With my first child i used the avent range of bottles and there accessories like the steraliser and breast pump and although i didnt realy have any major complaints with the quality of the bottles i did find them difficult to use for combined feeding with the teats on them being so different to a breast nipple my daughter soon began to prefer the bottles and would no longer latch properly to feed from me which unfortunately shortened the amount of time i could feed her myself
Wholst looking around for a more suitable alternative with my next child i spotted the closer to nature range which is specially designed for mums who want to both breast feed and express milk for bottle feeding too.
The botles are available in 150ml which are great for the first few weeks when baby is very small and not realy drinking a lot of milk in one go and at this stage aswell with breast feeding you will still be establishing a routine so will be mostly feeding your baby from the breast rather than expressing and they make ideal juice sized bottles for when your baby begins to wean.
The other size they are available in is 260ml for when baby is older and drinking more although they both come with new born teats on them so are both suitable from birth should you choose not to buy the smaller ones first.
The teats on these bottles are the unique seling point of these bottles and although at first i thought it might just be a gimmic item that wouldnt make any difference i was very wrong, they are available in a variety of stages to suit the flow of a growing baby aswell which is great.
The teat is made from a soft touch silicon which is ideal for me having two children and my self allergict to latex. The teat gently elongates and flexes in and out as baby suckles during feeding mimiking the natural shape and movement of a mothers breast.
The teat has an anti colic valve on it to allow air to flow during feeding reducing the risk of your baby taking in air which makes winding them easier and reduces the risk of colic. Using the avent bottles with my first child she suffered terrible colic for the first 5 months but we never had any problems with colic with these bottles but i dont know if that was just that my second child was different as not all babys suffer with colic.
The teat on these bottles has been designed to look as much like a nipple as possible and to feel the same to a baby, although it doesnt look much like a nipple to me it did the job it was intended to and fooled my baby as i never had any problems going from breast to bottle or bottle to breast with feeding her.
The shape of these bottles are nice they have a dip in the sides to make holding them very comfortble and secure, they are designed to be able to feed baby lying in a more cuddled position aswell like you would wholst breast feeding which is another good thing in my opinion.
The bottles are realy easy to clean, they come apart and go back together easily with no fiddly bits to attach, they didnt stain or discolour even when i used baby juice in them. The markings on the sides are easy to read and didnt wash off or fade even after 12 months of use and they are very good at sealing as we never had any leaks with these bottles.
Obviously there are cheaper feeding systems out there but these are relatively mid priced and come into the same price brand as most of the branded feeding systems, they do the job well and a lot better than others in there price range and are significantly cheaper than most of the bottles that claim to reduce colic and a lot less fiddly to use.
Wholst buying this feeding system again in preperation for our new arrival i have noticed that there is the addition of pastel blue or pink bottles aswell now which look even nicer than the clear ones we used last time, The best deals on these can usually be found in tesco where they always seem to have offers on these bottles and accompanying equipment.
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Light, compact, efficient and easy to load, this steriliser will clean four Closer To ... more
Nature or wide-neck bottles (or six regular bottles) and accessories in 4-8 minutes, depending on the microwave wattage. For added convenience, the contents stay sterile for a full 24 hours if the lid is kept unopened.Setting this up couldn't be simpler - there are locators for Closer-To-Nature bottles, teat holders for the Closer-To-Nature teats and even holders for the dome caps. This ensures the steam sterilises them effectively. The lid also doubles as a handy sterile work surface on which to make up feeds. In addition, this steriliser is great for travel, as it doubles as a cold water steriliser if there's no microwave available - simply fill it with 5L of cold water, add a sterilising tablet or fluid and leave the bottles and accessories to soak for at least 30 minutesComes with a starter kit comprising of 1 x 150ml Closer to Nature easi-vent bottle, 1 Pure soother, a bottle brush and a pair of teat tongs.
Postage & Packaging:£3.95 Availability:In stock. 3 working days
This Tommee Tippee microwave steam steriliser has a 4 minute quick cycle and can hold up ... more
to 4 CTN bottles in the easy-load basket. The bottles can stay sterilie for 24 hours and a sterile worksurface is included for feed preparation. This steriliser is ideal for travel.
Postage & Packaging:from £4.85 Availability:refer to website
This Tommee Tippee manual breast pump has a soft touch flexible cup. It is so easy to use ... more
is can be operated with one hand. The teats are easy to clean and assemble and are BPA free. The massage ripples encourage fast, comfortable milk let down. Age range birth+.
Postage & Packaging:from £4.85 Availability:refer to website
This electric breast pump provides excellent results at the touch of a button and is easy ... more
to assemble, use and sterilise. Neat, compact, quiet and discreet, it comes with all the accessories to make this a great-value feeding aid.The silicone cup gives maximum comfort and is designed to mimic a baby's true feeding action. The pump has four expression phases - light, low, medium and high. This kit comes with 6 breastpads, 2 milk storage pots, 1 x 150ml bottle, milk storage lid, steri-box.
Postage & Packaging:£0.00 Availability:In stock. 3 working days
Simple yet effective design makes for easy and comfortable breast milk expression with the ... more
Closer To Nature breast pump. The flexible, rippled cup moulds itself to body contours and encouraging rapid, comfortable milk expression. Plus, with just three pieces, it's simple to assemble and cleanAlso included are 1 x 150ml bottle, 1 milk storage lid, 2 milk storage pots, 6 breast pads and a steriliser box for easy, quick sterilisation in the microwave. Guaranteed BPA-free.
Postage & Packaging:£3.95 Availability:In stock. 3 working days
New parents have enough to think about, so an efficient, effective, easy-to-use electronic ... more
steriliser like this is a true godsend. With room for up to 6 standard neck or 5 Closer To Nature bottles plus accessories, this device needs just a 5-minute cycle to thoroughly sterilise all your baby?s feeding equipment. The digital display shows you how far the cycle has progressed, and if you leave the unit closed, it counts down from 3 hours to let you know how long the bottles will remain sterile. The space-saving design and flat back means it can be easily tucked out of the way on the kitchen worktop. The hinged lid is designed to channel condensation back into the unit upon opening and, for extra safety, it?s lockable. It also features a detachable sterile work surface to ensure your bottles remain sterile while you prepare baby?s feed. This steriliser comes with 1 x 260ml Closer To Nature easi-vent bottles, 1 x Pure soother (0-3m), 1 x bottle brush and a pair of teat tongs. Guaranteed BPA-free.
Postage & Packaging:£3.95 Availability:In stock. 3 working days
Advantages: Easy to switch from bottle to breast, Easy to clean, Anti-colic teats Disadvantages: Can't think of anything bad to say about these bottles
Advantages: Ergonomic shape, anti wind valve, easy to clean, nicer soft teat for baby Disadvantages: Can be expensive and are arger than some so can be difficult to store
Advantages: flexible teats, anti colic, nice design, really easy for baby to drink with Disadvantages: lids dont stay on, tendancy to crack easily around the neck of the bottle
Advantages: Can make up feeds in advance, save space in a change bag Disadvantages: Difficult to fill and empty, time consuming if using for multiple feeds
Jun 27th, 2009
very helpful by (100%):
