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View Full Version : Avent or Playtex? Which Bottles are you using?



ma2be
01-08-2002, 07:30 PM
Im just curious which bottles to register for. I've heard so many good things about Avent (and the Fields'suggest it in their book) but know so many of my friends who are using the Playtex. I know the Playtex is much less expensive, but they seem flimsy and I don't care for that brown rubber nipple. What is everyone using and what are the pros and cons? Thanks!

SylviaC
01-09-2002, 04:22 PM
I am using the Avent bottles, which are great. They are super tough and look like they'll last a long time. The nipples are clear silicone and also seem pretty wear-proof. Plus, they attach to my ISIS pump too so that saves me a step in storing breastmilk in the fridge. They also have sippy-cup tops and handles that you can get later so the bottles last even longer. Probably the only thing that annoys me about them is that they always come with the infant size nipple. I have almost a dozen bottles and only used that nipple size for about 2 months so I have a good 8 or 9 that were never touched.

I haven't tried the Playtex ones so can't really compare. I got a trial set in the mail but haven't used it but like you I don't like that brown nipple either. I like the clear ones cuz you can REALLY tell if they are clean by just looking at them - that brown would seem to hide the slightest thing. Plus, if that latex is anything like the pacifiers we've been using, they seem to get gummy after lots of wear and sterilizing. Ick.

Anyway, congrats on your baby, I hope this has been helpful.
Sylvia

suzska
01-10-2002, 01:05 AM
Well, I'm using neither because my son wouldn't take them. The only ones that worked for us, and still do, are the plain (okay--fashion colors!), ol' Gerber ones, but with the silicone orthodontic nipples. They come with the latex ones, but I just went out and bought the silicone.

I did want to mention that Playtex makes silicone nipples, but they don't sell them with their bottles. They do not make a silicone ortho nipple--I think Gerber and maybe Evenflo are the only ones. But Playtex's silicone nipples seem to be similar to Avent (although maybe not as "sturdy," as the other poster mentioned about Avent).

I know people have said this before, but every baby is different. You might want to register for a few different kinds and see what your baby likes best. I keep trying to get my son to use Avent products (bottles, disposable bottles, sippy cups,...), but he just won't do it.

--Sue B.
SAHM to Evan Jeffrey 03-11-01

jilldave
01-14-2002, 09:27 PM
I used the Avent bottles. I am still breastfeeding, but my daughter never had trouble with different nipples/bottles. I dislike latex, so have only tried silicone nipples. I liked being able to buy the handles, sippy cup inserts, etc. for the Avent. I also don't care for a disposable system, so used the regular bottles. I agree with the other person who mentioned that all the bottles come with the newborn nipple, which I used for about a month. I also used the Avent pacifiers.

Geebee
01-15-2002, 05:17 PM
I used Avent, and I never tried anything else. My daughter took to the Avent fine and easily alternated between breast and bottle (3 times a week). I do prefer the silicon nipples - they just seem to be cleaner and don't get that sticky feeling from washings. Avent nipples do eventually wear out if you use them for every feeding. My Avent bottles started leaking when my daughter fed. I realized that the nipples had been in constant use for 4 months. I bought new nipples and the leaking stopped. I also prefer the reusable bottles to the disposable.

You could always buy a few of a less expensive brand, and if your baby doesn't like them, then try the Avent. Also, Walmart has a line of bottles that is similar to Avent called "Parents Choice". I also saw an ad for Gerber bottles with wider-mouthed bottles and nipples similar to Avent. Sometimes it is just trial and error!!!

SeanaDG
01-24-2002, 03:46 PM
We started with the Avent but ended with Playtex because that's what DD seems to prefer. I actualy like the disposable system now and the latex nipples don't bother me anymore (you only sterlize them once in the beginning and then wash with hot, soapy water which means they don'y get gummy as soon). I agree with the other poster, register for 1 or 2 starter sets and see what happens once you have your baby.

emmiem
01-25-2002, 10:05 AM
I use the Playtex Disposable System and love it. It is not hard to tell whether the brown latex nipples are clean. The liners mean you just rinse the bottle instead of trying to clean all the formula out. I wouldn't change a thing. This is the second time I'm using the Playtex bottles.

MinnieMouse
01-25-2002, 11:26 AM
We use Avent, mostly the disposable, but some regular bottles. Dd is now 6 months and I am still nursing and pumping while at work.

After some initial difficulty taking a bottle in general, dd seems to like them just fine. We are still using the newborn nipples...even at 6 months as any of the others seem to flood her with too much milk. I use the Gerber Seal n Go storage bags (Expensive at BRU, but better priced at Target and Walmart) and they are EXCELLENT. Both the Avent and Medela ( I use a PIS) bags leaked for me and I was too upset about losing precious EBM to continue using them.

I like the idea that we can move directly to a sippy cup using some of the same equipment.

Initially, I just got the newborn starter set...they have them in both reusable and disposable...which runs about $25 or so at Babies R Us. Once we figured that dd was okay with Avent we invested in some more bottles for her start with day care.

The wonderful thing about the disposable ones is that I only need 1 shell a day for daycare...if we were using the reusable I would be sending (and washing) in 4 bottles a day...and I have enough to do as it is.

HTH

Christine

egoldber
01-27-2002, 02:27 PM
We have only used the Johnson&Johnson Healthflow bottles (with silicone nipple) and have been very happy with them. I will admit up front, however, that I am a J&J employee and I get these bottles practically for free. They were the first ones we tried, she liked them, end of bottle shopping for us. These bottles and nipples have held up to 6 months of dishwasher cleaning with no problems.

FYI, when I had difficulty getting my baby to latch on in the hospital, the lactation consultant suggested using the Healthflow nipple (without any prompting from me :-) ) to encourage the baby to take a wider, deeper latch. (However in talking to my Mommy friends there seems to be as many different recommendations on the "right" nipple to use for a breastfed baby as there are lactation consultants.)

However, almost all of the mommies in my New Mom group use the Avent bottles. They all like them except for their cost (twice as much as many other bottles) and their size. The wide mouth makes it very easy to fill them, but they sometimes don't fit into standard size bottle holders in diaper bags, etc. especially when you get into the larger 9 oz. size bottles.

I was out to dinner last night with one of my Mommy friends. Her baby became very fussy and she didn't have a bottle with her. I offered her one of my bottles. She was concerned because her baby (to that point) had only had an Avent bottle, but she took to the Healthflow just fine.

If I were you, I would try some cheaper bottles to start with and then move to an Avent style only if required. Unless the baby has preference, there is no real advantage to one style over another.

Catherine226
01-27-2002, 10:06 PM
I use the Playtex with the clear nipples. They seem to work fine. I used to pump breastmilk into the Gerber storage bags which fit nicely into the Playtex bottles. I also figured out that the Medala "cones" fit snuggly into the nipple caps to pump direct into the bottle. I wouldn't suggest doing it all the time as it may wear out the nipple cap, but an ocassional ready-to-eat bottle was kind of handy.

Catherine

kgdolan
02-10-2002, 10:43 PM
I just bought the new playtex reusable bottles with the detachable bottoms. I compared them to the Avent bottles I had and the nipples are the same. They both have the clear silicone nipples. So far I haven't used either of them very much since I'm breastfeeding, but will be returning to work soon and then will use them more.

I like the detachable bottoms of the Playtex bottles since eliminates the need for a bottle brush. I also think that they come clean in the dishwasher. They come in both wide and narrow. I would be interested if anyone else has experience with these.

Melanie
02-24-2002, 07:29 PM
Dr. Brown's WIDE neck bottles. We originally had the regular nipples and that caused problems with breastfeeding, so we switched to the wide neck - same style as Avent nipples but the bottles have a great system to reduce the amount of air taken in by the baby. They are not as easy to clean as disposable of course, but it's worth the extra effort for my son's comfort.


Mommy to Little Jonah born 11-6-2001

jojo2324
02-25-2002, 11:55 AM
I am due with my first in June, and I am beginning to do the whole bottle search. I figured I would register for the Avent starter kit and try that initially. (We plan on breastfeeding and using formula when I cannot feed; I would obviously like to express milk, but my job does not really allow me the time to spend 10-20 minutes in the bathroom pumping BM. We'll try it anyway.) The one thing I love love love about the Avent bottles is the lack of ridges in the bottle!!! I am the oldest of five and there is quite and age difference between me and the youngest (17 years), and I just remember cursing the Playtex bottles my parents would use because I could never get them clean, even after boiling them. All the milk would just seem to get stuck and dry up in the crevices and I thought that was so disgusting. Am I right in thinking in that the Avent bottles won't pose that as a problem?

egoldber
02-25-2002, 06:18 PM
In general I would agree that Avent bottles are easier to clean, but due to the wider "mouth" on the bottle. And this is only an issue if you mostly wash by hand, not the dishwasher. Most of my bottles are the Johnson&Johnson Healthflow and I have not had any trouble keeping them clean. I'm not sure what you mean by ridges?

When baby finishes a bottle, I rinse it out and put it in the dishwasher. I have enough bottles so that I only need to run the dishwasher every other day. :-) The only reason I rinse them is to keep down the smell in the dishwasher, since I do only run it every other day, otherwise I wouldn't bother to rinse. The bottles come out very clean. I have several Prince Lionheart plastic dishwasher baskets for the nipples, rings, caps, etc.

HTH,