Switching from Dr. Brown Bottles

[Anonymous]

This isn’t really related to the reflux, but has anyone had luck with switching to another kind of bottle after your baby has been using Dr. Brown’s? My 10-month old daughter has been using Dr. Brown’s bottles since she was 3 months old. It was great for the colic and reflux, but now I am tired of washing all the parts (we don’t have a dishwasher), plus the bottles are getting smelly/grimy and the inserts have a film on them that won’t come off. I’d like to switch to another kind but worry that since she is older now and “set in her ways” I might have trouble. I did try the Evenflo tinted bottle today because it has a similar nipple, and she took it but the nipple kept collapsing due to her strong suction. I would REALLY like to switch to Playtex nursers (hardly anything to wash!!) but she is not used to the wide-neck bottle; I tried it yesterday and she took the whole bottle but swallowed a ton of air because unfamiliar with the nipple. Maybe she’ll just get used to it in time if it is the only kind of bottle I offer??

[Anonymous]

I was wondering how I would make the switch too. Thinking that by the time Ryann is 10 months old, it will be summer time, and a sippy cup for the day may work. Heard advent bottles were great for minimizing air.

[Anonymous]

I’ve just started using the Playtex ventaire bottles- not the natural shape- the regular-sized nipples. I really like them a lot. I tried and tried the Dr. Brown bottles. I really wanted them to work for us, but they did not seem to help (I wish that they had.). There is still the “vent” piece in the bottom of the bottle, but they are regular-shaped nipples and less pieces than Dr. Brown.

Also, the nipples are cross-cut. I didn’t realize this until I bought them. The size 1 are very small cross-cut. The size 2 are much larger.

Susan

[Anonymous]

We love the DB bottles (we use the wide neck ones) and are still using
them at 8.5 months. DH and I were actually just discussing this – we
doubt we still really “need” them but we’re not pushing a good thing –
besides, Marisa really likes and is used to the nipples. I’ll just put
up with the little pieces…

Next time around (if there is one), I’d love to use the Playtex Nursers though.

[Anonymous]

We have tried on a number of occasions to change from Dr Browns but with no luck. I tried the Avent, but the flow was different and he knew straight away. My daugher however switched over with no problems at about 6 months. I know what you mean about the washing, so time consuming! I bought new inserts off Ebay as I couldnt get the smell and film out of them either.

[Anonymous]

Thanks everybody. Looks like we are “stuck” with the Dr. Brown’s for awhile. I tried a regular bottle yesterday and was up with her most of the night for what seemed to be painful gas. Could have been coincidence but it’s not worth another test. We bought some new Dr. Brown’s because the old bottles were smelly/grimy. Guess we’ll just continue on! Unfortunately, she doesn’t like solids so she gets all her nutrition from the bottle which means lots of washing. Hopefully in the coming months she’ll take more solids and fewer bottles…

[Anonymous]

They actually sell the dr browns parts seperatly at babies r us, I’ve had to buy those little insert things a lot b/c they keep melting in the dishwasher (fallling out of the silverware thing during the heat dry cycle) You’d think I would have learned by now and just bought another little nipple holder to put them in the wash, but no-lol

[Anonymous]

I use a small brush on the blue inserts and don’t have a problem with build-up. It is time consuming, though. You could try letting them sit in really hot/boiling water every now and then to loosen up and grim.

If you do want to switch I’d recommend the Playtex drop-in’s. That’s what we started DD on before switching to Dr. Browns (we already had DB’s from DD#1 but the flow on the smallest nipples was too fast for DD#2 at first). You spend $ on the drop-ins but there is definitely very little clean up. We reused the drop-ins several times before tossing them, even though they’re really designed to be single use.

Karen

[Anonymous]

I just switched my daughter from Dr. Browns to Platex drop ins. I am so pleased. I actually think she spits up less!!! She is on Neocate and I was having to hand wash her bottles to get the film out. Then I was putting them in a sterilizer. She didnt do well on the silicone nipple,,,,she seemed to “slip” off of it and suck in air. However, she does great on the latex. Surprised me as she has only taken silicone in the past.

[Anonymous]

shanluts wrote: She didnt do well on the silicone nipple,,,,she seemed to “slip” off of it and suck in air. However, she does great on the latex. Surprised me as she has only taken silicone in the past.

I didn’t know Playtex drop-ins came with latex nipples…thought it was only silicone!

Were you using the wide-neck Dr. Brown’s bottles? I wish I had started on those because I think she would have an easier transition to the drop-ins. But we used the narrow neck so now the drop-ins have a completely different nipple and I just don’t think she would adjust very well. She gets frustrated easily! But I’m happy for you!!

[Anonymous]

In my local stores they carry many different nipples to fit the playtex nursers; some are latex, some silicone. I don’t think any of them are similar to the shape of the narrow necked Dr. Brown’s, but the latex nipples are somewhat similar to the regular shape of a standard baby bottle nipple. You might want to look at them if you really want to switch to the playtex drop-ins. I think my son would take that nipple over any of the other playtex nipples if I was to switch.

The closest nipple shape (to the Dr. Brown’s) would probably be the Platex Ventairs. I used those with my first baby. I really didn’t like them, though. I thought removing that little vent, washing it, drying it, and replacing it was much too aggravating.

The Dr. Brown’s have more pieces to wash, but I think they are easier to assemble. I’m still using them with my 7 month old. I used them for my second baby until she was off the bottle at 18 months!!! I like them because even when the baby is old enough that gas and reflux is no longer a problem, I found that with regular bottles the nipples would collapse. Of course, you wouldn’t have that problem with the Playtex drop-ins either.

With the Dr. Brown pieces, I put them in hot, soapy water right after feeding, even if I’m not washing bottles at that time, and so far I’ve never had any problem with any smell or build-up.

I hope you can make the switch if you want to. I’m all for sticking with what works, but I can understand wanting to make your life a little easier, too.

[Anonymous]

Sorry so long to reply. We started on the wide neck Dr. Browns, I bought 12 and after 1 week she decided she didnt like them!!! Then we switched to the slim bottles for 3.5 months. She does great on the latex Naturalatch nipples. We also have 13 Avent bottles that she tried and hated!!! I am now a bottle store….. Good luck. Paige is doing great on these.

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