Have you ever felt like there must be an easier way to use your baby bottles without having to clean them constantly? Maybe you dread having to make sure you clean those bottles before they begin to smell bad, and you have been looking for some kind of alternative to washing several times a day. Baby bottle liners may be a great option if this is you.
Baby bottle liners are pre-sterilized “bags” that you insert into the bottle as a liner for the interior. These liners act as a barrier between the volume (milk or formula) and the bottle itself. They can help fight colic because the contraction of the plastic keeps air from mixing with the formula. They are also especially useful for travel.
Keep reading for more information on bottle liners, including potential pros and cons, plus some tips on how to use them.
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What are baby bottle liners?
Baby bottle liners have been around for quite some time and have been proven to help assist babies who are having trouble with colic. These liners act as a nursing breast, contracting the same to imitate breastfeeding.
Bottle liners are generally made of soft plastic and are placed inside of a baby bottle to imitate breastfeeding and help prevent colic in your little ones. They are mostly disposable, but some brands, such as Playtex, produce a reusable “pod” liner.
Baby bottle liners are both fundamental and extremely functional in helping parents during the first stages of their baby’s life. From being anti-colic to keeping bottles clean during travel, these liners are helping to save time and prevent headaches and sleepless nights everywhere.
If you are unsure if they are right for you, contact your pediatrician and have a conversation about if you should use these bottle liners or not. They are safe to use under the right circumstances and are great to have when traveling or at home.
What are baby bottle liners used for?
Traditionally, baby bottle liners are used to help fight colic in babies of all ages.
There are several different reasons a parent would use a baby bottle liner. Some of these reasons include:
- Fighting colic
- Keeping bottles clean during travel or at home.
- Substitution to venting systems in bottles
Do you need baby bottle liners?
Some parents may tell you that having baby bottle liners around is essential to feeding your baby, but that is not always the case.
Baby bottle liners are extremely helpful for babies who suffer from fussiness and colic but are not absolutely necessary as other methods also take a swing at gassy and fussy babies. Venting valves, straws, bottles, and anti-colic bottles, and nipple shapes are also designed to help air intake while feeding.
There are also some disadvantages to baby bottle liners to consider before making the decision to use them. Excessive temperatures can cause chemicals from the plastic to leach into your baby’s formula, and, of course, disposable liners will create a great deal of waste.
Are the baby bottle liners safe to use? Do they help prevent or reduce gas? Can they be used with formula and breastmilk, or can they not be used with one or the other? Continue reading to find out the answers to these questions!
Are baby bottle liners safe?
When deciding to use a baby bottle liner you may first think about the purpose in which you plan to use them.
If it is just out of convenience to you and not something the baby necessarily needs, like for gassy babies, then you should first discuss them with your pediatrician before using them more than once or twice. You should never overheat your formula or milk in one of these liners as it can cause chemicals to be drawn out from the plastic and into your formula or milk.
Your pediatrician may also be able to offer alternatives that will be equally effective at reducing your baby’s gas or fussiness without potentially exposing them to harmful chemicals.
Do baby bottle liners reduce gas?
The soft, disposable liners may be used to treat colic, gas, and fussiness in babies.
To reduce gas, the bottle liner contracts and mimics mom’s breast as the baby eats from it. This movement helps keep air from mixing with the formula and allows for a safe and easy feeding time for your little ones and is clinically proven.
According to ewg.org:
“Our pediatrician may recommend plastic bottle liners if your baby is colicky. If not, avoid using them – the manufacture and disposal of plastic liners raise environmental concerns. And never overheat formula in a plastic liner. The soft plastic liners may leach chemicals into formula, especially when heated.”
Can you use baby bottle liners with formula?
Baby bottle liners may be used with the formula provided that you take extra precaution when warming your formula up.
Never heat the formula in the liner as it can cause the chemicals in the liner to leech into the formula.
You may also carry the pre-measured formula around within the liner and use a water bottle when ready to feed your baby to mix at your convenience.
Can you use baby bottle liners with breastmilk?
You may use a baby bottle liner with breastmilk as long as you use the same precaution as with formula.
As long as you don’t heat the breastmilk inside the liner, a bottle liner can be especially helpful with mothers who breastfeed as the liner imitates the contracting breast of a mother.
Not only is this helpful for you but it is also very good for the baby and whether you mix formula and breastmilk, use just breastmilk, or you strictly breastfeed and are trying to get them used to feed through a bottle also, baby bottle liners can be a great tool to help fight colic and introduce new methods of eating at the same time.
How to use baby bottle liners for traveling or at home
Have you ever been out on the road and needed to feed your little one? We are sure that you have, and we know that it means dirtying another bottle that may potentially be left there for several hours before being cleaned. A good solution is baby bottle liners.
To use a bottle liner while traveling, first, grab any pre-sterilized plastic liner and drop it in. Add the milk or formula and give it a good shake. Then, feed to your baby and when done, remove the liner and throw it out. Now it will be like your bottle was never used!
Not only can this be used during travel, but this can also be used while at home in the middle of the night, during the day, before you leave for a while, or pretty much any other time you may need to do so.
