My Recommendation for Avent Nipple Sizes:
Natural Bottle Classic Bottle
Ideal for newborns (Birth to 4 Weeks) Newborn Flow Newborn Flow
Ideal for newborns and breastfed babies of 1 to 3 Months Slow Flow Slow Flow
For bottle fed babies (3-4 to 6 Months) Medium Flow Medium Flow
Offers a faster flow for older babies Fast Flow Fast Flow
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Content:
- Learn Which Teat is Right for Your Baby
- How Long Does it Take Baby To Finish Bottle?
- When To Upgrade Nipple Flow Level?
Learn Which Teat is Right for You and Your Baby
Nipple sizes for their breastfed bottles vary depending on where your little one is in their life.
For babies who are alternating between breastfeeding and bottle usage, 1 is the recommended number of the avent nipple sizes.
The number 1 is recommended to use regardless of the babies age if alternating between breast and bottle is the practice.
However, while this may be recommended, avent nipple sizes also go to 2 and 3 for a reason. Not every child is the same.
Some mothers have upgraded from the 1 to the 2 and even the three after their baby is 12 weeks old. It all depends on the baby’s size.
The size of the nipples themselves have to do with the flow of milk into the baby’s mouth.
The number 1 nipple has the lowest flow, the 2 more and the 3 even more.
The main reason for these sizes, aside form the growth of the baby, is the fact that newborns cannot keep up with the flow of milk as fast as a baby who is six months old.
They can easily choke if they get too much intake at once
so regulating the flow with these avent nipple sizes is key in making sure the kiddo is getting the right amount and the right speed.
Sometimes, younger babies may not be getting enough nourishment from the 1
so switching to a higher flow nipple will improve the intake for the little one and keep them satisfied.
Again, while there are standard practices and recommendations out there regarding what size avent nipples to use in regards to the size of your baby
the most important thing to know is your individual little angel. That way, you can keep them in the right nipple at the right age.
How Long Does it Take Baby To Finish Bottle?
Staying in tune and being readily aware of how quickly or slowly your child finishes his or her bottle is very important to ensuring the early health of your infant.
This is because the rate at which your baby feeds is a direct indicator of how much he or she is drinking
how much air your baby is swallowing
and how much your baby is enjoying the milk and feeding experience.
In general, you should expect your child to feed as follows:
Newborn babies will feed for about twenty to forty minutes, until they are about three months of age.
When feeding your baby, it is a good idea to check for milk dripping down the side of your baby’s mouth, and to be aware if your baby has any gas.
If your baby is finishing the bottle in less than twenty minutes, and has made a mess or has gas afterwards, the nipple size is probably too large.
Then again, if your child is struggling to finish the bottle after forty minutes, the baby probably needs a larger nipple size.
Infants who are from three to size months old should be finishing the bottle between fifteen and thirty minutes.
Once again, pay attention to the way your baby reacts during and after feeding to see if the feeding is an enjoyable experience for your infant.
Finally, babies who are six months old and older generally finish the bottle between ten and twenty minutes.
Keep in mind that these time ranges are just reference points and are helpful for making changes to the nipple size.
For instance, if your baby is of the recommended age, but is swallowing too much air and is drinking too quickly for the suggested time frame
this could be a sign that the nipple size is too large, and the baby is not able to keep up with the flow of milk into his or her mouth. Avent nipples will help to regulate the flow of milk to your child.
It is best for you to try to stick within the recommended feeding time range when determining whether or not the Avent nipple sizes are appropriate for your child’s age.
Paying attention to how your infant drinks and reacts is critical to determining when to switch Avent nipple sizes.
When To Switch To Another Nipple Flow Level? (upgrade level)
It is important to be very observant when it comes to how well your infant is feeding.
For instance, if you see milk running down your child’s face, this could be an indication of too fast of a flow through the nipple.
You would then want to opt for a smaller Avent nipple size.
On the other hand, if your child looks to be struggling to get enough milk out of his or her bottle (excessive sucking, apparent frustration)
then it might be time to upgrade the nipple size to a larger one.
In general, we recommend following the below guidelines for getting started on the appropriate size Avent nipple.
Babies who are still being breastfed, but who are also starting to drink out of a bottle, should use the smallest size.
This is called the Newborn nipple. It has one hole, which is easy to remember: one hole for one month old.
Infants who are one to three months old and who are also still breastfeeding should go for the next size up, which is the Slow Flow nipple. This nipple has two holes.
After that, infants who are three to six months old should be happy with the Medium Flow nipple. This one has three holes.
And finally, the Fast Flow nipple is suitable for infants who are six months old and older.
In general, these are just guidelines.
If you find that your child has gas and a bloated belly, and is currently drinking out of the Fast Flow, it might be a good idea to go back to the Medium Flow for a couple more weeks.
In addition, babies who are spitting up might also need to go to a slower flow.
Age can be an arbitrary number and reference point, though it is still very helpful for getting started.
Be open to experimenting and slowly easing into the transition.
Your baby will tell you what he or she needs. Within these age divisions and nipple sizes, Avent also offers two more options.
The First Flow nipple is optimal for preemies and newborns.
This one compares to the Newborn Nipple, which as stated above, is ideal for newborns up to a month old, and breastfed babies up to three months old.
This might be a good option to use if your child is not breastfeeding at all.
The other option is the Variable Flow Nipple, which is suitable for infants who are three months old and older.
It provides different flow rates with the same nipple. If your infant is having a hard time adapting from the Medium Flow to the Fast Flow nipple sizes, we recommend trying the Variable Flow nipple.
Knowing when to switch Avent nipple sizes is not so challenging, so long as you are aware of how much or little your child is enjoying feeding.
If your child seems generally happy and healthy, chances are that you already have the right size nipple.
The most difficult time is during transitions, though these can still be timely and comfortable for your infant, due to the multiple different nipple sizes that Avent offers.
Remember that being acutely aware of your child during feeding, and making regular changes to the nipple size as your baby develops, is much better than sticking with a standard nipple size the whole way through.
Additional information:
- When to Change Nipple Flow On Bottles?
- These Solutions Can Help When Your Baby Won’t Take Bottle Anymore!
- Best Formula for Spit Up. Here’s Your Ultimate Solution!
- How much expressed milk will my baby need?
- Bottle Feeding Problems
- Studies in human lactation: milk volumes in lactating women during the onset of lactation and full lactation.
- Human growth and development