There's no doubt at this point that breastfeeding is the best option for baby and for mom too.  But in many cases, for whatever reason, breastfeeding is not a possibility, and yet baby still needs to be fed successfully—and often.  Nearly all parents turn to a baby bottle to help them get the feeding job done during their baby's early feeding days.  Occasionally you will meet a mother whose baby was exclusively fed from the breast but this is such a rarity that research by the CDC identifies this portion of the population as statistically insignificant (although kudos to you if you're able to pull this off!). 

When selecting a baby bottle most parents believe they will make the final decision about what bottle their baby ends up using.  Not so.  Unlike a water bottle where one-size-fits-all solutions are the norm, successful baby bottle feeding can require significant time and effort.  Many different options may need to be tested and, in some of the most difficult cases, finding the right solution can be described as a science.  

What's the difference between a wide neck and a regular neck baby bottle?  When do you use a 5 oz. baby bottle vs. a 10 oz. baby bottle?  Why are there three nipple flows available and when do you make the switch?  What is nipple collapse?  When should I choose a hole opening over a cross cut (“X”) opening?  Is silicone a better material for nipples than rubber?  Should I only be considering baby bottles with anti-colic features?  Can baby bottles be safely used in the microwave?  Do I need to continually sterilize my baby bottles and nipples? 

If you don't know the answer to the majority of these questions, you're not alone; in fact, you're in good company: the majority of parents who have bottle fed one or more babies in the past cannot accurately describe why a baby bottle and nipple did or did not work well for their baby.  To better understand the larger issues related to baby bottle feeding, please see The Q's and A's of Bottle Feeding.  At Green to Grow, where I am co-founder and vice-president, we always recommend that parents who are just getting started with bottle feeding begin by purchasing just one of each 5 oz bottle to see which model baby responds best to.  Once parents have a better sense of this, they can make the larger investment in purchasing multiple bottles.  Bottle feeding is a very individualized experience and what's best for one baby may not work for another.  Some babies will only feed from one model nipple (wide or regular neck), while others can go back and forth between a wide and a regular neck model with no problem.  They are all so different! 

Begin with the model you prefer, but start small (one or two bottles) with the knowledge that you may be switching things out at some point in the future. And pay attention as your baby begins to feed. The best option will emerge over time, possibly through trial and error, if you take cues and let your baby guide you.