Bottle nipples for baby bottles
A bottle nipple is the nipple attachment on a baby bottle. Bottle nipples come in various shapes, materials, and hole sizes. Which bottle nipple is right depends on your baby's age, the food, and drinking behavior.
Nipples are usually already included when you buy a baby bottle but need to be replaced after a certain time. Here you'll find suitable bottle nipples for all age groups in various shapes and materials.
Bottle nipples for standard and wide-neck bottles
When (re)purchasing bottle nipples, go by the shape of your bottle:
Which bottle nipple shape should I choose?
Bottle nipples come in different shapes. The most common shapes are round and orthodontic. Which shape babies prefer is very individual.
If you're unsure, simply try out which bottle nipple shape your baby accepts best. Your baby should be able to drink from it calmly, feel comfortable, and seem content while feeding.
Round shape
A bottle nipple with a round shape is also called a cherry shape or natural shape. The round shape visually resembles the nipple of the breast and is meant to give your baby the most natural drinking feeling possible. While sucking, the bottle nipple is soft and flexible, so it can adapt well to your baby's drinking movements.
Orthodontic bottle nipple
An orthodontic, also called jaw-friendly, bottle nipple has a curved, asymmetrical shape. So there is a top and a bottom. The shape is designed to adapt to your baby's mouth, palate, and jaw while sucking. This is meant to support a pleasant drinking feeling.
An orthodontic bottle nipple is meant to make drinking from the bottle as natural and pleasant as possible. How well your baby gets on with this shape varies from baby to baby.
What hole size does a bottle nipple need?
The hole size of the bottle nipple determines how quickly the food flows. The right hole size for a bottle nipple depends on your baby's age and on the food.
Small for thin liquids
A bottle nipple with a small hole size is suitable for thin liquids such as water, tea, breast milk, and stage 1 formula. The small hole means that not too much liquid can flow through the opening at once.
For milk and follow-on formula, a bottle nipple with a medium hole size is often also suitable.
Large for thick liquids
A bottle nipple with a larger hole size is suitable for porridge and thick drinks. The thicker the food, the larger the opening should be.
Instead of one large hole, manufacturers sometimes use several small holes instead. That's why a distinction is often made between tea nipples, milk nipples, and porridge nipples.
How to choose the right hole size
You can see which bottle nipple is suitable for which food in the product descriptions.
Tip: If your baby sucks very strongly, a bottle nipple with a smaller hole size can be helpful. This makes the food flow more slowly through the opening. This can help your baby drink more calmly and choke less often.
What material makes sense for bottle nipples?
Bottle nipples are available in silicone and latex or rubber. As with the shape, every child also has their own personal preference when it comes to material. However, there are age recommendations for both materials. They are based on the developmental stage of the teeth.
Latex bottle nipples
Latex is a milky sap from the bark of the rubber tree. Nipples made of latex are honey-yellow, and also sturdy and durable.
This makes them particularly suitable for children who already have teeth. However, latex ages quickly. Also, like many other natural products, the material contains proteins that some people are allergic to.
Silicone bottle nipples
Silicone is an elastic plastic. Nipples and pacifiers made of this material are transparent and have a particularly smooth surface. They are not as tear-resistant as latex nipples: cracks or holes can form easily here. That's why silicone nipples are better suited for babies without teeth.
However, the material is very heat-resistant and can be boiled as often as needed. That's why silicone lasts longer than latex and doesn't need to be replaced as often.
Bottle nipples for anti-colic bottles?
When drinking from a bottle, some babies swallow so much air that they get uncomfortable gas. There are now bottles with matching bottle nipples designed specifically to prevent this.
Anti-colic bottles, e.g. from Philips Avent, have a built-in valve that holds back the air in the bottle.
The manufacturer MAM ensures pressure equalization through ventilation holes in the bottom of the bottle.
Frequently asked questions about bottle nipples
