In July, I was invited by Philips Avent to attend a breakfast in Chicago during the BlogHer conference. Besides taking in a spectacular view on the 95th Floor of the John Hancock Building, I managed to also discover some great new products by Philips Avent and we’ve partnered to bring you this review and giveaway!
Make sure to read to the end because there’s a Moms Night Out announcement you won’t want to miss!
Sometime between my first and second child, life changed drastically for me. I went from being a stay-at-home-mom where my days and nights were spent 100% focused on my child. My calendar was nothing but church play dates and Baby Boot Camp in between nursing sessions and naptimes. Although my goal was to reach 12 months, I remember when I decided to stop nursing at 9 months and switch over to a bottle, I felt this huge feeling of relief. Although I was still my child’s personal assistant, I at least had a little bit of my freedom (and my body) back.
The 9 months I spent nursing had been a physical and emotional rollercoaster! From the excruciating pain caused by poor latching (due to inexperience and poor understanding) to the early appearance of teeth (8 by the time he was 9 months!), the entire time was spent feeling an overwhelming amount of guilt because I was “brainwashed” to believe that bottles were bad!
When my second child rolled around, I decided to not make breastfeeding a “life or death” situation like I did with my first. I had a clearer understanding of what to expect. I wasn’t going to set a goal. I wanted to just take it all one day at a time.
Then, life changed. I started traveling for business and was having to use a baby sitter more frequently than ever before. For me, It was more important to spend time with my boys than in a room pumping, so at 6 months, I decided to go ahead and wean him. I’m so thankful I allowed myself to release that guilt and pressure because I can only imagine how guilty I would have felt.
But of course, that mommy guilt never completely goes away!
It was right around the time I was weaning him that I was invited to the Philips Avent breakfast in Chicago and learned about the new Natural Feeding Bottle. Unlike those pointy, unnaturally shaped nipples, Philips Avent has designed a new natural, wide, breast-shaped bottle nipple. The intent is for baby to be able to “latch on” to the bottle, and if you watch carefully, that’s exactly what happens!
It’s extremely soft and, oddly, doesn’t have a plastic feel — which I’m sure baby appreciates! It’s truly amazing how close research and technology is coming to provide baby with an extremely natural feeling with a bottle when the breast isn’t available.
Even the bottle itself seems to make more sense. It’s short and wide with a slight curve for the grip instead of straight and narrow. My son is old enough to feed himself and can easily tilt his head back to drink without having to lean all the way back to get the milk from the bottom.
Although my pantry is filled with another brand from baby number 1, I’ve already slowly started to replace my other brand with the new Philips Avent Natural Bottle. And have even loved that their bottles are no longer just clear and white! You can choose from some really adorable colors and patterns like blue and green monkeys or pink and purple flowers!
They’re extremely easy to take a part and are dishwasher safe, (No more extra pieces if you’re used to the old Philips Avent style!) and both the nipple and the bottle are BPA free.
But it gets better. . .
When he’s ready to transition away from the bottle and onto a cup, Philips Avent has us covered!
For 12 months and older, Philips Avent has created the Natural Drinking cup which has a similar feel to the bottle. It’s a wide, short bodied bottle with a soft, spill-proof lid and easy grip handles. Then for those ages 18 months and older, the Spout Cup is the way to go!
Both the Natural Drinking cup and Spout Cup are designed to help your child feel less like a baby and more like a “big boy” or “big girl.” They can choose the color of their cups and even their favorite designs.
My favorite feature of the Spout Cup…the attached lid! Snap the lid in place and spills are virtually impossible. No more leaks in the diaper bag!
Since I discovered these amazing bottles a little later than I should have, I was amazed to learn that Philips Avent has designed all their bottles and sippy cups to be transferable!
Want to move the bottle’s nipple onto a sippy cup for a few more ounces? No problem! Need to store the juice from the sippy cup, but only have the bottle cover? It works! Just try it! With multiple kids, there’s no longer an urgency to find the right cup with the right lid. With Philips Avent products, just find the appropriate top and a bottom and your set!
I had such a great experience with my Philips Avent sample products that I asked them to share these with you!
Philips Avent is giving away gift set containing
- 2 spout cups
- a natural bottle
- and, a set of pacifiers.
In addition, Dallas Moms Blog is throwing in a pair of DFW Moms Night Out tickets on October 4th so you can have an additional opportunity to win another great Philips Avent product the night of the event — the BPA Free Double Electric Comfort Breastpump (a $269 value)!
Good Luck, and we hope to see you there!
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*Giveaway ends on Thursday, September 19th at noon. 1 winner will be chosen to win the Philips Avent Gift Set and the 2 DFW Moms Night Out “General Admission” Tickets. Winner will need to claim their prize within 48 hours and notify Dallas Moms Blog of their mailing address.
**This review and giveaway post was not monetarily compensated. I received my own Natural Feeding Bottle, Spout cup, and set of pacifiers to try on my own for the purpose of the review; however, all opinions are 100% my own. Photos are courtesy of Philips Avent.
I have three kids and I have always used Avent bottles, sippy cups, and pacifiers. With all thee, i would always try out different brands in the beginning since i know all babies are different. They would always prefer avent and I loved it even more because it didnt cause so much spit up and gas as the other brands. With my second child, he was obsessed with their pacifiers. One day out he lost it and had the worst day until we bought him another one. And with out last one, we were so happy that they changed the shape to a more breast-like shape and feel and to make it even better, in blue!!
Dr Browns works for us, but these look neat too!
Thanks for sharing this great info!