When I was putting together my baby registry for my first child, I thought I might eventually need bottles although I planned to breastfeed. I read lots of product reviews and was surprised to find out how many different kinds of bottles there are and how opinions varied. The truth is that different children do prefer different bottles. I learned this when my second child refused the bottles that my first child easily took. For that reason, I actually have experience with two bottle brands, Dr. Brown’s and Avent.
As a parent, there are several obvious differences that you will notice when you are shopping for bottles. The first is the width. Dr. Brown’s bottles are slimmer and narrower which is a more common size for a bottle, while Avent bottles are wider. There are benefits to both sizes. Dr. Brown’s bottles fit on the ubiquitous Medela Pump in Style while the Avent bottles require an adaptor. The narrower bottles also fit better in diaper bags. However, I did find the Avent bottles to be easier to clean and easier for my child to hold herself.
Another difference is the amount of accessories that are sold. While I have noticed that Dr. Brown has added some additional accessories, Avent has the lead on this one. You can buy Avent breastpumps, bottle warmers, sterilizers, and even pacifiers.
So, which one should you choose? If you aren’t sure, you may want to buy one set of each, to try out, before committing to a whole system.
Dr. Brown bottles can be purchased from Amazon.com here
