bottle

Tips and Advice on Choosing the Best Baby Bottle for Your Little One

April 2, 2018 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

Baby gear has come a long way over the years, and that’s especially true of baby bottles. The standard bottle has evolved from a clunky and somewhat dangerous glass bottle to a lightweight and shatterproof plastic design with an infinite number of specialty shapes, nipple designs and sizes.

While some women do manage to stick solely to breastfeeding a little one, the vast majority of parents will use baby bottles at some point…even if only when a baby is finally old enough for other beverages! So choosing a bottle that works well for you and for your baby is a must.

Why Use a Baby Bottle?

Ideally, babies should be exclusively breastfed for at least six months. But there are still occasions when mothers need to have a bottle handy, whether because mom is still working or just enjoying a night out. Thankfully, affordable and easy-to-use breast pumps mean that Baby can still get the breast milk he needs. Make sure to use a baby bottle that protects the breast milk quality! And when your little one is older, a baby bottle is handy for letting him drink water, milk or juice before he is able to use a cup.

What Kind of Bottle is Best

There is no shortage of choice when it comes to finding the best baby bottle. But no matter what brand you choose, a good baby bottle should have some features no matter what. It should be comfortable, and include an anti-mastitis breastfeeding latch. It should be made of high-quality, BPA-free material and be easy to use. And, perhaps most important, the perfect baby bottle should have multiple sizes and nipple designs to suit babies at different ages.

Tips for Bottle Feeding a Baby

While some babies may be happy to hold their own bottle as they eat, bottle feeding should still be a time to bond with Baby, so make sure to still play an active role! Keep a proper hold on the bottle to help minimize the air that is swallowed, especially if your baby suffers from colic. And make sure that bottles and nipples are properly sterilized for newborns!

Benefits of Baby Bottles

There are so many occasions when using a baby bottle makes life a little bit easier for a busy mom. But while baby bottles can also help feed Baby when Mom is away, they also give a dad and extended family members the chance to bond with baby a little bit more. While Mom takes a break, Dad gets the chance to interact with the baby in a very special way. If your little one uses a baby bottle, consider handing over one feeding a day to a family member.

With so many different baby bottles to choose from, finding the best baby bottle for your little one can take some trial and error. If you also breastfeed, make sure the nipple flow on the bottle mimics the slower flow of breast milk. And if you’re planning on bottle feeding often, choosing a bottle with a design that’s comfortable to hold is a must. In the end, a bottle that you and your baby both enjoy is the most important consideration of all.

Blast Off to Adventure with a Kid’s Outer Space Birthday Party

June 3, 2015 by Kathryn 47 Comments

I’ve always had a tendency to go a bit overboard when it comes to my boys’ birthday parties. It’s partly because I like choosing a theme and seeing what kind of creative ideas I can tie to it. It’s partly because I love seeing how impressed kids are with the food, games and decorations. But mostly it’s because when the party is over and everyone has gone home, I get to see the look of utter contentment on the face of my children.

This year, my oldest son turned nine and we decided to have an outer space birthday party. I started with the Space Blast Ultimate Kit from Costume SuperCentre to take the pressure off of decorating. With themed plates, napkins, cutlery, streamers and a fun balloon cluster, it had the outer space look I wanted at a great price.

Simple hot dog rockets made with puff pastry, muffin cups and cheese!

planet sugar cookies — Themed sugar cookies have become a bit of a birthday tradition. I love how these planet cookies turned out!

After that it was time to move on to the food. I turned hot dogs into rockets with a simple swirl of puff pastry, a triangle cheese top and a cupcake liner bottom. I also made fruit rockets with pineapple, watermelon and strawberries. Chips, vegetables and dip rounded out the table. And for extra fun, I couldn’t resist making a batch of sugar cookies decorated to look like planets! [Read more…]

Find the Perfect Feeding System for Your Baby with the New Playtex Bottle & Nipple Gift Set and Nipple Variety Pack

March 14, 2014 by Kathryn 43 Comments

I love being a mother and it’s something I’ve embraced since I learned I was pregnant eight years ago. My emotions after having my first son were mostly of wonder, happiness and love, but in the coming weeks another emotion started to creep into my days…confusion. When it comes to taking care of a baby, parents have a plethora of choices. That’s a good thing, but it can also make life more confusing for a new mother! Bottles are the perfect example. From different bottle designs to different nipples that provide certain benefits and flow rates, how is a mother to know which bottle is best for her little one? Babies can be picky and so even after making a choice, many parents find that their little ones reject the bottle or nipple that’s been purchased and favour a different one.

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Sterilizing Is Easy with the Playtex SmartSteam 3 in 1 Microwave Sterilizer #MomTrust

February 10, 2014 by Kathryn 42 Comments

If there was one simple task as a parent that I always struggled with, it was sterilizing bottles. I remember how dedicated my mom was about the process when I was a child; she would boil a big pot of water and drop the bottles and nipples into it to ensure that they were safe. It was time-consuming and took a fair bit of work.

Since I breastfed my boys, I didn’t use bottles too often, but there were still times that my babies used a bottle every so often, and after one or two attempts at sterilizing the equipment, I ended up giving up in frustration. Our town’s hard water actually wrecked a few of the bottles by coating them with residue and the entire process was difficult and messy.

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The Playtex Mom Trust Program Provides Reviews and Advice for New Moms

December 9, 2013 by Kathryn 47 Comments

Playtex infant and toddler products have been a staple in my house for years, and I love the way that the company is always innovating to make life easier for moms. From the new Smart line of feeding and diapering products to the always-popular Drop-Ins bottle system, Playtex items are a hit with moms and babies alike.

My personal favourite products are the toddler plates, bowls and cups. My boys were both messy eaters as babies, and so often plates would end up sliding off the table and onto the floor. The design of the Playtex toddler plates, bowls and cups was so effective that I actually still use them. I love the durable BPA-free plastic design, and the rubber grips on the bottom have been so helpful for preventing spills. [Read more…]