This can be very distressing for parents. Colic can start when a baby is only a few weeks old but usually stops by 6 months (5). Some babies with colic have excess gas and so the theory behind anti colic bottles is tominimise the amount of air swallowed. Effective winding can help too. Signs your baby may have colic (5); There’s no definite best time to introduce a first bottle but it’s often recommended to wait until your baby is at least 4-6 weeks old, if you plan to continue breastfeeding. This is to allow breastfeeding to become established and to build up your milk supply (1). Will my baby take a bottle easily?

Natural baby bottles claim to be as close as possible to breastfeeding. The word ‘natural’ is used to mean the bottle is designed to mimic the breast as closely as possible, this could be in terms of shape, width, nipple shape or flow speed. Take time to find the right bottle and teat for your baby. Some babies prefer a particular style of bottle. So if one baby bottle isn’t right, don’t give up. Good for breastfeeding babies: Dr Brown says the contoured breast-like shape of the teats have been designed to encourage a proper latch and mimic breastfeeding. They claim the soft silicone teat also offers a ‘more comfortable feeding experience’ and is designed to help babies switch between the breast and bottle. The level 1 teat provides a slow milk flow. Many parents are also looking for their bottles to help with symptoms of colic and many bottles claim to do so. What is colic?

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Good for breastfed babies: The bottles are described as having a natural milk flow, which can be controlled by the baby. They claim this creates an experience close to breastfeeding.

With bottle feeding, babies don’t generally have to work as hard and there is a continuous flow of milk (3). Switching regularly between breast and bottles can cause ‘nipple confusion’. What is nipple confusion? Quite a few parents and their babies withdrew from the research 67% of the placebo group withdrew and 50% of the treatment group due to not fully completing the diary.Get somebody else to feed your baby. if your baby can smell your breast milk it can be confusing for them. Babies could take part up to 7 months old and we know colic symptoms resolve themselves in older babies. Colic often improves by 6 months (5). To avoid buying and trying lots of different bottles, try talking to other parents and finding out what works for them. Be objective and try not to be influenced by marketing claims. If you’re looking for an anti-colic bottle, most now offer some anti-colic features. Infrequent/skipped feedings (due to nipple pain, teething, pacifier overuse, busy mum, return to work, baby suddenly sleeping longer, scheduling, supplementing, abrupt weaning, etc.).