Bottle Feeding Essentials
- August 5, 2021
- by Melissa Lawrence
Hello Mamas!
Bottle feeding can be such a mess! That’s why it pays to be super prepared with all of the essentials when it comes to breast milk and formula in baby bottles. I’ll walk through all of the necessary items with you so you can make a list of what baby feeding supplies you’ll need. Watch the video above for a visual review of classic products, or read on for my latest advice.
Hope this list helped you Moms get ready for feeding your baby!
Baby Registry List: Feeding Essentials

There are so many things you need to get organized before your baby arrives. I’m a big believer in getting prepared for the things you CAN prepare for, because there are so many unknowns that you can’t plan for when it comes to parenting.
Make sure to watch my shows on bottles and nipples and formula which give you all the details and demonstrations about exactly how to use them.
Bibs
I’m a big fan of bibs because I don’t like changing my baby’s clothes any more than I have to, and the ones I like are absorbent, soft and tight around the neck. Get quite a few of these. They will really cut down on the laundry because your baby won’t spit up on his clothes and need to be changed. I would say 6-10 bibs would be good. Not kidding! Your baby will be sleeping, peeing, pooping, burping and splitting up. Burping and spitting up will be a big part of YOUR life so get your shields in place, and those shields are BIBS.
Here are some nice choices, including for boys and girls; I find the ones that are all cotton and not water resistant to be the most comfy – you have to wash them anyway!
- Luvable Friends 10-Pack Feeder Bibs
($12)
- Neat Solutions 16-Pack Girls’ Feeder Bibs ($19)
- Bumkins Waterproof Superbib With Pouch
($18). Great for when baby starts making a mess with finger foods!
Bottles
Obviously there are tons and tons of baby bottles on the market today. The variety can really be overwhelming. If you take good care of your baby bottles, however, you might never have to buy new ones again. I’m still using bottles I bought for my first baby way back in 2004! Also, I do have a whole show on bottle feeding and how to bottle feed a baby if you want more info.
Avent, Dr. Brown’s, Playtex with drop-in liners, and Born Free are all really popular brands of bottles. If your baby is showing signs of colic, you might want to look for a bottle aimed to minimize this. Get nipples for newborns and for months 1-3 just in case your newborn can handle a heavier flow of milk.
For my last two babies, I have used Born Free and been really happy with them. Playtex is a nice choice and less expensive, but you do have to replace the liners – makes cleaning easy, though!
- Born Free Gift Set
($23)
- Philips AVENT BPA Free Classic Infant Starter Gift Set
($49)
- Dr. Brown’s BPA Free Polypropylene Natural Flow Bottle Newborn Feeding Set
($23)
- Playtex Drop-Ins Original BPA Free Nurser Newborn Starter Set
($25)
Pacifiers
I’m personally not a fan of pacifiers and I have tried to avoid them with my babies, BUT it’s good to have a few on hand for what I call strategic use for emergency soothing. Your baby might be very fussy, gassy, or tired, and may just want to suck. Pacifiers are also great if you need to buy yourself a bit of time before you can properly feed your baby, or if she gets fussy in the car or stroller when you’re almost home. My advice would be to buy a few, try not to have your baby get hooked, and know now that you might want to be vigilant about getting your baby off them around six months. I’ve used the Avent Pacifiers and been really happy with them:
Formula
Even if you’re breastfeeding, I think it’s a good idea to have formula on hand just in case. You want something iron-fortified, and you can go with cow’s milk, soy based, or lactose free (which is cow’s milk minus the lactose). If you are unsure as to type, I would go for powdered which is cheaper and easier to store. Which brand you choose is really a personal choice, so consult with your doctor. I also have a show on feeding baby with formula, so please check it out if you’re interested!
Amazon.com sells a wide range of formula brands.
Amazon.com prices are subject to change.
Comments
Walkersmom
Melissa, First I want to say that I love your site and I watch it all the time. I am a FTM and have tons of questions. This video is nice, but i had a comment to make. my LO will be three months next week but doesnt spit up AT ALL! Like seriously its like 5 times since he was born. He is now slobbering over everything and I have been contemplating using bibs daily now, I have tons in my drawers from my shower that i have never used. haha. keep up the great work!
Melissa-CloudMom
Hi Walkersmom! Love the name Walker! Can i just say that I love you for saying that! It has been so much work and I am just crossing my fingers that people will like the site and that the word will get out, so please pass it on!! All of my babies were huge spitters but the first ones (3 boys) were the worst! I never had them without a bib, never, you could never even see the top of the shirt or pajama! As to your baby starting at 3months to spit up, I wonder if he doesn’t have a tad bit of reflux, does he seem to be digesting the milk well, again, something I had with all my babies esp the first 3? Ask your doctor at the next apt — thank you so so much for the words of encouragement, it means alot to me!!! xo Melissa
Walkersmom
I told my pedi at his two month appt and he said its normal. People have told me maybe he is cutting teeth early? And maybe just digesting the bm, idk. what do u think?
Melissa-CloudMom
I think totally totally normal, I also don’t interpret this as a sign that the baby has eaten too much, I think sometimes they just spit! Overtime, it passes. Keep me posted!! xo M