LilSugar

Deciding on a Bottle For My Baby-to-Be: Weil Baby

LilSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:30:10 -0700

Bottoms up! When it comes time to move baby from breast to bottle, there are a lot of options on the market. When my son was born, I swore by a barely known brand of bottles that quickly gained momentum after the Bisphenol A scare called BornFree. The non-toxic containers didn't leak and had sippy cups made in their likeness so my child was able to easily transition to a big boy cup at about 4 to 5 months old. While I'm still a fan, there's a new line on the market that I'm equally impressed by and considering for my baby-to-be - Weil Baby. Having read a few of the renowned health experts books, I was anxious to check out Dr. Andrew Weil's bottles, training cups, brushes, and silicone nipples and pacifiers. Though creating modern eye candy wasn't his intent, the line's ergonomic lines will be popular with design conscious parents as well as eco-friendly families. Made from glass and Tritan, a clear BPA free material, the bottles ($18 - $19 for a 2pk) have a built-in venting system (no tedious washing!) that helps eliminate gas bubbles and colic in kiddos. The goods are sold in recyclable packaging so you can also feel good about lessening your wee one's carbon footprint.

Handling Differences of Opinion on Feeding Baby

LilSugar — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 08:00:05 -0700

New mamas face plenty of unsolicited advice as they begin navigating life with their newborn. From day one there are opinions about rooming in during your hospital stay, vaccination schedules and breast versus bottle feeding. Assuming you are secure in your feeding decision, it may take some time to convince family and friends about the choice you made.

On this week's episode of Weeds, Mary Louise Parker's character had little to do with her husband and his daughter, after he instructed the baby nurse to feed the wee one formula despite the fact that mama was breastfeeding. While most of us do not find ourselves combating Mexican drug lords, like Parker's character, the issue is universal. How did you handle well-meaning friends and relatives who questioned your choice?

Test Your Formula-Feeding Knowledge

LilSugar — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:00:00 -0700

There's so much talk about the benefits of breastfeeding that society often fails to educate new mamas about the proper way to bottle-feed their tots. Recent studies show that moms are not receiving enough information about the correct and hygienic way to formula-feed their lil ones. Take this quiz and see how much you know about bottle feeding baby.

Take the quiz

Self-Heating Bottle by Liamo: Kid Friendly or Are You Kidding?

babysugar — Thu, 14 May 2009 08:00:36 -0700

I know many a baby that suffers from Goldilocks syndrome - the milk is too cold or too hot. Mamas out running errands or flying in the sky may appreciate the ingenuity of the Iiamo self-heating bottle. Lucky for us, creator Karim Rashid, who has also designed for Prada, Audi, Sony, and Lacoste, brought his vision to parenthood.

Mommies begging for cups of warm water or hunting for a microwave can relax. Free of BPA, PVC, lead and phthalates, the sleek Iiamo bottle self heats contents to body temperature in about four minutes with a self-contained organic heating cartridge made of salt and water. The $38 price includes one six-ounce bottle, one nipple, and a single heating cartridge. So tell your babe the treat's going to be juuuuust right.

Lil Find: Adiri Natural Nursers

LilSugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 11:00:28 -0800

Breast is best to a lot of moms, but so is the allure of having someone else do a feeding now and again.

A girlfriend of mine's lactation consultant recommended a bottle that is allowing her to do both - the Adiri Natural Nurser ($25, for a set of two). So I had to check it out, naturally.

This pricey lil bottle's nipple is designed to helped alleviate nipple confusion for breastfeeding babes by encouraging open-mouthed latching - and it does feel quite real in comparison to most bottles on the market. The vent system in the bottle’s twist-on cap lets air flow slowly into the bottle as the baby drinks, preventing the nipple from collapsing and minimizing gas or painful bubbles. Cleaning up is a snap and worrisome parents will be pleased as the Natural Nurser is 100-percent Bisphenol-A (aka BPA) free. While $12.50 for a bottle is quite steep, if money is no object then go for it!

Tell Mommy: Handwash or Dishwash?

babysugar — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:00:50 -0800

Way back when, mothers had no choice but to wash their baby's bottles by hand. Possibly one of the world's greatest inventions, the dishwasher has brought pleasure and ease to many a mommy's life. One area where it may not be so handy? Baby bottles.

Moms who rely on bottles, plastic ones specifically, spend hours hunched over a sink scrubbing the milk out of the nooks and crannies of nipples, lids, and bottles hoping to keep any potential chemicals from leaching into their child's body. Aware of hazards that plastic bottles often warrant, I use BPA-free bottles but still opt to use the dishwasher. Throwing caution to the wind, I pray that Cascade and a quick rinse of water do just the same, if not a better job of protecting my wee one than scrubbing with a sponge and soap.

What's your cleaning regimen?

Source

Which Bottles Did You Use?

babysugar — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 05:00:54 -0700

When presented with a Simple or Swank version of two glass bottles, many of you commented that you use something different than those brands. Some parents use one brand for the early stages and switch to another later on. Which bottle do you prefer?

Pimp Your Crib: Drying and Organizational Racks for Bottles

LilSugar — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 05:01:00 -0700

I've spent enough time washing and sterilizing baby bottles to recognize how important it is to keep all your bottle paraphernalia in one place. Sometimes it feels like as soon as I finish washing and filling a bottle it's time to, well, wash and fill it again.

If you are trying to keep your feeding gear in one place, consider a pretty and functional organizational unit like the Splash Drying Rack ($28), which adds modern design to the age old activity of washing bottles. It has a little shelf for nipples, straws and valves, but comes in a space saving design that will house all your bottles in one spot.

A friend of mine has even made a simple spin tray (you know the kind people keep spices on) into the official bottle central in her kitchen. While it doesn't help for drying the containers, it allows her to store everything in one place.

Dr. Brown's Natural Flow® Drying Rack - $16.99	Skip Hop Splash White Bottle Drying Rack with Tangerine Brush - $27.99
Infant and Toddler Dishwasher Basket Combo Pack by Prince Lionheart® - $19.99	Spin Tray - $14.99

Lil Find: Bottle Pets

babysugar — Thu, 29 May 2008 05:00:38 -0700

Kids are lackadaisical when it comes to holding their bottles. Regardless of how parents try to prop them up or tuck 'em under, some babies will only drink when mom or pops is feeding them. Perhaps holding on to an adorable stuffed animal would make the beverage more appealing. These Bottle Pets ($18) hold the containers and make great cuddle toys for your child to cling to when toting it around. And, the plush wrappers are machine washable so your lil one’s dribble and spit-up can be rinsed in the wash.

Bye Bye Bottle

babysugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 05:00:38 -0700

We've seen Suri Cruise tote her bottle around town since she was a wee one and many other tots still hit the bottle in their older years.

Prior to my wee one's first birthday, my doctor talked to me about transferring to a sippy cup. She explained that drinking from a bottle causes the milk, formula or juice to collect causing “baby-bottle” tooth decay.

To see what the AAFP recommends, read more.

The American Academy of Family
Physicians provides five tips to avoid baby-bottle tooth decay:

Put your child to bed with a bottle of plain water, not milk or juice.
Stop nursing when your child is asleep or has stopped sucking on the bottle.
Try not to let your child walk around using a bottle of milk or juice as a pacifier.
Start to teach your child to drink from a cup at about 6 months of age. Plan to stop using a bottle by 12 to 14 months at the latest.
Don't dip your child's pacifier in honey or sugar.

Source