How to Choose Avent Bottle Nipple Sizes

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Choosing the right baby nipple along with the proper baby bottle design is an important choice that tends to leave many parents in confusion.

There are so many different styles on the market, so it makes sense that it can feel overwhelming. You have to find the most appropriate nipple and bottle for your infant.

That’s where this article will hopefully be of help, to eliminate the stress and worry of choosing the right bottle and nipple for your baby.

If you’re buying supplies before your baby is born or as a gift for a new mother you know, you don’t have to stress anymore. We’ll walk you through the top nipples and bottles available on the market today.

Walking you through what makes various designs differ from one another, and what makes the best ones, the best. We’ve considered price point, design, and customer feedback while scouring the endless options of bottles for sale.

Let’s go over the top bottles and nipples we found, and key in on potential options from Avent to suit you and your baby.

Can I Breastfeed and Bottle Feed My Baby

Feeding your baby is a choice unique to each parent. Some mothers strictly breastfeed while others use a formula in a bottle.

There are situations where mothers can’t breastfeed due to biological reasons. However, they still want to give their babies the best possible start with a nipple that closely resembles a real breast.

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Regardless of the position your in, it’s possible there will be a time that you have a need for bottles and nipples. So you might as well be prepared, research it while your baby is young or before they’re born, and have the supplies on hand.

That way you don’t feel like you just have to buy the first bottle you see on sale at Target.

Babies who are purely breastfed have times that their mothers wish to go on a date night before they’re fully weaned onto solid foods. And the reality is, there are nipples that those babies will and will not accept from the babysitter.

For purely breastfed babies, you’ll want a nipple that is softer and more flexible to resemble their mother’s supple breast. It’s important for purely breastfeeding families to have a bottle on hand, in case of an emergency.

If mom goes to the ER unexpectedly then someone else will be able to feed the baby and the burden of a starving infant won’t be on a healing mother’s stress scope.

I recall when my twins were 5 days old, I was a strict breastfeeding mother. All of a sudden my postpartum healing took a turn for the worst and I spent the two days in the hospital.

I was unable to breastfeed due to surgery but could pump as needed. If I had no bottles on hand at home, the milk that I was pumping at the hospital could not have been fed to my baby as easily.

I was incredibly thankful that I stored bottles and a bit of breast milk in the freezer for that situation. It completely eased my mind that my babies would be alright while I was taking care of myself.

Flow and Size of Nipples

Avent specifically has six varying sizes of nipples to pick from. The nipple size ultimately determines the rate of flow from the bottle.

Some babies will drink from anything that gives them milk, while the infants like my own babies will hardly drink from anything that doesn’t perfectly resemble a real nipple.

Consider the age of your baby when choosing a nipple. They are based on the age range to determine the amount of strength it takes for each baby to suck in order to get the flow going.

If you choose a bottle and nipple for a more mature toddler, an infant will likely not be able to get any milk out of it.

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Avent’s feeding recommendations are as follows; 0+, 1+, 3+, and 6+. This is referring to months old of course, so be sure to choose accordingly.

The pallet your baby has will rapidly develop during their first year of life. This is why the short increments on bottle nipples are so important.

First Flow Size – 0 months

This size is great for premature infants or for those newborns who need a bit of time to strengthen their feeding pallet.

Newborn Flow Size – 0+ months

Breastfed babies of any age will find this size to be sufficient, as well as newborns.

Slow Flow Size – 1+ months

The Avent Slow Flow nipple will be great for newborns and breastfed babies of any age. If you find that the regular newborn flow is still too fast for your baby, Avent suggests transitioning to this nipple.

Medium Flow Size – 3+ months

Once your baby is 3 months old, the Medium Flow 3+ is suggested to have the best feedings. By 3 months of age, your baby’s feeding rhythms should be well established. Thus, it’s easier for them to gulp down milk at a medium pace.

Fast Flow Size – 6+ months

Babies who are 6 months and older will practically be demanding their bellies fill faster. This is also the time they will begin crawling and need more calories.

You have possibly introduced some solid food at this point, and they can handle the fast flow design.

Variable Flow Size – 3+months

With a unique adjustable hole size, the Avent variable 3+ months design is suitable for babies who are ready for thicker liquids. Babies from 3 months of age forward can use this bottle nipple smoothly too.

The Milk Is Coming Out Too Fast For My Baby

Pay attention to the rate of flow that the milk is coming out once you have chosen your nipple size and rate of flow. Sometimes parents find that the milk comes out much too quickly for their baby, causing spill over onto their cheeks.

This means that the nipple they’re using needs to be downsized so the rate of flow will also slow. They even have a 0 flow that’s for newborns specifically, this would be helpful if your baby is a preemie or has a weak suck when firstborn

Fitting Nipple Size To Bottle

The Avent natural bottles are designed to fit with most of the nipple sizes they offer. But, outside of the naturally designed bottles, you will want to check that the bottle is compatible with the nipples you’ve chosen.

Signs You Need To Change The Flow Rate

If you’re strictly breastfeeding your baby and would like to make the switch to bottle feedings, it’s best to stick with a newborn nipple. This flow rate is designed to match the natural flow of a mother’s breast.

Even if your child is older, their preference might not fall outside of the Avent newborn design, simply because it would be such a big difference from the way breastmilk naturally flows which is slower than bottles.

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If your baby cries and pulls away from the bottle often

A baby who seems frustrated during feedings is most likely trying to tell you that the bottle has too slow of a flow rate to suit their needs.

Babies who cry and pull away often or take as long as 30 minutes to drink a single bottle might be trying their hardest to get a sufficient amount of milk to pour out of the nipple and just can’t.

If you notice that your baby is sucking very hard, pulling off to cry in frustration, and then return to the nipple, attempt to resolve this by choosing a nipple with a faster flow rate.

Over-spill during a feeding

It might be time to change your baby’s nipple again if they seem to always spillover with milk at the edges of their mouths.

Babies will try to keep up the best they can with what they’re being fed. If it’s too fast for them to handle, you would notice milk leaking from the middle of the lips.

Instances where the flow rate is too fast, then babies can choke on their milk. This is potentially quite dangerous if the baby is left alone with their bottle.

Evaluate whether your baby pulls away from the bottle to gasp for air in addition to choking or milk leakage to determine if you need to choose a slower rate of flow.

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Are All Avent Nipples BPA-free?

Yes, you can thank Avent for hearing parents out in regards to BPA. This means all their bottles and nipple BPA, latex, and heavy metal-free.

That way parents can have peace of mind, and babies can stay as healthy as possible during the span of their bottle-feeding years when choosing Avent for regular feedings.

The scientific term for BPA is bisphenol A. It’s a chemical compound that’s scientifically proven to be harmful to the body. When it comes to an infant’s little body, even small amounts of BPA can cause them unseen harm.

It’s on a molecular level, so you won’t see the negative effects that happen rapidly most of the time. Yet, over time baby’s and adults can fall ill due to the body being overburdened with processing compounds that cause body harm.

BPA is added to most plastic products, but with more people becoming aware of the effects of it on the system. Many companies are opting to provide customers with BPA free products.

Top 6 Avent Bottles

1. 0+ Months Natural Nipple

This is made specifically for preemies, newborns, or breastfed babies out there. The 0+ months will make it easy on feeding pallets that need a bit of time to gain strength and resilience.

Resembling the flow of a mother’s breast, and an extra gentle silicone. These nipples won’t raise a stink even after months of use, they are odorless and have no flavor that would otherwise distract a baby while eating.

This nipple is ultra-flexible just like a mother’s breast. There are petals that create a super flexible nipple.

It allows for natural movement while a baby sucks for milk. Even if the baby doesn’t have a super-strong suck yet, there will be movements as they suck.

Pros

Breastfed babies who don’t get bottles often don’t mind using this nipple
Perfect for parents who find the size 1 drip to be too fast
Preemie babies don’t choke on this rate of milk flow
Customers with 5.5-month-old babies report their babies still love these

Cons

Be sure to check that they are truly size 0 if you order your pack online

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2. Classic Newborn Flow with Anti-Colic Technology

If your baby suffers from colic, we understand how difficult it can be as a parent. You probably don’t even have time to research how a nipple would ultimately help your baby who seems to throw up, be extra gassy, and get irritated while eating.

Between feeding your baby and the endless bouncing, it seems that there is no end in sight.

These anti-colic nipples should help you out though. Equipped with an anti-colic valve that flexes while your baby drinks milk, it keeps air flowing away from your baby’s mouth.

You can trust that a colicky baby will benefit from switching to an anti-colic nipple. It’s worth a try, and Avent delivers their anti-colic nipple at an affordable price.

With a rate of flow perfect for newborns, the Classic+ is a great nipple to start parenthood off with.

Pros

Great for thicker formulas
Fits Avent Classic+ bottles perfectly
Parents prefer the Avent brand over other brands of bottles because they are smoother to handle
Customers that have used the Classic Avent system were happy to switch to the Classic+ when Avent came out with it
3 flow rates to choose from depending on how your baby is feeling

Cons

Be sure to check that it’s the proper nipple size they sometimes end up being different than ordered

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3. Natural Slow Flow

With specially designed petals, this set of Avent Natural Slow Flow nipples are designed to make the baby feel like they are truly on mom’s breast. This makes it very easy for breastfed babies to make the switch to this style of the nipple.

It’s fully equipped with advanced anti-colic technology, ensuring that the most sensitive infants won’t suffer when eating from this system.

It has a twin-valve, which provides 2 holes in the tip that work to make the anti-colic system function optimally. The comfort petals are unlike other Avent bottles, giving this bottle more softness to it during a feed.

Adjust the flow rate as necessary to suit your baby’s needs at any time of day or night.

Pros

This set includes #1 and #2 for the phase of growth from newborn to a few months old
Parents who breastfeed prefer this nipple over other brands
Babies who are very picky and won’t drink from other nipples will usually accept this one
The price is on point for high-quality supplies

Cons

The side air vent will leak during a bottle session

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4. Avent Medium Flow

Designed for baby’s who are 3 months of age and older, the medium flow is slightly faster than the slow flow rate of the newborn style nipples.

It’s designed with the same grand concept to have the most natural feel to it. That way breastfed babies won’t have an issue with these nipples if parents decide to have a date night while their baby is still young.

This design stands out through the anti-collapse technology with spiraled petals from the base up to the tip of the nipple. Your baby will find it easy to drink from a bottle that isn’t caving in with a stronger suck at 3 months of age.

Anti-colic vent technology perfectly complements the anti-collapse system in this nipple. It gives your baby the smoothest switch without the fuss of colic.

Pros

Antiflex vent technology works well for babies with colic
They fit anti-colic bottles from Avent
If your baby has a hard time taking their bottle, try these nipples before purchasing an entirely new bottle
Customers say this is the best bottle nipple they used out of 4 other brands on the market

Cons

Avent recently changed the number of holes in their nipples and some parents weren’t aware of this when buying this nipple

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5. Fast Flow Natural Flow Nipples

Designed for babies who are 6 months of age and older, a fast flow nipple releases milk at a rate much faster than the newborn flow.

Avent specially designed their Fast Flow Nipple to suit mothers who have strictly breastfed their baby’s up until 6 months old, and wish to switch to bottle-feeding smoothly.

This nipple is equipped with anti-collapse technology so your baby doesn’t get frustrated with it caving in halfway through a feeding causing an unnecessary interruption during mealtime.

Airflex technology minimizes any problems with colic or extra air release towards the tummy during bottle feedings.

Pros

Odorless and flavorless silicone
Extra-wide breast-shaped feel
The silicone used is very soft
Minimizes colic and upset tummies
Very durable you won’t have to replace them early

Cons

Nipple might leak around the ring

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6. Vari Flow Nipple

If you want options, the Natural Variable Flow Nipple is your best option. This nipple designed with interchangeability between flow rates to suit how your baby is feeling when it’s time to eat.

If you add cereal in with your baby’s meals to soothe their appetite, the Vari Flow has your back. It has a slot hole design instead of a round hole to allow thick foods to flow through easily.

If your little one prefers to eat more slowly or it’s that time of day that they slow down, there are options to have the milk pour out at a slow or medium rate.

Of course, it’s BPA free as easy as it is to steam clean or toss in the dishwasher. It’s completely designed to meet your needs as a parent when you have kids with dietary needs that change as fast as they grow.

This is designed for baby’s as young as 3 months old, up until they outgrow bottles altogether. It’s one of the best all-around bottles to start with, right after outgrowing Avent’s newborn nipple size.

It’s made from soft yet durable silicone, which makes it an easy transfer for breastfed babies.

Pros

Made with ultra-soft silicone that breastfed babies like
Suitable for babies that have disabilities and need thicker bottles
The slot hole design allows babies to drink thick liquids without getting tired
The baby is in control of the milk flow

Cons

Requires pretty precise positioning for the milk to actually flow properly

Conclusion

It pays off to find the perfect baby bottle and nipple size for your infant. Creating less stress while gaining more comfort for mom, dad, and baby during feedings is one of the most important aspects in choosing the right supplies to bottle feed a baby.

This is where backed research and real-life experience of parents become helpful in your search for the kind of Avent bottle nipple is most suitable for your family. The little details count in the world of bottle nipples, every little petal, the slot design, and the number of holes make a difference.

Be sure to pay attention to the common wear and tear to whichever nipple you choose, baby nipples will usually need to be replaced around every 3 months. Depending on how many nipples you have, and how your baby handles their nipples they can wear down sooner.

Having the proper Avent bottle nipples is about convenience, tooth, and gum health, while encouraging proper eating habits early on in life. It makes sense it’s one of the most important aspects of properly feeding your baby upon entering parenthood.