This post was sponsored by NUK as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central, however all opinions expressed are my own.

I didn’t really get into breast feeding with Briggs b/c with all the issues I had with Dax, I knew how awesome and easy bottle feeding is.  Both he and Dax were moderately tongue tied (ankyloglossia) and we chose not to have their frenums clipped.  That made latching a bit more difficult.  I did give Briggs a nice bit of colostrum in the hospital so I’m not all the way selfish.  He was able to latch quite a bit better than Dax but he still had some issues.  

Even though I’m not breastfeeding, I wanted the bottle I use to really mimic the breast as much as possible and help with Briggs’ latching.  I’m not sure that people understand the importance of finding the perfect baby bottle.  There are so many factors to consider: nipple size and shape, anti-colic features, bottle material, bottle shape, cost, ease of use and ease of cleaning.  I tried a few different brands before I fortuitously received the NUK Simply Natural Gift set.  I was so pleasantly surprised at how well these bottles worked for us.  Briggs had none of the latching issues he had with the other bottles.  I believe that is due to the innovative features The NUK Simply Natural bottles have.  

The nipple shape is pretty true to the way mom’s nipple is shaped while nursing and it has up to nine holes depending on the flow rate.  I thought this was so cool because it works just like breasts!  Now that I’m back working full-time, I have to prepare bottles for Briggs for daycare so another feature I really appreciate is that the NUK Simply Natural bottles are easy to transport.  I love how easily the cap pops on and off.  Perhaps my favorite thing about them is that they are easy to clean.  They have a simple anti-colic valve and a soft nipple that feels more like a breast.  There are not any complicated parts to clean every time like some other brands.  These things seem like minor details but to a sleep deprived parent, anything that causes less frustration and saves time is important.

I’ve never felt that my bond with my boys is less than because I bottle feed but I do wish I had these bottles when Dax was a baby.  To me, they really mimic the breast and would definitely help ease the transition from breast to bottle for mamas who need a break, who want dad or others to be able to feed baby or for those who supplement.

Not to be left out is how I feel about the NUK orthodontic silicone pacifier.  Dax took to the standard hospital issue “pacie” like a champ.  Briggs, on the otherhand was a bit more finicky.  Sometimes he would take it when sleepy, other times he would just spit it out and continue to fuss and cry.  Not so with the NUK pacifier.  He took to it right away and it soothes him so much better than the non-orthodontic type.  I think it helps that the shape of the pacifier and the shape of the bottle nipples are not too far off.  This pacifier has been a lifesaver us.

The set I received came with 2) five ounce bottles, 2) nine ounce bottles, 2 slow flow nipples, 2 medium flow nipples, 2 fast flow nipples and 3 orthodontic pacifiers.  Buy a couple of these and you’re set because they really grow with baby.  You can find them online or in-store at Target and Walmart.  Visit the NUK website to learn more about these awesome bottles and their Simply Natural Freemie cups, also available at both Target and Walmart stores.

I realize that every baby is different but it’s nice to have advice as a good starting off point.  So my advice to you is to do your research but ultimately go with the flow (tee hee) when your baby arrives.  You never know what’s in store until you meet your little wonder.  For those already in the throws of “babydom” what features are most important to you when it comes to bottle feeding?