A review of NUK baby feeding bottles and teats and why I highly recommend them

Two months ago when I wrote a post about Avent milk bottles, I promised to write one about NUK too. So here it is.

When I was just in my second trimester of pregnancy, my other half happened to stumble upon a baby fair that was going on at PWTC in Kuala Lumpur. Being a father-to-be, he was all excited and went alone to check out the many baby merchandise and service booths at the fair. That was when he was first introduced to the NUK baby feeding bottles and the special NUK teats.

He came home to tell me all about what he has learned about them, specifically the benefits of NUK bottles and teats and why they cost a bomb compared to the more generic brand names in the market.

We decided to give the teats a try and since then I’ve never used any other milk bottle teats, not even Avent. I actually buy Avent bottles and replace the Avent teats with NUK teats! Find out why I do that by reading on…

About the brand NUK

NUK comes from Germany and its baby products are sold in over 90 countries worldwide. It specialises in baby feeding systems or equipment and also some nursing aid products for the mothers.

In Malaysia, you will find a good range of NUK products available in department stores like Isetan, Metrojaya, Jusco and maybe even Robinsons. I am not 100% certain about the latter as I thought I saw those products there but you can definitely find NUK products in those other department stores. You will also find that Guardian Pharmacy outlets carry a smaller range of these products, specifically the bottles, teats and soothers (or pacifiers).

About NUK feeding bottles

NUK offers 2 types of feeding bottles, plastic and glass. The glass bottles are environmentally friendly and bisphenol A free. Its range of plastic bottles does not claim to be free of bisphenol A. It only states that its plastic feeding bottles are made of either polypropylene or polycarbonate, of which the latter is based on the starting material bisphenol A.

NUK however claims that they are convinced on the safety of the materials used to manufacture its products.

NUK feeding bottles come in 2 different types and in various sizes for each type. You can choose the classic feeding bottles or the wideneck bottles which they call NUK First Choice or premium selection.

NUK Classic Bottle

NUK First Choice Premium Bottle

For each of these types of bottles, you have the choice of different sizes. For the classic bottles, the 2 sizes of bottles available are 125ml and 250ml.

As for the NUK First Choice bottles, you have a choice of sizes of 150ml, 240ml and 300ml.

All NUK bottles come in very colourful and attractive designs. I love how they are engaging to the baby as he or she is being fed. It’s not just simply pleasing to the eyes.

About NUK teats

NUK teats are what got me sold on the brand. It uses the NUK Air System where negative pressure in the bottle is compensated. What this means in layman terms is that it minimises the effects of a baby swallowing air when sucking on the bottle during feeds. Read the below paragraphs for more detailed information:

The NUK Air System
A vacuum builds up in the bottle when baby is sucking. Babies then have to suck against this vacuum – resulting in the swallowing of air. This makes your baby feel unwell. All NUK teats have the NUK Air System, which compensates for the vacuum in the bottle. It reduces infant colic and the harmful swallowing of air.

Apart from this special airflow system in the teats to prevent colic, the other major advantage of the NUK teat is the fact that it is designed to simulate as closely as possible the shape of a mother’s nipple. This is very useful where mothers do not want to jeopardize their breastfeeding efforts whilst letting their babies feed from a bottle as a substitute to direct breastfeeding.

Read these exerpts of the NUK teats below:

Why the NUK shape is not round…
The NUK shape is based on studies undertaken by Dr.med.dent. A.Müller and Prof.Dr.Dr. W.Balters. The NUK shape simulates the nipple during breastfeeding, following nature’s example, and this demands hard work on baby’s part. If, on the other hand, the feed is ingested without requiring any effort, baby may, as a consequence, develop malformations of the jaw and teeth.

Every surface of the teat plays its part
Similar to when breastfeeding the flattened baglet of the teat supports the width of the lower jaw, as the tongue is pushed to both sides. The highly arched upper side likewise moulds itself almost perfectly as the palate develops. The lip support is virtually flush, so that – as with suckling at the breast – it is possible to close the lips firmly. This first of all helps train the movement of the lower jaw while sucking, at the same time minimising the swallowing of air, which can so often cause the little ones discomfort from tummy ache.

The teat hole has been intentionally placed towards the back of the teat rather than at the point. This means that the nourishment remains in the mouth of the infant longer, enabling it to be softened more easily with saliva – an important consideration for healthy digestion.

The NUK teats come in classic and NUK First Choice to match the designs of the bottles. The teats are also made available in 2 different materials, which are latex and silicone.

The difference between the two materials are explained below:

Latex

Vulcanised materials, based on natural rubber or caoutchouc latex, to use the technical term, possess properties that are as yet unequalled to such a perfect extent by any other plastic.

These are properties that, precisely for babies’ teats, are of considerable significance when it comes to safety in everyday use.

Features which should be particularly emphasised here are as follows: the high level of elasticity, the extreme durability, the excellent pull-and-tear resistance, the exceptional flexibility of the material, its environmentally-friendly disposal and its non-static properties i.e. latex does not attract dust.

Silicone

Silicone is a considerably rubbery, elastic-type material that is especially soft, extremely temperature resistant and with a neutral taste.

It is free of harmful substances, can be boiled, is odourless, transparent and has a smooth surface – these are all-important advantages for a teat.

The safety aspects of silicone as opposed to those of latex teats should not, however, be disregarded. This is because silicone is less elastic than latex and it can rapidly tear once the surface has been damaged. The material is more sensitive and, if silicone teats are being used for long periods, we recommend keeping an eye out for any signs of damage. For safety reasons silicone teats should be discarded at the first signs of wear e.g. furrows, scratches, teethmarks or even tiny holes.

The NUK teats also come with different airflow sizes for different stages of a baby’s life. There are essentially three sizes, categorised as 1,2 and 3. Size 1 refers to small hole size and is suitable for use of a baby who is 0 to 6 months old. Size 2 is a medium sized hole for babies from 6 to 18 months old. Size 3 will feature a large sized hole and is for use for babies who are 18 months and above.

However, in Malaysia, we only have sizes 1 and 2 and not 3. I don’t know why that is. In any case, my son is almost 2 years now and he’s still on size 2 and has no complaints whatsoever on the flow of liquid. So I guess it is fine even without a size 3.

My take on NUK feeding bottles and teats

Ryan was first introduced to the NUK teats when he was first given a milk bottle. Later on when I purchased Avent bottles I tried to let him use the Avent teats that came with the bottles but he didn’t like it. It could be because he was already used to the flow and shape of the NUK teats. Ryan is colic-free and I’m very thankful for that.

Not only is he colic-free, we also do not have much of a problem with him consuming too much air while sucking on a bottle. It has never shown itself in signs of discomforts in him so we assume that all’s well with him.

Now that Ryan is going to turn 2 years very soon, we’re still on NUK teats and I do not foresee us changing to any other teats. Each pack of NUK teats come in a set of 2 teats and retails for about RM20. I buy the silicone ones and despite what was said about watching out for tears in these types of teats, I find them to be very lasting and of good quality. I’ve never had any tears in them and I don’t even find them turning yellow after long periods of use.

To me, NUK teats are value for money and would not mind paying for them.

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