    
    I had a total of 4 8-oz bottles and 2 4-oz bottles that I used. I don't
    have a dishwasher, so had to do dishes every night anyways so I just
    did the bottle first and then the rest of the dishes.
    
    I boiled her water until she was about 6 months old and then just
    started using tap water, we've got a well, that was tested as being
    fine so the doctor said to go ahead.
    
    As she started to switch from the bottle to a sippy cup I started
    making up the formula in a Tupperware juice jug. Anna would drink
    it straight from the fridge so it made it easier for me. I would just
    pour some into the bottle/cup and give it to her. At 15 months she has
    been on milk from a sippy cup completely for 3 months, so I don't have
    to deal with it anymore....for now.
    
    Patty

    I used the Gerber plastic bottles for Chris. We always used tap
    water, and we always nuked the bottles. Just be sure to shake
    it up after it was heated, so it would get mixed well. Also, we
    only nuked it for about 20-25 seconds. We always washed the bottles
    and nipples by hand, with the bottle brush and nipple brush supplied
    in the starter kit. We never had a problem doing that. We have a
    dishwasher, but don't run it often enough to put the bottles in it.
    With Chris, we had 6 8oz bottles and 4 4oz bottles. We have 8 8oz
    bottles and 2 4oz bottles with Kevin, and we clean his the same way.
    (We did buy new ones for Kevin, since Chris had used his for quite
    a while, and I didn't think it was a good idea to share the same
    bottles).
    
    We use the nipples that come with the Gerber bottles, but with Kevin
    we do have a few Evenflo plastic bottles too. I prefer the Gerber
    bottles, because they have the snap on cap to cover the nipple. I 
    know Evenflo has a similar cap, but I don't find them fitting as well.
    
    -Sheila
    

    
    
    Once Ashley was weaned from breastfeeding, at 6 months, we used the
    disposible bottles.  Ashley was one of those children that absolutely
    hated the switch so we tried every nipple manufactured.  We finally
    found one, made by Playskool, ortho & silicone, that she would use.
    It fit on disposable bottles, so that's the way we went.  
    
    We never found using the liners a problem, infact packing for a trip
    was always easy.  One bottle holder and the box of liners, nipples
    and rings.  
    
    Ashley was also, very fussy about the temp. of her bottle.  NO room
    temp. for this kid!   So we did have some difficulties, that I hope
    to skip with number two due in Dec.  I will take some of the advice
    given here and introduce a cooler bottle.
    
    We did heat the water in the microwave before mixing the formula.  It
    was quicker than the stove.  We mixed bottles as we needed them, never
    making formula in advance.
    
    Measuring can be a problem with disposable/the bags never really hold
    the amount they say they do....We just measured 6 oz. of water in
    a measuring cup, poured it into the liner and added the formula.
    That seemed to be all that would fit in an 8 oz. bottle for us.
    
    Sharon

    I use the plastic bottles with Daniel.   The disposible bottles are
    not to by knowledge available in Galway, They sound a bit easier to
    handle.   Every morning and evening I am making bottles, washing and
    sterilizing more bottles, teat, holders and tops.   It is nearily a 
    full time  job.   I am presently trying to get him used to the plastic
    mug, that should make life a bit easier.
    
    
    Bernie
    

    
    We used the disposables at first with breast
    milk and then for the switch over to formula.
    
    We have one of those sunbeams hot shots.  I don't
    know if they mfg them anymore.  But I would take
    a measuring cup and pour six ounces of water into
    the hot shot.  Then put 3 scoops of powdered
    formula into the measuring cup.  When the water
    is hot, just dispense into the cup and mix it
    together and it would make 8 ounces of formula.
    
    When Ryan was about 4 months old we switched over
    to Cherubs plastic bottles.  We also have a nipple
    basket for the dishwasher.  I has come in handy
    for other small items as well.  
    
     
                        

Please do not nuke your bottled breastmilk or formula.  It creates
hotspots, and also kills heat-sensitive vitamins and other nutrients (in
breastmilk that includes all those nifty antibodies).

It is easy and quick to warm your bottles in a cup or glass of warm water.
It takes about 5 minutes.  I got an electric bottle warmer which uses
steam, and between the heating up and warming, it takes as long at the
glass-of-water method.

We use platic bottles with silicone orthodontic-shaped nipples when Graham
is given his (my) breastmilk at daycare and for juice (now he uses one of
those bottle straws that lets the baby drink by himself from a bottle
without having to tilt it way up - works great!).  I found the silicone
doesn't get sticky and gummy as the rubber does -they last longer, and the
expense isn't really much of a concern when you consider the "big picture".

I don't use the Playtex "Natural-shaped nipple that can't collapse" - my
nipple never looked like THAT!  I do use the plastic bags for freezing milk
though.

I am [obviously] a big advocate of breastfeeding, and can't help but wonder
why it is that new mothers prefer to give their babies formula created in a
lab (have you ever read the labels - coconut oil? YUK! maybe in suntan
lotion, but not in my baby's food!)?

I'm not trying to rock the boat here, just trying to understand the "other
side".  Feel free to send comments directly to me at VERGA::STEWART.

To the basenoter, congratulations on your soon-to-be-new-arrival, and I
wish you and your family the best of everything.

~Caryn

    
    one.....two.......three.......four..........
    
    

    
    We used the disposable's at first. But found them to be more of a pain.
    We bought the Cherubs and like those alot. We only sterilized for 3
    months, after that it was just running them under scalding hot water.
    I don't feel it is neccesary to sterilize the whole time your child is
    on the bottle, that could mean 9 months or more!
    
    Anyway, thumbs up for the Cherubs...
    
    Sandy

    re .21 and .22
    
    There is a long and "heated" discussion of nuking milk in a microwave
    in PARENTING V3 and also whether milk needs to be warmed at all.
    
    Suffice it to say that the warming issue is a religious argument, some
    say it must be warmed and others say no need.
    
    So, I think .22s count is a way of saying please don't start this
    argument again here ... please read PARENTING V3!
    
    Stuart

Hi Caryn

>> To the basenoter, congratulations on your soon-to-be-new-arrival, and I 
>> wish you and your family the best of everything.

Thank you!!!   I can't wait!
        

>> I am [obviously] a big advocate of breastfeeding, and can't help but wonder
>> why it is that new mothers prefer to give their babies formula created in a
>> lab (have you ever read the labels- coconut oil? YUK! maybe in suntan
>> lotion, but not in my baby's food!)?

Hmmm, you could have phrased this in a much more tactful way =-)
I suppose this belongs in another note.  Breastfeeding vs formula feeding
is a very private and personal decision.  Those of us who do choose to
bottlefeed don't need to hear comments like that.  Millions of us were brought
up on formula and turned out just fine.  For me, one of the biggest reasons
for choosing to bottlefeed is that I want my husband involved as much as 
possible with the baby.   I don't always want to be grabbing the baby from him
"sorry hun, I have to feed the baby".  I suppose some reasons are selfish.
I HAVE to return to work.  There's no choice in the matter.  There's no way
I'm going to come in to work and start pumping.  I know that I could nurse
for at least the first 8 weeks until I come back if I wanted to.  I'm always
hearing that breastfed babies are so much healthier etc etc etc because they
get the mother's antibodies.   My two closest friends had babies last year.
One of them breastfed and the other bottlefed.  The bottlefed baby hasn't been
sick a day and the breastfed baby has been sick much more than he's been 
healthy.  

Pam

ps. To the moderator:  Please feel free to move this to a new note.

    
    
    	Just out of curiosity (since I've already solved this problem)-
    
    	Did any of the parents of breastfed babies have luck with one
    particular nipple over another when trying to get your baby to take a
    bottle?  We tried EVERY nipple on the market, and finally found only
    ONE that Callan would take (although not willingly!)  I know other
    people in this file have written about having a hard time getting their
    babies to take a bottle - did the nipple you used seem to make a
    difference?
    
    	Justine	

    I must have been lucky.  I brest feed Tyler untill he was 4 months(went
    back to work).  I used the Playtex disposable bottles with the latex
    nipples.  He never even blinked an eye.  
    
    virginia

    My daughter Avanti (now 3 years of age) was never satisfied with
    any nipple. I bought all kinds of nipples (could have opened a store
    just for nipples) and tried each one to see which one she liked. She
    NEVER did like any one - at every feeding it was trial and error. Of
    course this kid hated formula and could not wait to start solid food ,
    which we did on a large scale at 4 months (mashed up stuff of course).
    
    My son , Neel , (3 months) likes the 'orthodontic nipples' for the
    PLAYTEX disposable nurser. I started with the nipples that come with
    the nurser but the flow was so slow that he would either get terribly
    upset or fall asleep. He has now consistently used the orthodontic
    ones. They are however not available everywhere. I found it only at
    Shaws (in Merrimack).
    
    Shaila

    
    One note - I used the disposables in the beginning (Playtex)
    and you could push the air out with the nipples that came
    with the bottles but we went out and got the orthodontic
    nipples and found that the air did not stay out due
    to the shape........
    
    So in the end we really didn't have that benefit.
    

    In addition to the problem with air using orthodontic nipples with the 
    Platex nurser, the caps to the bottles don't fit either!  They do
    provide a disc type insert so you can put the nipple upside down, then
    the disk, then the cap....such a drag!!!

    Re: -1 and -2
    
    Agreed on both counts. However, my guy loves the orthodontic ones.
    
    Shaila

	Emily doesn't like the Gerber nipples.  They seem too long,
	and she gags on them.  I grabbed a gerber pacifier on my way
	out the door once when she was about 7 weeks, and she wouldn't
	take it (she never was a big pacifier fan anyway, but this one
	didn't last an instant.  She gave it up totally at 3 months).

	I prefer Playtex disposables.  I have two Gerbers and an Evenflo
	that were given to me as shower gifts.  I tried the Gerber plastic
	bottle the other day, and although Emily took the nipple, I hated
	the way the bottle filled up with bubbles while she drank.  I
	could hardly tell when she was done, there was half a bottle of
	bubbles left in the end!

	I bring the Gerber bottles to work with me, store my breastmilk
	in them, then bring them home and transfer the milk to disposable
	bags for freezing.  I too prefer Evenflo bags, they have the 
	clearest markings.  I measure in cup before making formula or
	filling with breastmilk, but when I freeze, I put a twist-tie
	two ounces higher than the amount of milk in the bag (ie, twist-tie
	on 6 oz. for 4 oz. of milk), so that I know how much is in there
	if I can't fill a bag.

	Karen

    Hi,
    
      I read through all these replies and didn't find what I was looking
    for in general.  I'm not sure if bottles have change since 1992. 
    Anyway, I never knew babies where fussy about the kind of nipple/bottle
    you use.  I guess I have alot to do before the baby is born..so much to
    know...(yikes)..Anyway my question is has anyone used the healthflo
    bottles from Johnson & Johnson?  My mother-in-law is going to buy me
    some.  Also how do you know your baby doesn't like a certain type??
    Do you try it for a few days or what???  Advice as always is
    welcomed in reagrds to any type of bottle/nipples....
    
    thanks again....
    
    renee....

    Renee,
    
    For my part-time breast fed babies, the orthodontic, silicon rubber
    nipples were accepted better, and we didn't have problems with nipple
    confusion.  These are the clear nipples rather than the latex ones. 
    they have little to no "taste" to upset my picky eaters.  I started
    using them on the advice of another friend who works outside the home
    and nurses her little ones as well.
    
    meg

    The only nipple my baby will take is the Healthflow by J&J.  She
    seemed to get very gassy with any other one.   We tried some and she
    wouldn't even put them in her mouth.

    
    I breastfed for 4+ months, she did not willingly go to the bottle.  She
    wouldn't take the bottle (playtex disposable) until I switched to ortho
    nipple, she took to that right away.  I have not problem with the 
    disposable system but you would think they would come up with a cover
    that would fit over the ortho nipple instead of having to put he nipple
    in the milk...what a pain

    My older boy *and* my baby *hate(d)* the ortho nipples (NUK, etc.), and
    only like the plain rounded ones from Gerber with the three holes. 
    Lucky for me, those fit in the caps -:).  Unlucky for me, Gerber either
    no longer makes disposable bottle nipples, or they don't distribute in
    AZ, which leaves me washin' bottles every other night (UGH!!).
    
    M.
      

I'm glad I'm not the only one with "old fashioned" kids.  Mine hated anything
shaped like a Nuk or ortho.  This included bottles and pacifiers.  For both,
they wanted the plain, round nipples.  For the bottles, also the 3-hole 
variety.  For the pacifier, the round latex.  

Mine also hated the disposable bottle nipples.  They didn't seem to like the
feel of the latex around the mouth that much.  We used the plastic bottles
that had to be washed.  I've always just rinsed the bottles out when I empty
them and then throw them in the dishwasher.  For the nipples, I have a special
basket that I drop them into.

Irene

    We were doing that with the dishwasher, too, till recently.  In fact,
    the pediatrician recommended it over so-called sterilizing (boiling). 
    Unfortunately, I now have to make formula every single day, so I can't
    build up a dishwasher load fast enough! (formula switch - Good Starts
    only keeps for 24 hrs., as opposed to 48 hrs. with most other brands.)
    
    M.