Disrupting the Flow: What is Happening in the Bottle Industry

Flow Right, Feed Right 

As a caring parent, you're deeply attuned to your baby’s needs. The journey of parenthood is a mix of joy and challenges, and making the right choices for your little one can sometimes feel overwhelming.

Enter Katia Lourenço, a seasoned Lactation Specialist with a background in Speech Therapy and Audiology. With years of experience supporting families—whether in the comfort of their homes or the high-pressure environment of the NICU—Katia has witnessed the incredible resilience and determination of parents. But she’s also seen the frustration, uncertainty, and fatigue that often come with feeding decisions.

One crucial aspect that often goes unnoticed? Bottle flow rates. While they may seem minor, understanding these flows can significantly impact your baby’s well-being.

The Confusing World of Baby Bottles

Navigating the world of baby bottles can indeed feel like a maze, especially with the plethora of options available. Between online registries and well-meaning advice from friends and family, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. And let's not forget the mysterious "slow flow" label—what does it really mean?

Here's the reality: The term "slow flow" lacks a universal standard, leading to significant variations in flow rates across different bottle brands. In fact, studies have shown that flow rates labeled as "slow" can vary by as much as 60% between brands . This means that what feels like a gentle stream to one baby might seem like a torrent to another. With 80% of mothers in the United States initiating breastfeeding but many needing to introduce bottles for various reasons, it's crucial to understand these differences . Our mission is to provide parents, caregivers, and babies with the best start in life by shedding light on these critical milk flow facts and what's currently happening in the baby bottle industry.

The Consequences of Incorrect Flow Rates

Using a bottle with an incorrect flow rate can present several challenges for both babies and parents. Here's a look at the potential issues that may arise due to standard bottles not flowing like breast:

1. Choking: Babies are still developing the coordination to suck, swallow, and breathe simultaneously. A rapid flow can overwhelm them, increasing the risk of choking. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, improper flow rates can cause feeding difficulties, leading to distress for both the infant and parents.
2. Reflux: When milk flows too quickly, it can overwhelm a baby's digestive system, leading to gastroesophageal reflux (GER). This condition, characterized by frequent vomiting after feeds, can be uncomfortable for babies and, if persistent, may lead to esophagitis or respiratory issues. Studies have shown that up to 25% of infants experience GER, with flow rates playing a significant role in its severity.
3. Colic: Excessive air intake from a fast-flowing bottle can lead to gas and colic, making your baby fussy and uncomfortable. The prevalence of colic is estimated to affect up to 20% of infants, with feeding techniques and bottle design being contributing factors.
4. Aspiration: In severe cases, rapid flow can cause milk to enter the lungs, leading to aspiration pneumonia if left untreated. This condition can have serious health consequences and requires immediate medical attention.
5. Nipple Confusion: Babies who struggle with a bottle might develop a preference for breastfeeding or vice versa, leading to nipple confusion. This can make transitioning between breast and bottle feeding challenging, particularly if the bottle's flow rate is too fast compared to the natural breastfeeding experience.

Infant Feeding Research 

Research conducted by leading breastfeeding experts has revealed a wide range of flow rates in baby bottles, spanning from as gentle as 1.68 mL per minute to a staggering 85.34 mL per minute.  To illustrate, an 85 mL per minute flow is comparable to spraying a baby with a water hose—an alarming rate for feeding!

Consider this scenario: if your little one typically consumes 80 mL of milk per feed—a common volume for infants—breastfeeding might take around 20-30 minutes. However, with a bottle flowing at 85 mL per minute, they could theoretically ingest up to 1.7 liters in the same time frame—a quantity far beyond what even an adult could comfortably manage. This rapid intake could result in the entire 80-85 mL feed being consumed in just one minute, an unrealistic pace that poses significant risks such as choking and aspiration.

Babies are still learning to coordinate their swallowing, and an excessively high flow rate can overwhelm them, leading to potential choking hazards and other feeding difficulties. Moreover, if a baby becomes accustomed to the rapid flow of a bottle, they may resist the effort required for breastfeeding. This resistance can hinder their ability to develop strong sucking muscles, which are crucial for effective breastfeeding and overall oral development.

Understanding these risks emphasizes the importance of choosing a bottle with an appropriate flow rate. The Natural Nipple addresses these concerns by providing bottles that mimic the natural breastfeeding flow, promoting a safe and healthy feeding experience for your baby.

What Can You Do?

1. Trusting Your Instincts: As a parent, you have an innate understanding of your baby. If something doesn’t feel right, trust your intuition—it’s often spot-on.
2. Educating Yourself: Take the time to learn about bottle flow rates and their potential impact on your little one. Knowledge is empowering and can make all the difference in choosing the right feeding products.
3. Seeking Support: Reach out to your pediatrician, lactation consultant, or other healthcare professionals. They can provide valuable guidance tailored to your baby’s needs and help you navigate the world of feeding options.
4. Exploring Options: Consider bottles designed to closely mimic breastfeeding. Look for features like adjustable flow rates or slower nipple designs that can help ease the transition and support your baby’s natural feeding rhythms.

A Brighter Future

The truth of the matter is: we are all different and each mother-baby feeding dyad is unique. The multiple variables of nipple shape, natural flow rate and suck strength from case to case can lead to an infinite number of feeding scenarios. Trying to force your baby's individual needs into an incorrect mass-produced 'one size fits all' bottle feeds into things like nipple confusion, refusal of the breast and in some cases, reflux or worsening colic symptoms. This commercialized aspect of infant feeding is becoming a thing of the past. Protecting your breastfeeding journey is our main aim. All of our breastfeeding-forward research has broken the boundaries of what we thought we knew was happening with bottles and allowed us to create something that caters to you and your babies specific needs.

That is why we believe in a brighter future where parents have access to transparent, precise information about the products they choose for their little ones. By empowering parents and equipping healthcare professionals with the right tools and knowledge, we can ensure that every baby receives the best possible feeding start.