Feeding bottles and teats: what types are there?

For various reasons, some mothers resort to formula feeding. These days there is a lot of confusion about the best type of bottle and the most suitable teat for babies. These are the materials used to manufacture bottles and teats, together with their main characteristics:

The material the bottle is made from:

The materials used to produce feeding bottles are heat-resistant glass and polypropylene.

Glass:

- It does not release any of the substances from which it is made.

- It does not absorb the smell, flavour or colour of foods.

- It is heat resistant, i.e. it can withstand sudden changes of temperature.

- It can be heat sterilised (boiling or steam) or cold-water sterilised using a special sterilising solution.

Polypropylene:

- It is lighter than glass.

- It is resistant to temperature changes.

- It can be heated in the microwave.

- It can be cold-water sterilised using a special sterilising solution or heat sterilised (boiling, steam, microwave).

- It is non-breakable.

- It can absorb the colour of certain drinks, such as chamomile. It does not release any of the substances from which it is made.

Types of teat:

According to the material that they are made from, teats can be latex or silicone:

- Latex: This natural rubber is made from the latex extracted from the bark of certain trees. Teats made from rubber are strong, soft, very flexible, transparent and orange-yellow in colour.

- Silicone: This material is quite soft and flexible. It does not absorb water or smells and flavours, and its shape cannot be altered.

Depending on their shape, they can be round (3-position / low flow / baby food) and anatomical.

- 3-position round teat: This teat provides three different flows thanks to the opening that allows a low, medium or high flow of liquid according to how it is positioned in the baby's mouth. By following the instructions, the mother can therefore position the teat to suit her baby's needs.

- Low flow round teat: It is ideal for a newborn baby's first few days of life, as it only lets a small amount of liquid flow.

- Round baby food teat: It allows babies to suck thicker foods, such as purées or milk with cereal, thanks to its star-shaped opening that allows a high flow.

- Anatomical teat: This teat mimics the shape of the mother's nipple during sucking, adapting perfectly to the roof of the baby's mouth and aiding its healthy natural growth. For this type of teats Suavinex has 2 sizes with various flows. Size 1 for babies aged 0 to 6 months with low and medium flow, and size 2 for babies over  6 months with medium and high flow.