Essential Baby Things

Going without sleep is par for the course with new parents.  While those who are on their first or second child may be used to it, if you ever do get used to it, or at least know a little about what to expect, new parents have no clue as to what is really going on.  And when their baby is crying at all hours of the night and then crying more after feeding, it is enough to drive a parent to the edge.  Luckily, for parents who suspect their crying child has trouble with colic, there are solutions.  One of the solutions is Dr. Brown baby bottles.  Another is from Avent.

Here’s thing – nobody really knows why colic happens in babies.  There are numerous theories as to the true cause and reason behind colic.  Unfortunately, no study has shown definitive proof as to why colic happens.  Plus, the fact that with most babies it seems to resolve itself by about six months of age means that it isn’t really that huge of a problem from a medical standpoint.

From a parent’s standpoint, however, it is pretty huge.  Where medicine has not come up with clear answers, the marketplace has.  While Dr. Brown baby bottles have come up with one solution for dealing with air intake during feeding, Avent has a different approach, one that is simpler in its completion.  The theory behind the Avent bottles is that with a larger, wider nipple, the baby is able to form a more complete seal between the nipple and their mouth.  Then, similar to the nipple collar on the Dr. Brown bottles, air is brought into the bottle, which allows the child to drink without swallowing large amounts of air.  The Avent nipple in many ways performs similar to the air-vent system on the Dr. Brown bottles without all the extra parts.

Now, while you may think this sounds great at first, realize that each baby is different.  Some babies will prefer one blanket over another, one pacifier over another, and so on for reasons that we may not understand.  The same is true for bottles.  Your baby may fall in love with the Avent nipples and that may be the end of it.  Or they may hate them and you’ll have to give the Dr. Brown bottles a shot.  Whatever the case, be flexible.

Avent sells a whole range of baby bottle products, including an Avent bottle warmer and Avent sterilizer.  While useful, the Essential Baby Things staff recommends testing the water before jumping in the pool – try out the bottles.  If they work, then great, go out and buy all the accessories you like.  But wait till you see if your baby likes one thing more than the other.  Because if they don’t automatically love them, you may need to move on to a different bottle and different system until you find something that does work.

Having a colicky baby is never easy.  When it’s the parent’s first baby, and the first baby in the family with colic, the stress level is increased many times.  Having your baby cry all night or throw up after feedings can sap away any feeling of confidence as a parent you may have, especially when nobody in the family has any experience or advice about how to help the situation.

Luckily, Dr. Brown knows what is wrong and has a way to help with their Dr. Brown Baby Bottles.  Designed especially for babies who have trouble feeding due to either true colic, suspected colic, or parents who want to reduce the amount of air that is ingested when baby is feeding, Dr. Brown bottles are a godsend for the parents and babies who need them.  While they may not be the perfect answer for everyone, for those who give them a try and they work for, there is nothing more revered in those early days of parenting than Dr. Brown’s bottles.

Designed to separate air flow and the flow of liquid, Dr. Brown bottles have a complex set of parts.  Well, more complex than other baby bottles, such as the similarly designed for colic Avent bottles.  The system consists of 6 parts: the bottle, the cap, the nipple, the nipple collar, and the internal venting system which contains the vent insert and the vent reservoir.  There is a disk that can be used when traveling or transporting the bottle, but many people find it unnecessary and more trouble than it’s worth.

As the bottle is tipped up during use, the nipple collar and the vent insert work together to allow air to enter the bottle without fluid leaking out.  The vent reservoir directs the air to the bottom of the bottle (now the top because it is inverted).  This allows the baby to feed without drawing excess air into their stomachs.

In all honesty, the science and engineering is lost on us here at Essential Baby Things.  We just know that for some people they work and work well.  Some of the staff swears by the good Dr. Brown, some are not so evangelical.  The vent system on Dr. Brown bottles complicates the cleaning of the bottles, but as one mother said, it’s a small price to pay for a happy baby.  Others are frustrated by what they consider excessive parts.  Avent approaches the colic issue from another angle, and some report great success with their products as well.

Like no baby is the same, no colic solution works the same for all babies.  Dr. Brown’s bottles offer a solution that works.  Dr. Brown baby bottles are BPA free and come in plastic or glass, with the plastic offering wide-mouth bottles (extra nice for cleaning and adding formula).  You don’t need to go all-in and buy a whole bunch of them as many babies outgrow colic in a few months anyway.  Try them out, if they take the huge weight off your shoulders, then buy more.  If they don’t work, try something else, like the Avent bottles.  But if they do work, you will think that they are one of the essential baby things, just like we do.