Product reviews, parenting articles, and advice for first-time moms from the experiences of real-life mommies.

Q: I need recommendations on breast pumps and bottles. Could you please let me know what worked and what didn’t. There are SO MANY out there that I figured I’d ask those who have experience.

Bottles: I’ve used Avent bottles and been really happy with them. Also, there’s a new bottle out on the market now by Dr. Brown’s that’s really cool and designed to keep air/gas out of baby’s tummy. So far, we’ve only used it for the occasional sip of water for Karis, but it seems great to me.

Breast Pump: I was given mine by a friend who was done with hers. I know it’s not recommended to use another person’s pump for sanitary reasons, but I boiled all the replaceable parts (you could even buy brand new ones) and feel like that was fine. That’s a personal call you’ve got to make, though. My friend’s that I’m using is a Medela brand (I think it’s the best on the market). I know that you can do a manual one MUCH cheaper, but you can always register for both and see what you get. If you’re planning on pumping a lot, I’d definitely go electric. But, if it’s going to just be for the occasional night out, etc. it might be worth saving your money and going manual… Speaking of manual, I just saw an ad for Dr. Brown’s manual pump. I’d be really interested in how well it might work in comparison to other manual pumps since his products seem to be on the cutting edge right now.

Pacifiers: Truly depends on which one (if any) your baby decides he/she likes. I’d put a couple of different ones on the registry and then when baby ‘picks’ one, you can return the others. I have noticed that the clear plastic nipples (silicone; the brownish ones are latex) seem to hold up longer over time. Seems that the latex ones eventually break down and get really sticky and nasty. Of course, all pacifiers that are made now are orthodontically correct, so it really will just depend on your baby’s preferences.

Sippy Cups: I know I’ve said this before, but GERBER!! They’re the ones with the white plastic oval stoppers. Easy to clean, don’t break, easy to put together and take apart, and they don’t seem to drip as badly. All the others are a PAIN! (But, that’s just my two cents!