Feeding makes up so much of baby's first weeks. If you're bottle feeding expressed breast milk (EBM) or formula... you're going to need a bunch of bottles or to clean the ones you've got all of the time. Here are a few gift ideas along those lines. For even more great feeding-related gifts from high chairs to burp cloths to breast pumps and beyond, check out part one and part two of this article! 

Munchkin's Deluxe Dishwasher Basket has special spots for bottle nipples and sippy cup straws in addition to baby spoons and other stuff, so you'll get lots of use out of it as baby gets bigger. It keeps everything put while washing in the dishwasher so you don't have to spend the time washing them by hand nor will they get ruined by falling to the bottom of the dishwasher. Use on the top rack and on the sterilize or hot wash and rise cycle.

You can easily sterilize baby's bottles, pacifiers, small toys, breast pump accessories and other stuff with Munchkin's steam bags or Steam Guard Microwave Sanitizer. The steam bags are nice cause they're small and don't take up much room in the kitchen cabinets. Plus you can reuse them 20 times each before discarding them. The Steam Guard also comes with a deluxe cleaning brush to make precleaning easy. Just quickly clean bottles and stuff in the sink, then put into the Steam Guard to clean them the rest of the way and sterilize them in minutes. Both products kill up to 99.9% of bacteria and germs.

Speaking of bottles... here are some good ones to try. You should get one or two of several different brands to start out, as some babies do better with one brand over another, and there's no way to know before he or she starts using them. Also, if you plan to use bottles at the newborn stage, you'll want to have some small 4 or 5 ounce bottles as well as larger 8-10 ounce standard size bottles for down the line. 

Think Baby Bottles not only are BPA-free but they're also free of PVC, lead and other harmful chemicals. The nipples are really soft and they have a venting system that reduces gas and spit up. Think Baby bottles are wider than traditional bottles, making it really easy for little hands to hold with or without the trainer cup handle. An added bonus -  a portion of the sales of Think Baby bottles benefit "Healthy Child Healthy World."

Born Free Bottles are 100% free of BPA, phthalates and PVC and feature a special venting system that can help reduce colic and ear infections. They come in both BPA-free plastic or natural glass.

Munchkin's Mighty Grip Glass Bottles paired with their silicone sleeves for drop and slip protection are also a good choice. They're made of natural glass for worry-free feeding and the silicone sleeves are a must have, as they help prevent breaking. (Plus they look cool!) Both are BPA-free.

One type of bottle that is a little different but I really like using once I got the hang of mixing formula in there without spilling it are Drop-Ins by Playtex. These consist of an inner disposable BPA-free lining that you just toss after using instead of having to wash and an outer cover that the nipple and rim attach to. Drops ins have been clinically shown to help reduce gas, colic and spitting up.

VentAire Advanced by Playtex is another safe choice for babies. These are BPA-free, leak-proof and use what Playtex calls micro-channel vent technology which prevents air bubbles from mixing with liquid and going into baby's tummy. They do require using the special VentAire nipples.

The Podee is one of my all time favorite inventions. I've used them with both of my girls and will also use them with my son after he arrives this summer. I generally wait until about three months old or so to use the Podee. It's basically a bottle with a special nipple that attaches via a straw-like device. It's sooooo cool and handy. They allow baby to drink from the bottle while sitting upright, which helps eliminate ear problems and colic. I have a bunch of these and use them for at least one feeding every day. You can use them with baby in your lap with both of your hands for snuggling, you can use them with baby in a wrap/carrier or in a stroller for feeding on the go, even sitting in a shopping cart while you run errands. The beauty is baby regulates the exact amount of formula or EBM he or she wants in each sip. There's no choking. My girls have LOVED these and so have my husband and I. 

Continue reading PART ONE -> HERE.

Continue reading PART TWO-> HERE.