Dr Brown vs Philips Avent Bottles | In-Depth Comparison
A baby bottle is the best way to keep your baby well-fed, satiated and happy. However, finding the right baby bottle is not as easy as it seems. Bottles come with an array of different features and qualities, and there are a lot of factors to be considered when shopping for one. The flow of the nipple and the material of the bottle are usually the most essential factors that should be decided depending on the preference and age of your baby.
Moreover, the bottle should be useful in preventing colic symptoms and gassiness. It is this factor that narrows the options down to two top choices- Dr. Brown’s and the Philips Avent Bottle. They both help prevent gassiness and reduce the risk of your baby spitting up. Their design is made to reduce air intake while feeding and so this way the accessibility and convenience are maintained. Nevertheless, they have differences as well. Before you pick one, you must know the features, advantages, disadvantages, and differences of both bottles so that you can make an informed choice.
Dr. Brown Bottles Review
Dr. Brown’s bottles come with nipples, a twist on sealers, and a flow tube. They come in two, four, and eight-ounce options and are easily available at most department stores, and child-care stores. They can also be purchased online.
The biggest advantage of these bottles is the fact that their system is specially designed to reduce air bubble oxidation of the milk. This system is clinically proven to have ensured that the nutrients and vitamins present in breast milk are maintained. This system also prevents your baby from taking in too much air while drinking milk and so reduces gassiness and colic that they could have otherwise experienced.
These bottles also have small disks to ensure a tight grip, preventing any leaks when the bottle is stored in the diaper bag or refrigerator. Moreover, they are economically priced and are cheaper in comparison to other options in the market.
However, a downside of the bottle is the fact that it comes with a lot of parts that need to be disassembled and cleaned making it a tedious task. They also don’t have flat bottoms and so as the bottle starts emptying, the risk of tipping over increases.
How Do Dr. Brown Bottles Work?
Dr. Brown bottles are designed to eliminate common feeding problems by preventing colic, spit-up, burping, and gas. They have an internal venting system to prevent the flow from being too fast. Once you fill the bottle to the desired amount,
- You need to snap the nipple into the nipple collar and place it carefully on the bottle.
- Before tightening the nipple, warm the bottle depending on the instructions.
- Once the milk is at the right temperature, snap the reservoir into the insert.
- You can then remove both the nipple and the collar and place the reservoir in the bottle.
- Place the nipple and collar over the vent and tightly fit it in.
The tight fit ensures that the bottles are leak-proof, and the vent allows your baby to drink the milk at its own pace. It’s also proven that Dr. Brown’s bottles preserve nutrients and vitamins from breast milk!
Philips Avent Bottles Review
Philips Avent Bottles come with a nipple, a screw ring, and a cap to prevent spilling or leaking. The ordinary bottles come in two, four, eight, nine, and eleven-ounce options while the anti-colic bottles come in four, nine, and eleven-ounce options. They can be found in-store as well as online.
The major advantage that these bottles have over Dr. Brown’s bottles is that these bottles come with very few parts, making them super easy to clean. Philips also provides an array of nipple options, and so you can change the nipple of your bottle depending on the type of flow your baby prefers.
These nipples are extremely realistic and are designed to mimic the real breast. This makes it a great option for those infants who are just switching to a bottle and also prevents nipple confusion in the long run. They are sealed to make sure they don’t leak and prevent colic and gassiness.
However, these bottles are comparatively more expensive, especially when compared to Dr. Brown’s bottles. Moreover, the nipple may not go deep enough into your baby’s mouth and so there is a considerable chance of leaking in that aspect.
How Do Philips Avent Bottles Work?
Philips Avent Bottles are anti-free vent and anti-colic, which prevent air bubbles from forming when your baby is drinking from the nipple. Similar to Dr. Brown’s bottle, these features aim to prevent colic, spit-up, burping, and gas. You can assemble and disassemble the bottle with ease.
The nipple can be fit easily by wiggling it in an upwards motion and pulling it through the bottle until the lower rim and the screw ring are even. You can massage the valve to ensure that it’s open and its anti-colic feature is functioning. The nipple is designed to give a realistic feel, which makes it a great option if your baby is just transitioning from breastfeeding. The screw ring is installed to prevent spilling when the bottle is stored. It comes in various sizes and is easy to clean.
Dr. Brown vs Philips Avent: Comparison
1. Bottle Material
Both Dr. Browns and Philips Avent bottles are BPA-free and made of soft silicone. BPA plastic can be extremely toxic, especially for kids and so both bottles are made using only BPA-free plastic.
However, if plastic is still a concern for you, you can opt for glass bottles. Both Dr. Browns and Philips Avent provide glass bottle options as well.
However, despite the glass being strong and durable, there is always a chance for breakage. To prevent this Dr. Brown provides a silicone sleeve you purchase if your infant is going to be using a glass bottle. Either way, both plastic and glass options are available in abundance, you can pick the one that satisfies your concerns!
2. Type of Nipples
Both Dr. Browns and Philips Avent come with nipple options. Ideally, nipples should be swapped depending on features, preference, and age. Dr. Brown’s has one consistent type of nipple whereas Avent has nipples that come in a variety of sizes for various age groups.
They also provide nipples that mimic a real breast. This helps ease the transition process when your infant is switching from breastfeeding to the bottle.
They also have nipples aimed at dealing with colic or gas-related issues. In this aspect, Philips Avent provides more variety and allows you to pick the nipple that is right for your baby!
3. Bottle Sizes
Dr. Brown’s bottles cover the standard range of baby bottles which is two, four, and eight ounces. Philips Avent has more options in this aspect as it provides two, four, eight, nine, and eleven-ounce options.
However, the anti-colic options are limited specifically to four, nine, and eleven ounces. As your baby grows up it is important to switch to bigger bottles to meet their growing hunger needs.
4. Anti Colic Bottles
Colic is one of the most painful problems for a baby. So to avoid that, Dr. Brown’s bottles provide great anti-colic features. They have a natural flow system and vent in place to prevent colic. In fact, with their baby bottles, you have the option of getting rid of the vent if it does not shut your baby. Philips Avent bottles have introduced anti-colic features to prevent this problem.
However, Dr. Brown’s bottle tackles this problem better and so if colic is an issue for your infant Dr. Brown is the way to go! If you are looking for some more options then do check our article on Best Anti Colic Bottles in UK.
5. Ease of Cleaning
Cleaning the bottles can be a hassle for many parents. Dr. Brown’s bottles come with a load of small parts to be cleaned. The parts need to be disassembled, washed, and sanitized regularly and that is extremely time-consuming and tiring. Philips Avent bottles come with fewer parts and are much easier to clean overall.
However, if you decide to opt for Dr. Brown’s bottles you can invest in a dishwasher container for the parts to save time. Eventually, though most parts need to be hand washed and so if time is a factor for you, Philips Avent bottles are quicker to maintain.
6. Leaking
Both Dr. Browns and Philips Avent bottles can leak. This is less of a bottle problem and depends more on how well it’s cleaned and sealed. If you prep the bottle carefully, there won’t be any leakage in either bottle.
Our Advice
Despite all these differences both Dr. Browns and Philips Avent bottles are quite similar when it comes to the important features. They offer an array of sizes and features. They both use chemical-free material BPA-free plastic or glass. They both come with their set of pros and cons, but at the end of the day it boils down to personal preference.
If you are looking for anti-colic features- Dr. Browns is the one for you but on the other hand, if you aim to save time cleaning Philips Avent may be a better solution. The best way to pick one is through trial and error and seeing what sticks with your baby. As your child grows, his or her preferences will evolve too! So don’t stress and start shopping!
Laura is a trained primary teacher who takes a profound liking in interacting with and bringing out the best in children. She is also an ISSA certified pediatrician with an extensive practice of over 12 years. Laura comprehends the needs of infants and now compresses her expertise into writing thorough parenting guides to aid new parents.
