Do we need both 4 and 8 oz feeding bottles?

[daisyd]

I'm looking to buy feeding supplies for DC2 and I'm wondering whether to get both 4 and 8 oz feeding bottles. I had only 8 oz feeding bottles with DC1. But with DC 2 I'll be returning to work earlier and I'll be pumping. Will 4 oz bottles make swallowing air less likely for the baby? I'm assuming its more convenient to pump into? TIA!

[Philly Mom]

I used playtex drop ins and found the smaller size useless, too small. We never had an air problem with the larger size.

[MamaInMarch]

A lot of breastfed babies never go any more than 4 oz per feed no matter how old they are. You may find you will never need the 8 oz. Breastmilk's caloric count per oz will increase as your baby gets older and breastfed babies regulate the volume of milk they consume by calorie need, not volume. So it's not a guarantee that you will need a larger volume like formula, where the calories/oz is static.

[Snow mom]

I used 4 oz bottles exclusively. They definitely hold at least 5 oz, although the measurements stop at 4 I believe. I'd usually had to switch the bottles once when pumping in the morning (I'd just swap sides as my production was lopsided and I pumped ~10 oz total but would overflow a 4 oz bottle on my more productive side.) I don't think DD ever took more BM in a feeding than fit in a 4 oz bottle. I remember the LLL women looking at me like I had three eyes when I said that DD drank ~30 oz at daycare and that I pumped that much daily. Apparently that's a lot of milk for a BF baby (she was maybe 7 months?) but still the 4 oz bottles were a good choice. Many daycares won't offer a single bottle more than once so larger bottles might equal more waste.

[Liziz]

I use playtex drop-ins. I have both the 4 and 8 oz, because I got a gift set that included two of each. However -- DD is 8.5 months and has never drank more than 4 oz (always BM). Although I have two sizes of bottles, I only use the 4 oz liners, even for the 8 oz bottles -- they fit just the same. So, if you really only want one size bottle, and think you'll need the 8 oz, you could always use the 4 oz liners in the beginning to avoid the extra air issue. (Do check with your daycare though...it can make it a little more challenging to heat the bottle if you're using the 4 oz liners in an 8 oz bottle, but mine has made it work). That all being said -- if I buy more bottles for a second DC, I'd probably just buy all 4 oz. But like a PP said, it's very baby dependent, so either way, I wouldn't buy too much to start! The most DD ever has consumed in a full daycare day was 16 oz BM (over 4 bottles), while my good friend's son routinely drank 32 oz BM *at daycare* (yes, I'm in awe of her pumping abilities!) and then nursed all night. And both are healthy, normal weight kids!

Another consideration -- once daycare starts to teach your LO how to hold his/her own bottle, it's much easier for them to learn with the smaller 4 oz bottle.

[rin]

We've used Playtex drop-ins for both girls. We only ever used breastmilk in the bottles, but we also only ever had need of the smaller size. Once in a blue moon one of the girls would seem hungry after finishing 4 oz, but that was so, so rare. DD2 is only 5 months right now, but DD1 used bottles of breastmilk until a year, and we never ended up using the larger ones. I wouldn't bother, personally.

[marymoo86]

A lot of breastfed babies never go any more than 4 oz per feed no matter how old they are. You may find you will never need the 8 oz. Breastmilk's caloric count per oz will increase as your baby gets older and breastfed babies regulate the volume of milk they consume by calorie need, not volume. So it's not a guarantee that you will need a larger volume like formula, where the calories/oz is static.


I used 4 oz bottles exclusively. They definitely hold at least 5 oz, although the measurements stop at 4 I believe. I'd usually had to switch the bottles once when pumping in the morning (I'd just swap sides as my production was lopsided and I pumped ~10 oz total but would overflow a 4 oz bottle on my more productive side.) I don't think DD ever took more BM in a feeding than fit in a 4 oz bottle. I remember the LLL women looking at me like I had three eyes when I said that DD drank ~30 oz at daycare and that I pumped that much daily. Apparently that's a lot of milk for a BF baby (she was maybe 7 months?) but still the 4 oz bottles were a good choice. Many daycares won't offer a single bottle more than once so larger bottles might equal more waste.

:yeahthat:

[citymama]

Agree with the PPs - both my EBF kids never used more than 4 oz bottles. I'm embarrassed to confess my 2.5 yr old still uses bottles and even she still uses the 4 oz!

[trcy]

DD was EBF and I only used the larger bottles. But like PP said, I didn't need them, the smaller bottles would have been fine.

[sntm]

If you don't use drop ins, 4 oz ones are fine. My EBF baby at 6 mo still never takes more than 2-3 oz at a feed, usually 1 oz. he prefers to eat often (and from the tap!)

[daisyd]

Thanks all! It really helps to have the opinion of experienced mamas.