I'm finding choosing the right bottles for my baby a complete minefield and totally overwhelming.

Can anyone shed some light on the following - I like the look of the Tommee Tippee closer to nature range, particularly the fact it claims to make combination feeding and switching between breast and bottle much easier.

I would like to try combination feeding, either using formula or expressed breast milk - but my question is this - if for some reason I am unable to establish breastfeeding at the beginning, would I be better off getting different bottles as baby won't have been used to breast anyway so the fact the teat / bottle shape resembles a boob is irrelevant???

What are everyone's thoughts on this? Do you choose bottle according to whether you will be combination feeding or exclusively bottle feeding as I would like the option when it actually comes to it?

I am going to be exclusively bottle feeding and have got Tommee tippee bottles after hearing goods things but i haven't used them yet so can't comment on that

we use TT range and for us its been fab, the teats are breast shaped rather than high teats, bubs has no trouble with them, we started combine feeding then switched to FF, i dont suppose it makes much different to baby as long as their milk is coming through it

might be worth just buying a 4 pack and seeing how you get on, we have 7 bottles for exclusive FF

We started off combination feeding, although my son is not completely formula fed.
We tried Tommee Tippee closer to nature bottles, but he could not latch onto them at all, and he got very stressed while trying to feed, because he dribbled most of the milk out!
We have moved him to use NUK bottles and found these brilliant for him.
I have heard a few other Mum's who have said the same thing about the Tommee Tippee bottles, but every baby is different, so it's just trail and error really!

Thanks for your replies girls, I'm slowly beginning to understand this whole bottle feeding mystery!

Couple more questions:

- Can anyone explain to me what a milk powder dispenser is?

- How can you bottle feed on the go with ready to use cartons when bottles only stay sterile for 3 hours once out of the steriliser? If I need to bottle feed 5 hours after leaving house, does this mean I will somehow need to re-sterilise bottle before adding carton?

We combine feed & use the tt closer range, our lo goes between breast & bottle with no trouble at all.

A milk powder dispenser is a little tub that has 3 compartments in it. U can then add the amount of powder u need so ur not measuring it out everytime u make a bottle up, perfect for out & about. I think u can get bigger ones for using at home as well, but we measure out each time at home as it only takes a minute to do.

If ur out & the bottle has been out longer than u'd like, we usually get a pot of hot water & put the teat in it for 5 mins, it'll make it sterlise it again.

Hope this helps.

Jayne xx

Can anyone explain to me what a milk powder dispenser is?

as junglejayne described but we use little pots from the expressing kit, you can also get pots that fit into the bottles too!

- How can you bottle feed on the go with ready to use cartons when bottles only stay sterile for 3 hours once out of the steriliser? If I need to bottle feed 5 hours after leaving house, does this mean I will somehow need to re-sterilise bottle before adding carton?

bottles stay sterile for 3 hours in the steriliser, once out if they are made up ie teats and lids on they last 24 hours, we sterilise ours for the next day on a night fit them together and leave on the worktop ready for use