Wondering when to change teat size? Not sure if your baby is ready? There are a few key signs baby needs a faster flow teat. Find out more about our experience in changing Dexter’s teat size and the signs that showed us he was ready.
When should you change the teat size?
Dexter was around six months old when I changed the teats in his bottle from size 2 to size 3. I had previously attempted to change him to the bigger teats around a month before, but had failed spectacularly. Milk had spilled everywhere, he had choked, gagged, spat out the milk and finally started clamping his mouth shut.
After this experience, I decided after reading online that many babies don’t need to increase the teat size that he must be ones of those babies, but then, not long later, Dexter started displaying a few key signs that he was indeed ready to move up to a faster flowing teat.
At first, I put many of these signs down to him having a growth spurt, going through a leap or general baby -grumpiness, but after an epiphany one evening, I suddenly discovered that actually he would benefit from moving up to a bigger teat size! So, what are the signs baby needs a faster flow teat?
The best baby bottles for bottle feeding
- Nuby Anti Colic Baby Bottle Set – Slow Flow Easy Latch Teats 240ml / 8oz Includes Matching Dummy Dishwasher Safe Pink, Set of 3
- Product type: BABY BOTTLE
- Brand: UIYTRAESTING
- Size: 3 count Pack of 1
- Anti-Colic: MAM anti-colic baby bottle for a baby boy or baby girl provides a smooth drinking flow that prevents your baby from swallowing air, resulting in less colic
- Self Sterilising: No need for a separate bottle steriliser as the MAM bottle set self-sterilises in 3 easy steps, ensuring simple and safe bottle cleaning anywhere
- Medium-Flow Teat: The MAM size 2 teats are a perfect fit for babies from 2 months + featuring Skin Soft technology designed to feel just like a mother’s skin
- BPS/BPA Free: MAM baby bottles are 100% BPS & BPA-Free, making them baby essentials, ideal for breast milk storage and feeding. The material is odourless and tasteless
- Product Details: MAM Easy Start Self Sterilising Anti-Colic Bottle Pack of 3 (3x260ml), Baby Bottle, Colour: Blue (Designs May Vary), Article Number: FB0503B
- Newborn Starter Set: This nine-piece set includes 2 x 150 ml and 2 x 260 ml Natural Start bottles, 2 x medium-flow teats, 2 x 0-6 month nighttime soothers and 1 x bottle and teat brush
- Natural latch: Our bottle teats are made from soft silicone and have a special breast-like shape that encourages a natural latch, preventing teat confusion when switching between breast, bottle and back again
- Anti-colic: The bottle’s teat features an innovative anti-colic valve which reduces air ingestion, helping to reduce the symptoms of colic
- Pace feeding: The soft silicone teat flexes and stretches just like mum and allows your baby to feed comfortably at their own natural pace
- New self-sterilising: Our baby bottles can now be self-sterilised, killing viruses and 99.9 Percent of bacteria***. Simply fill with 50ml of water, replace the teat and cap and heat in the microwave for 3 minutes**
What are the signs baby needs a faster flow teat?
The key signs baby needs a faster flow teats are:
- Reduction in the amount baby is feeding at each feed
- Wanting more bottles during the day
- Going less time between feeds
- Waking in the night
- Making lots of noise during feeds
Let’s look at each in turn:
Reduction in the amount baby is feeding at each feed
Dexter reduced the amount he was feeding per session by 2-3oz. This started happening around the time I started weaning him and I presumed his little belly was full from the fruit purees he was eating. Now I realise he was probably getting sick of sucking on a teat that was too small for him.
Wanting more bottles during the day
Dexter started wanting six bottles instead of five per day. This is related to the first sign. He wasn’t getting enough milk during the day so he needed an extra bottle in the evening. We recently had a clock change and I thought it was down to the early nights as he had started to want to go to sleep earlier.
Going less time between feeds
Dexter started going less time between feeds. Again, all fits in the above. He went from having a bottle four hourly to wanting it three hourly.
Waking in the night
He started waking in the night. The poor kid was probably starving. I was trying to hold off on giving him the sixth bottle if I could help it so he started waking at 3am for the food he needed. I thought he was teething!
Making lots of noise during feeds
He began grunting during bottles I thought it was because he was windy, so I’d stop and burp him, but now I realise it’s because he was getting frustrated that his milk wasn’t coming fast enough.
When to change teat size?
If you think your baby is ready for the next sized teat there’s no harm in trying it. Below I have listed some of the things to look out for:
What are the signs you have the right sized teat?
- Most of the milk is being swallowed perhaps with a little escaping here and there.
- No choking or spluttering on the milk.
- Baby finishes the whole bottle and in record time.
What are the signs that the teat flow is too fast?
- Coughs and chokes on the milk.
- More milk ends up spilling out of the mouth than is swallowed.
- Clamps mouth shut or pushes bottle away and refuses to feed.
- Manages to finish the bottle but then projectile vomits everywhere.
Need new teats?
- Natural latch: Our bottle teats are shaped to encourage a natural latch, reducing air intake and preventing nipple confusion when switching between breast, bottle and back again
- Anti-colic valve: Tommee Tippee Natural Start teats feature an innovative anti-colic valve which reduces air ingestion, helping to reduce the symptoms of colic
- Pace feeding: The soft silicone teat flexes and stretches like a breast and allows your baby to feed comfortably at their own pace
- Flow rates: Tommee Tippee Natural Start teats are available in varying flow rates, to keep up with your baby’s growth
- BPA free: All Tommee Tippee teats are BPA free for added peace of mind
- Our naturalwave teat has been clinically proven to encourage baby’s ‘wave-like’ tongue movement, promoting instinctive sucking action.
- Helps maintain established breastfeeding patterns, making it easy to switch from breast to bottle and back again.
- Super soft and flexible 100% silicone teat based on over 50 years of research.
- Note : Packaging May vary
- Hospital grade reusable baby teats as supplied to the NHS
- Individually packaged, Sterile and Ready to Use
- Naturally shaped round teat ideal for breast feeding babies
- Medium Flow – 9ml per minute with tolerance +4ml / -2ml
- Fits best with all Sterifeed baby bottles
- Silicone teats: The SkinSoft silicone of the teats feels just like mum’s skin to babies, and this familiar feeling is why MAM has a 94 Percent teat acceptance rate
- Unique shape: Due to its unique, flat and symmetrical design, these baby bottle teats always achieve a ideal fit in baby’s mouth when bottle feeding
- Air valve: Suitable for all age-appropriate liquids, these BPA free teats have an air valve to prevent the teat from collapsing and allow for a smooth flow
- Teat size: These size 2 teats for baby bottles are perfect for older and bigger babies who drink faster, resulting in the need for a teat that matches this drinking speed. Included with all 260ml Easy Start and Easy Active 270ml Bottles
- Product details: MAM Teats Size 2, suitable for 2+ months, MAM Medium Flow Teats with SkinSoft silicone, fits all MAM baby bottles, baby essentials, pack of 2, item number: FT0202
- Anti-colic valve: The baby bottle is designed to keep air away from the baby’s tummy during feeding
- Works like the breast: The teat releases milk when baby actively drinks, this is different from the traditional free-flow teats. As with breastfeeding, it can take time for a baby to get used to this.
- Natural Response nipple: The unique Philips Avent bottle nipple opening only releases milk when the baby actively drinks.
- Right nipple flow: Find your baby’s perfect flow rate and personalise your Avent bottle
- No-drip nipple: The bottle-feeding nipple only opens to release milk when the baby is feeding.
- Natural latch: Our bottle teats are shaped to encourage a natural latch, reducing air intake and preventing nipple confusion when switching between breast, bottle and back again
- Anti-colic valve: Tommee Tippee Natural Start teats feature an innovative anti-colic valve which reduces air ingestion, helping to reduce the symptoms of colic
- Pace feeding: The soft silicone teat flexes and stretches like a breast and allows your baby to feed comfortably at their own pace
- Flow rates: Tommee Tippee Natural Start teats are available in varying flow rates, to keep up with your baby’s growth
- BPA free: All Tommee Tippee teats are BPA free for added peace of mind
- Hospital grade baby teats as supplied to the NHS
- Individually packaged, Sterile and Ready to Use
- Naturally shaped round teat ideal for breast feeding babies
- Medium Flow – 9ml per minute with tolerance +4ml / -2ml
- Fits best with all Sterifeed baby bottles
- Hospital grade baby teats as supplied to the NHS
- Individually packaged, Sterile and Ready to Use
- Orthodontic shaped teat
- Fits best with all Sterifeed baby bottles
- Latex Free
- THE BOTTLE THAT ADAPTS TO YOUR BABY: The soft, skin-like material, and super thin and flexible teat adapts to baby’s palate, for a familiar, soothing feeling; 98% of babies accept this bottle*
- EASIER LATCHING: Thanks to the tapering shape, extra wide lip rest and velvety smooth teat, baby can latch on easily by themselves; confirmed by 97% of mothers**
- CALM, RELAXED FEEDING: Innovative Anti-Colic vent helps prevent the harmful swallowing of air, with 3 teat size options that regulate milk flow in the best way for your baby
- UNIVERSAL TEAT: Recommended for babies 6+ months that can regulate their own drinking flow
- For use with NUK Perfect Match baby bottles
- Silicone Teats: The SkinSoft silicone of the teats feels just like mum’s skin to babies and this familiar feeling is why MAM has a 94 Percent teat acceptance rate
- Distinct Shape: Due to its distinct, flat and symmetrical design, these baby bottle teats always achieve a ideal fit in baby’s mouth when bottle feeding
- Air Valve: Suitable for expressed breast milk or formula, these BPA free teats have an air valve to prevent the teat from collapsing and allow for a smooth flow
- Teat Size: Larger than the size 0, this teat is ideal for your new baby thanks to its small mouthpiece and soft lip rest, it provides a slow drinking flow and is included in all 160ml MAM Bottles
- Product Details: MAM Teats Size 1, suitable for newborns, slow flow SkinSoft silicone teats for baby bottles, fits all MAM bottles, baby essentials, pack of 4, Item number: FT0104
As soon as we replaced Dexter’s teats, we saw a huge change in him. He became generally more content, probably because he was not always on the edge of hunger and he started sleeping a lot better during the day as well. He began finishing all of his bottles, went back to drinking 8-9oz during each feed and was also back to feeding every four hours.
If you think I’ve missed any other obvious signs of when to change teat size, please comment below to help other Mums! I hope you found this useful.
Kerryanne
Sunday 17th of July 2022
Hiya there my daughter just turned 9 weeks but she got alot of signs of have chapnge the teat but I don't know if she to young
Becca
Thursday 30th of June 2022
Need some help My baby is showing all of the signs she needs to move up a teat she is still on a size one and is 15 weeks old but she chokes on a size 2 teat, spits it out, pushes her lips tightly closed. What do I do?
Amanda
Sunday 10th of April 2022
I have been so stuck on what to do as my 5month old was showing signs of her size2 teat being too slow for her as she was only taking a couple of oz of her bottles & looking exhausted after it & not finishing her bottles which she usually always would. (All the correct signs for needing to up the teat size) Although I have now bought the Mam size3 teats & she is just constantly chocking/coughing/ending up soaking. I also stupidly threw out the size2 teats. I don't know whither I should buy more 2s (Although they are too slow) or try her a little longer to see is she gets used to the size 3.
Kelly Windress
Saturday 13th of November 2021
Thank you so much this has been happening to us for the past 3 nights and I couldn't work out why.
My baby is 7 weeks old and he took an unusual 8 bottles yesterday and only went 30 min between feeds waking up all the time and seeming really restless.
Like you said I put it down to a growth spurt been grumpy or maybe a bit under the weather.
I have changed this flow this morning and he is already seeming more content after 2 bottles.
Thank you so much. This article is so well written and for a new mum like me so valuable
Xx
S. Houston
Tuesday 26th of October 2021
Mummy to Dex! Where have you and this article been for the past few weeks - this has been a life saver!!! Our 8 month old who, up until now - has been a champ when it comes to bottle feeding suddenly had 1/3 of his usual bottles, wanted more of them in short successions, seemed to refuse some bottles. I thought it was maybe cause I'd let the formula cool in between feeds so I'd make a new bottle every time (and wasted so much :( ). I tried using pre-made formula, changing feeding position, trying a different room. He was hungry, I was exhausted and my poor bottle steriliser was working in overdrive! I finally changed over to size 4 teats and we have a winner!!! He's back to having his full bottles and spaced out as before. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Nicola | Mummy to Dex
Wednesday 27th of October 2021
Aw amazing! I am so glad you have seen a change in your baby! Here's to no more wasted formula and more rest for you!