Anti-colic bottle: everything you need to know before choosing one
Manuel FernándezWhat does anti-colic mean?
An anti-colic system refers to the aim of preventing the ingestion of air by the baby during bottle feeding.What do anti-colic bottles do?
Anti-colic bottles have their own ventilation system that creates an air circuit inside the bottle. This circuit lets air into the bottle while the baby sucks and sends it directly to the bottom of the container, thus preventing your baby from swallowing air with the milk or bubbles from forming during the feed. And you may wonder, if we don't want them to swallow air, why do we allow air into the bottle? The answer lies in the vacuum that would form inside the bottle as your baby sucks. This vacuum would make it impossible for milk to come out as your baby sucks, creating a "sticking" or "clicking" sensation that will make them swallow air.What is an anti-colic bottle like?
Anti-colic bottles have an extra addition to create an air circuit inside while the baby sucks, and there is a huge variety of formats. But in the end they all do the same thing: they let air into the bottle while the baby sucks, and as a rule all of the systems are effective. The biggest difference that should help you choose one or the other depends above all on the model of the bottle. You can opt for a generic bottle or a custom-made bottle to protect your breastfeeding. Another point to bear in mind with regard to the anti-colic system will be the design of the anti-colic system itself. Whether it is integrated into the teats or, on the contrary, involves additional parts that we have to keep an eye on to clean and not lose. And lastly, assessing whether the anti-colic system of the bottle requires the bottle to be placed in an ideal position during the feed for the system to work. That is why, in our case, for Happymami bottles, we finally decided to create an optimal solution based on including a double anti-colic system that works perfectly with all our teats. And that does so in any position and without the need to clean additional parts, also avoiding the risk of them getting lost. Everything designed to offer you the best anti-colic solution!
Design your Bottle ®
The best anti-colic bottle, Happymami
How are anti-colic bottles used?
To give your baby the bottle, the guidelines recommend following a few steps that can significantly reduce the amount of air a baby takes in:
- Place your baby in the most upright position possible while feeding
- Use an anti-colic bottle
- Bring up the wind frequently.
- Stroke your baby's mouth with the bottle teat and, when they open their mouth, insert the bottle
- Keep the teat tilted so that it is partially filled with milk and let your baby suck for a few minutes
- When your baby pauses, tilt the bottle downwards to empty the teat
- We repeat the process until your baby shows signs of fullness
Bear in mind that a bottle feed should last at least 10 to 15 minutes, just as with the breast.
What formula milk should you use with an anti-colic bottle?
Some studies suggest that babies with colic improve when their formula is changed to a soya-based or hypoallergenic formula. However, the results of these studies are not conclusive. Before changing it is important to discuss this with your paediatrician or paediatric nurse.
Some approaches suggest trying a different formula for a week (for bottle-fed babies). And if there is no change, going back to the original formula milk. Bear in mind that hypoallergenic soya-based formulas are more expensive than the traditional formula and there is no need to continue with them if the crying does not improve after a week of testing the new formula.
Which are the best anti-colic bottles?
At present there are countless options on the market with regard to colic, and in the end that makes us fortunate to have a variety to choose from, although it can sometimes make us doubt.
But the most important thing is that, one way or another, they work, and the decision will come down more to whether you want to use a bottle with lots of parts, which is a hassle to clean, or rather a bottle with a system integrated into the teat that also works perfectly and cleaning which won't be a struggle.
You will also want to consider whether you want to use a generic bottle, with the extra risk of breastfeeding coming to an end, or whether you opt for a custom-made bottle to protect your breastfeeding, like the Happymami ones.
We should adapt this decision to the needs of each family, and whatever you decide it will always be right. That said, always follow the guidelines on how to give the bottle, as well as leaning on the techniques for preventing and/or resolving colic.
Which is the bottle most similar to the breast?
At present the bottles most similar to the maternal breast are the made-to-measure Happymami bottles. Because all brands always say that they are the bottle most similar to the maternal breast, but which breast? Because there are endless shapes. That is why the Happymami project was born, to give every mum the chance to design the bottle that best represents her breast. This prevents the confusion factor as much as possible and protects her breastfeeding.
What is more, with regard to colic, when you use the bottle most similar to your breast, your baby knows perfectly well how to handle your breastfeeding. If we reproduce that breastfeeding as closely as possible in bottle form, there will be less chance of this colic arising.
Why use an anti-colic bottle?
If your baby suffers from colic and you need to use a bottle, the most advisable thing is undoubtedly to use an anti-colic bottle that will help you through this stage. Although it is also true that if you are considering using a bottle to feed your baby, the recommendation will always be to use an anti-colic bottle. And this is because it has been described that there is a greater risk of our babies suffering infantile colic if they are bottle-fed rather than breastfed, so prevention can be the best tool.
How do I know if my baby needs an anti-colic bottle?
Whenever you are going to use a bottle, offering a bottle with an anti-colic system will help prevent these discomforts in your baby. What is more, if your baby suffers from infantile colic, the use of a specific anti-colic bottle will be much more advisable. To help you recognise whether your baby has colic, below you will find the key points that guide us professionals when assessing whether it is colic or not.- Your baby's feeding patterns:
- Prenatal and perinatal history:
- Psychosocial history:
- When does your baby's crying occur?
- How long does your baby's crying last?
- What do you do when your baby cries?
- How and what do you feed your baby?
- Why do you think your baby cries?
- How do you feel when your baby cries?
After-effects of colic in the newborn
Colic-type crying is not harmful to babies in the short or long term. However, in the sources consulted it is described that there are occasionally cases in which parents of babies who cry a lot may resort to hurting their babies to try to stop the crying, something which fortunately is uncommon. It is interesting to highlight that there is no negative association between colic as such and any later effect on the baby, but there are observational studies that suggest that this infantile colic is associated with a greater risk of postpartum depression and early cessation of breastfeeding.Shaking a baby with colic
Another very relevant point is the fact that in a study in the United States with a sample of 3,259 cases, they answered anonymously a questionnaire about their actions to stop their baby from crying, and a chilling result was obtained. It was found that 2.2 and 3.7 per cent, respectively, reported having suffocated, slapped or shaken their baby at least once because of the crying. This behaviour was more likely when the parents were worried about the crying or considered it excessive. Shaken baby syndrome is the term used to describe the injuries suffered by babies who are shaken violently, often by one of their parents or another adult who feels overwhelmed by excessive crying. Babies do not have enough strength in their necks to limit the movement of the head, and the shaking makes the head move suddenly and uncontrollably. As the head moves forwards and backwards, the brain hits the inside of the skull and causes serious damage and even death.
