Now here’s something that I’m not sure even existed when my girls were babies. But lucky you, New Mamas, there are boob-shaped bottles out there!
Yes, a realistic breast bottle. A bottle that looks and feels like a breast!
What a time to be alive!
Maybe I don’t get out much, but these bottles that mimic breastfeeding are the breast! Get it? Breast instead of best? Hahaha, ok, I’ll stop cracking jokes now. Tough crowd.
Bad puns aside, a bottle that is most like a breast will make life easier for you to transition to a bottle-feeding scenario. A baby bottle that resembles the breast is also a great idea when you go back to work or have a girls’ night out so that someone else can feed the baby with your breast-shaped baby bottle.
I’ve got three fantastic breast-shaped baby bottles for you to try out below. But first, let’s talk about what you should look for when you choose a realistic breast bottle.
- Design of the nipple
All breastfed babies need a slow-flow nipple. It best mimics the natural way your breasts flow with milk. Alternatively, you can choose a wide-neck nipple, but not all babies can get their tiny mouths around them.
Try it, but if that doesn’t work, you can choose one with a narrow neck and a nipple that slopes gradually, making it more like that deep latch for breastfeeding.
- Type of material
For the bottle that is most like a breast, your best bet is going to be safe plastics. Glass is a good alternative too since it’s free of chemicals; however, it is heavier, which can be problematic if you’re trying to get baby off the breast and onto bottles of your breastmilk instead.
With anything for the baby, not just breast-like baby bottles, you’ll want to avoid BPAs and other chemical agents. Not to worry…the ones I’ve listed for you below don’t have any nasties in them.
- Consider pump compatibility
This is not mandatory but should think about when looking for bottles that mimic breastfeeding. Bottles that can connect directly with your breast pump are awesome because it saves you a step to transfer the milk from the bottle to the bags and back to the bottles again.
Why a breast-shaped baby bottle?
It’s simple really. If you’ve been feeding baby by breast since birth and she’s getting bigger, you may want your freedom back. As such, you may want to use something that makes her feel like she’s at the breast rather than a bottle.
Such baby bottles have the look and feel of a breast. Plus, it’s not just the shape. It’s how the milk flows from them and the nipples at the top of the bottles. These things all come together to help your baby feel comfortable with the switch.
It could be a permanent switch where you decide you’re done being a boob slave and simply want to pump your milk out so your baby can enjoy it from a bottle. Or it could be that you are returning to work or want some nights free and need something to replicate breastfeeding while you’re not at home.
Here’s some techniques to increase your breastmilk supply when pumping!
Regardless of what you decide, breast-shaped baby bottles are truly brilliant creations. Here are 3 of them I’ve found that I wish had been around when my girls were babies!
Nanobebe Baby Bottle
Ok, now here is a baby bottle set that can get you started. I love that it comes with bottles, a warming bowl, and flexy pacifiers that help soothe the baby. This is all good stuff, believe me. Oh, but I’m a huge fan of this…
Perhaps my favorite PRO of this bottle that mimics the breast is that it preserves nutrients. This is why it’s won awards because it coaxes the baby into instinctively going for this familiar shape while protecting the vital nutrients.
So, you’re likely wondering how this bottle preserves the nutrients in breast milk, right?
I was fascinated to learn that it’s geometry in action. I KNOW!
Anyway, it works by spreading the milk into a thin layer on that concave surface, so the breastmilk both cools and warms two to three times more quickly than any standard bottle. That’s so freaking cool!
That means it protects from bacterial growth and preserves those nutrients, so your baby gets the best, safest breastmilk from a bottle experience.
But wait, there’s more!
Another PRO of this system is that it has a breast pump adaptor, so you can conveniently pump right into the bottle and seal it away. We were JUST talking about this before, so if this is a concern for you, you definitely want this boob-shaped bottle set to be yours.
And of course, it is anti-colic and has no nasty chemical compounds – no PVC, lead, BPA, or phthalates. There’s a satisfaction guarantee, too, one that is for a lifetime. Nanobebe really has created a win-win for moms looking to shift to bottle feeding for any reason.
The lowdown:
- You get a set with 4 5-ounce breastmilk bottles that preserve your breast milk nutrients that can connect to your pump too.
- You get a non-electric warming bowl to safely and evenly warm your milk without using any electricity. That means you can use it literally anywhere!
- You get 2 flexy pacifiers and 2 breast pump adapters.
- You get 4 slow-flow silicone nipples with anti-colic venting and slow flow rate.
- And 4 travel covers for those nipples and 4 bottle storage caps too.
I would have LOVED this since I had to let my in-laws feed each of my babies when I wasn’t home, and it would have made things so much easier. If anyone I know announces a new pregnancy to me soon, I may just buy them this because it really is the perfect new mama gift.
These bottles are shaped like your boobs, so there’s no nipple confusion, they warm safely and evenly, they preserve those necessary nutrients, they prevent bacterial growth, and they stack easily for space-saving. I LOVE THIS!
Comotomo
Next up, Comotomo. Please don’t think that my unbridled excitement for the set of breast bottle goodies above is the be all, end all. It’s not. While I love that set, there are other great products that mimic the breast.
Comotomo is a fine example of it. This magnificent bottle features an ultra-wide neck design, is safe to put in the microwave, and is easy to clean. It does have one slight downside: the wider size makes it harder to fit into traditional bottle holding slots, but so what? I find that a bit easier to overlook.
Here’s why!
First of all, you can buy it in a 5-ounce or 8-ounce size. That means newborns and older babies have options. The wide mound and natural nipple shape also prevent any nipple confusion, so you get a good latch.
And they’re made of BPA-free silicone that you can put in your dishwasher and microwave. The silicone is great for gripping, too, making it feel more like a boob, you know?
And let’s talk about the nipples!
The Comotomo bottles have a nipple with a dual vent to prevent discomfort and burps. Thanks to that super-wide base, you won’t struggle to clean these making them easy to use and care for.
Another great thing about Comotomo breast bottles is that there’s not a lot of parts to keep track of. Though the not fitting into the bottle slots may be annoying, that’s easy to overlook. So too are the lack of colors. They come in either pink or green. I mean, I get it, but in the grand scheme of things, the color of a baby bottle is not the end of the world. It’s how it functions, and these function exceptionally well for the task at hand.
mimijumi
And finally, I’d also like to recommend another bottle that mimics breastfeeding. mimijumi is an interesting brand, and I’m going to tell you why I adore what they’re offering. These boob bottles come in a Hungry version (8 ounces) or a Not-So-Hungry version (4 ounces). The former would be for a bigger baby, while the latter would be for your newborn.
And that’s not all. They have different colored nipples. I do not know why I love this idea. I guess perhaps it’s because we all don’t have pink nipples. Moms with darker skin will have darker nipples, and I love that the bottles are offered in these varieties to make every baby feel like they’re nursing from mama even when they have a bottle.
So, mimijumi lets the baby control the flow while mimicking the breast in form, feel, and function. There’s no nipple confusion, bottle preference, or bottle refusal, many thanks to the brilliant design.
It helps your baby get a natural latch so you can easily rove between breast and bottle. I recommend this if you’re not done breastfeeding but want the bottle to make life easier for you. It can help when you have to go to work and want to still breastfeed in the evenings or even if you stay at home all the time and just want someone else to feed the baby breastmilk without upset.
There are no disgusting chemicals here. In fact, mimijumi is free of BPA, BPS, and estrogenic activity agents. It copies the way your breast is so your baby can latch and control the flow just like she would on your real boobs.
It is made with medical and food-grade silicone and nylon, so you can feel confident in feeding on the bottle. And it’s easier to prepare and clean these bottles because they have a wide mouth and fewer parts to deal with.
I know fewer parts is ideal because I’ve been there before. Tired in the kitchen, trying to get my milk ready for my mother-in-law to feed the baby with before I leave. Wandering around trying to figure out where I put that one part. Ugh.
All in all, a great bottle to work with though may also be a bit wide for your standard bottle holding slots. But that’s a small problem in the grand scheme of things. There’s a 100% money-back guarantee offered too, so there’s nothing to lose.
Final thoughts on baby bottles that look like breasts…
I am amazed at how genius this is. And how long it took for people to have this idea. I mean, it’s brilliant! I only wish I’d thought of it first. Oh well.
But now that it’s here, I urge you to get bottles that mimic the breast like the ones I’ve shown you here. I think these are the best options, though feel free to look at others.
The key is that you should choose safe materials always and that the nipples on the bottle help promote a good latch. I think choosing bottles like breasts will help any baby, not just breastfed babies but formula-fed ones. It helps them eat more naturally, which is better for digestion.
I absolutely love these breast-shaped baby bottles and think they should be on your registry or something you pick out yourself when you become a mom.
Leslie Berry lives with her husband and two young daughters in Los Altos, California, where she loves helping other moms get comfortable with motherhood and embracing the insanity with facts peppered with laughs.
She loves eating too much sushi, exercising, and jamming out on her Fender. Read more about Leslie here.
