Whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding you will need a couple of bottles. It is always good to have a 4-ounce, 8-ounce and a 10 or 12-ounce bottle handy. Bottles basically come in three different types:

Traditional Bottles which have straight necks and bodies.

Angled Neck Bottles which are made to reduce your baby's air intake by keeping the nipple filled with liquid. The less air the better because it will cause less gas and discomfort for your baby.

Disposable Liners are liners or plastic bags that are reusable and collapse as the baby drinks which also minimizing air swallowing and future gas and discomfort.

You can sterilize the bottles in your dishwasher or you can wash them in hot water. Your doctor may recommend that you submerge the bottle and nipple into a pot of boiling for a few minutes before each use to make sure the bottle is completely sterilized. Another way to sterilize the bottles is to buy a bottle sterilizer that is the brand of the bottle you choose. You rinse out the bottles and then put the bottles in the sterilizer face down. Put 7-10 ounces of water in the bottom of the sterilizer. Then place it in the microwave for 3-4 minutes. Rinse and then fill the bottle with new formula.

Never heat breastmilk in the microwave because it will kill the nutrients in the breastmilk. If you heat formula put it in a pot of warm water or run hot water over the bottle. Also, Never put a formula bottle in the microwave because the formula may warm unevenly and create "hot spots" that can be hot and burn your babies mouth.

Preparing formula bottles:

I have found that if I made my sons bottles ahead of time and let them sit in the fridge he had less gas. I would pour the correct amount of water and formula into a cup and mix it properly and then pour it into the bottle. Put the nipple on it and place it in the fridge. The air bubbles would have time to settle a little bit before I gave it to him and he would not be as fussy afterwards.

Remember when trying to move your kids to a sippy cup rather than a bottle do it slowly. Alternate each feeding with a bottle then cup so they get used to the idea and feel like a big kid when they use their sippy cup.