How many baby bottles do you really need? Do you like washing dishes often? Consider how your formula needs grow with your baby.
Baby bottles are a must for formula-feeding, but they are also handy for mothers who pump and save their milk for childcare providers when they go back to work. Not only are there different brands and styles, but simply there are different sizes. Sizes range from four to nine ounces. Some are grooved or indented for easier handling. Most are plastic, but they can come in other materials as well.
Depending on your brand and its features, it is an investment that is good for a year. If you have limited counter space or just hate washing dishes all the time, you need to evaluate what you need and how many from each size you will need to have for your baby. There are advantages and disadvantages to one or the other, but it can help you choose the amount you need for the time in your baby's life when the bottle is needed.
Four-Ounce Bottle
Advantages:
When your baby starts on a bottle, they only need a few ounces every few hours. If you give your newborn baby a larger bottle, there is more of a chance for your little one to take in more air when it is empty. Smaller bottles cost less, and they are easy for your child to hold when they get older. If you need bottles on the go, you can fit more in your diaper bag. They may also fit better too.
Disadvantages:
A smaller bottle can be inconvenient when your baby gets bigger and needs more ounces than the bottle can hold. Even if you burp in between bottles, you still have to warm two bottles instead of one. Not only that, you have to take more time washing all of the bottles.
Eight-Ounce (or Larger) Bottles
Advantages:
As your baby gets bigger, this is the great to have all of the formula in one place. Once your baby has five or more ounces per feeding, it is convenient to have all of it in one place. Also, your baby may be hungry enough for an extra ounce or two, so this kind of bottle has that extra space for you. If you are expressing your breast milk, you can also use these bottles to hold as much as you pump.
Disadvantages:
Unfortunately this bottle may not be suitable for the entire span of your baby’s formula years. It can be too big for the first few months. It is also so long that it can be awkward for your baby to hold on their own for a while. Bigger bottles also take more space in the diaper bags or insulated bags.
The choice comes down to what you decide you need whether it is four-ounce, eight-ounce, or combination of sizes. Your baby will not mind as much as long as their hunger is sated. If you have up to 12 bottles, you have enough to take care of all of your feedings in between washings. Just find a way to rinse them well so that old formula and bacteria does not grow or stink up the nipples. As your baby grows, you will be ready for any transition from small to tall.
Edited and reposted from October 2018
