Last updated on July 22nd, 2024 at 06:19 pm
Our very own Natalie Diaz hosted a Facebook live to discuss bottle feeding basics, thanks to our friends at Dr. Brown’s. Watch the video below for all her best bottle feeding basics tips and tricks!
As any good mom knows, and if you haven’t figured this out yet, all parents are somewhat MacGyvers. Some of us take a little bit more time to figure out how to be a MacGyver, but others… know right away.
So, I’m going to begin at the beginning and say happy bottle-feeding day! I’m genuinely declaring it bottle-feeding day, August 20, whatever year this is, if it’s even August 20th. There are so many days for so many ridiculous things, like a lumberjack day. Not that Lumberjacks don’t mean anything; or what else. What’s like the craziest holiday that you’ve heard of? I think left-handers day, that genuinely is one of my favorite ridiculous holidays. So, what’s your favorite ridiculous holiday because we’re making a holiday that’s not so ridiculous —we’re making a bottle-feeding … How about just bottle feeding your twins day? Let’s keep this one to ourselves. Let’s not share it with everybody else because for God’s sake the whole world has a bunch of holidays. We’re making one just for us, I knew that there, I know that there is like multiple birthday…
Let’s talk, we’re talking about bottle feeding your twins. I have a demo baby her name is Kara, say hi Kara. She is my neighbor’s little bitty baby from American doll. So sadly, Fred and Ginger are still spending the summer in New York City while I am out here in our lake house.
It’s horrible, it really is, but with the kids out of school; honestly, we need to like, get a break out of our world’s tiniest apartment. This house isn’t that big. Actually, this house is only maybe like 200 more square feet than our apartment in New York City but we’re still super enjoying it.
So, here’s what I want to do today, I want to know who you are, where you’re from, I want to know … And tell me in separate comments because people are going to go back and research this; like they may want to say oh you’re from Chicago. I want a friend from Chicago. I always recommend that people partner up.
So first I know who you are because it says your name on Facebook. We know that but next I want to know how old your twins are. So today we’re talking about bottle-feeding but are you expecting? Are you sippy cups? Where are you on the spectrum of bottle-feeding because we are we’re going to go back to like super-duper basics today.
I don’t actually think that we have ever gotten as basic as we are planning to do today. I have been literally doing homework for days about the things that I want to talk to you about. We have a little curriculum of the things that we’re going to do and remember a lot of stuff that we’re covering now —online here. We will cover in our online…
As you could see people are already telling us how old their kids are… happy ten month birthday to Courtney’s Twins, Luke and Donette – has a ten month old twins in California Dr. Brown’s was patented in ’97. well that totally makes sense because we started using them in 2004.
30 weeks with twins. Amy, how exciting! okay, so we already got some questions coming in. I do want to let you know that if you have any questions just throw them into the comments below. And then Julie who is our wizard here at Twinversity, she is behind the curtain and she will text me messages.
As they come up and now you’ll see that I’m looking in twenty-six thousand places. Kara is over here, my notes are over here, we have a ton of Dr. Brown’s product behind me. Orlando, we’re coming your way soon. By the way in April, we’re coming down there. So, Julie just put up the information for our New York City classes and online classes in Chicago classes. Please join us if you are expecting we will be giving away some classes today. Yeah, I get it so excited alright so we’re going back to basics. We’re going back to our roots.
And from my experienced mamas I want you to chime in and I want your two cents on the topics that we’re talking about today. I have never in the history of creation ever claimed to have known everything. I know like two percent of what the world has to offer. In the baby world I would say I know forty-eight percent of what the world has to offer but I’m going to depend on you right now for filling in the blanks and stuff that I’m going to miss.
So, talking about Dr. Brown’s and being the best-selling bottle in the United States, one of the first things that always comes up is people ask me, “Nat, do I use plastic or glass?” So, survey out there for my families that are there do you use plastic or glass? What are you using? I want to know, I’m going to tell you this girl’s two cents though. My two cents. is that back in, believe it or not, it was only in 2012 did the FDA step in and say listen people no more of this BPA business. And what BPA actually is, and if I say it wrong don’t make fun of me, it’s bisphenol A, which is what the BPA stands for.
And what this, but what they believe this bisphenol A does is it actually changes your brain, in addition to brain changes it can be linked to certain cancers. In addition, this is, like not that those two weren’t bad, because those are horrific. But it also can bring on an early puberty, hmm did you know? That’s kind of crazy. The FDA finally in 2012 was like uh-uh no more of this we’re not going to do that and then everybody’s like oh okay. And of course, these are for bottles that are sold in the United States. So if you are buying bottles overseas I cannot guarantee that they are BPA-free. But wait there’s more, so now one of the reasons why Dr. Brown’s receives so many acclaims and awards and really is the top choice of families; is that in addition to being BPA-free it is also PVC free and phthalate free. So, they have gone extra steps and like “hey listen we know that there should be less things in these bottles” and that is why Dr. Brown’s pure preemie bottles all are used throughout a majority of hospitals within the United States.
So now people are like but plastic. Plastic’s the devil we can’t use plastic, we’re only going to be using glass. Glass is heavy, glass can break. When you are thinking about it, I know you want what’s best for your baby and guess what, so do I. I’m not like hey let’s give our babies the most crap that we could give our babies. We’re saying we’re going to give the best to our babies, and I could assure you that Dr. Brown’s bottles are what’s best for your babies. And the plastic, they do have glass bottles so don’t get nervous. And if you’re like I want to use glass bottles, because you want their pretty awesome venting system; have no fear that they do have the glass bottles but I would always recommend the plastic just because they’re lighter.
And you know Kara is tiny right so our little baby, Kara, is so tiny she can’t hold the glass bottle, it’s too heavy for her. Kara, you can’t be a powerlifter, so yeah plastic bottles are what we recommend for all of our twin families at Twiniversity but of course it is a preference.
So now let’s go back, even before that, let’s get down to brass tacks of bottle-feeding. How the heck do we know when these babies are hungry? Kara, I love her to death. She’s a great little baby. Terry, you’re the best but how do I actually know when you’re hungry. Well, things that I’m going to look for when Kara’s hungry. Kara is going to be moving her little mouth, she’ll be opening her little mouth and she’ll be moving her head side to side. She’ll do, kind of this, like “oh please I’m so hungry.” Okay, so Kara will keep doing that; next thing Kara will stick her tongue out. She’s not going to be like, ah like, here’s what’s happening, but she’ll put her tongue out because she’s like hey I’m looking for something to grab on to brooding.
Thank you, Marnie, she’s not a top fan for nothing. The next thing that you’re going to look for is putting their hands in their mouth is another big sign. But here’s the funny part when they cry it’s often a late sign of hunger. So you’re like oh the baby’s crying, she must be hungry. There are so many signs that we could look out for before they get to that cry that could be very beneficial to your baby. What I’m saying is look for the signs of hunger and if you’re worried about it you should all be on a schedule, right. I talk about it all the time how twins need to be on a schedule. When your babies are first hatched right, so they’re born into the world “oh it’s a girl so when she’s first born and she’s in the NICU or she’s in the nursery she is going to be on a feeding schedule. Now if your Hospital no longer offers a nursery and you’re like oh I gotta take care of this kid the nurses will remind you that you have to feed your baby. And you should be feeding your baby every three hours around the clock 24 hours a day.
Now, of course this is ideal right, this is the best-case scenario does that mean that that’s what’s going to happen No. If you have a difficult c-section or a difficult delivery or lost a little too much blood there’s a lot of reasons why you may not be able to breastfeed that baby or bottle feed that baby 24 hours a day around the clock. Don’t get stressed this is not an all-or-nothing situation.
Okay, so now how much are they supposed to be drinking? How do we know? How are we going to know Kara? How do we know how much you want to drink? What, I always say to my families is there is a recommended guideline, and it’s a guideline. It’s not a law, it’s not a hard rule. This isn’t like some things that we have but a guideline, a general guideline. And Julie – if you could repeat these that would be great. If you could just type them in as I talk to you about them.
Oh, by the way, everybody congratulate Josh! Him and his wife for 33 weeks pregnant, woot, woot, woot! Congrats Josh!
Okay, so what we’re going to do is when your baby is first born you could expect… So Josh, this is for you. When the babies are first born you could expect them to eat an ounce and a half to three ounces every three to four hours depending on their birth weight. Right they may want you to feed them more they may want you to feed them less, but you can expect that when your babies first hatched they will be drinking from 1.5 to 3 ounces every three to four hours.
Now after that we graduate into the two-month period. When they’re first born their bellies are like a tiny little marble they don’t need a lot of food. Don’t panic if your breast milk isn’t coming in and you’re just like oh my gosh Kara, now ready my milk’s not in. Don’t get panicky, it will be fine. So now the next thing is two months at two months you could expect them to drink from four to five ounces every three to four hours, depending. Now this right here, is the key of why I tell everybody when you want to buy bottles do not buy the two ounce, the three ounce, the four ounce; you go right to the nine ounce bottles. This right here is about three and a half ounces that’s here, so yeah it doesn’t look like a lot. Look it’s three and a half ounces but that’s a lot.
That’s a lot for this bottle and you’re going to go up the food chain, real quick, and so buying the tiny bottles it’s just ridiculous. It’s a waste of money start I know Dr. Brown’s, of course, would like for me to say by the feeding set. Which has the tiny bottles, just skip it, we have to buy so many bottles. And if you want to take a guess, how many we recommend throw out your guesses right now. Um, if you guess the correct amount of twin of the Twiniversity recommends that you buy four Dr. Brown’s bottles. You will win a $10 Amazon gift card. Okay, so how many bottles do you need to buy? Throw that in right now, random winner prize time. Didn’t even do prize time because now it’s a quiz. Now, I want to know how many bottles if you’re expecting? Josh, you hear me, you should have read our guidelines of what you should register for and these puppies are definitely on there. So how many should you register for? Julie tell me when we have a winner.
Okay, so now are two months – four to five ounces, are four months – four to six ounces. Okay, so four to six ounces is what your baby should be drinking when they are four months old. And once again, this is every three to four hours. Next, at six months, at six months you should be drinking, you should be drinking, I should be drinking by six months, I am not drinking that heavily yet that usually starts at around 13 years old when they turn into teenagers. At six months old they should be drinking six to eight ounces of breast milk or formula. So those are the guidelines, I love that I am going to tell you that I’m going to give you a few more seconds and… Julie, I saw your message but I’m going to give you a few more seconds. And then, actually, if anybody’s going to the book and reading this, I’m going to be so mad at you you’re such treating but the answer to our question of how many bottles you should be buying is 20.
Alright, that’s a lot of bottles, now here’s the great part: when you buy the bottles do not open all of the packages until you need to use them. When you get them, and they come in the package, leave the package sealed until you’re ready to use them and you could just wash them. Why? Why am I saying buy so many, because that is a lot of money. I know how much money it is. You do not have to tell me, I have purchased 20 Dr. Brown’s bottles. You are going to be using 16 bottles for their feeds per day. So, 16 is what you’re going to use, without having extra I always recommend that you should have two bottles that are in the car and two bottles in your diaper bag so that no matter where you are you are always prepared. Even the ones in the car you could keep in their original box. If you find that you over-purchased then return them to the store. Don’t open them and just start getting going crazy. You should sterilize them on the first time. Sterilizing is not difficult. You could use a micro steam bag that ironically, well not ironically, coincidentally, purposefully, whatever you want to say it Dr. Brown’s also does make. But yeah twenty bottles is what we recommend.
Congratulations Christine, you are the winner! Congrats Christine! Everybody say congratulations to Christine, she just won our Amazon gift card. We’re going to have more prizes throughout, do not get nervous. Now, one other thing, that I want to tell you is that babies drink, this is the guideline. Remember, so two months, four to five, four months four to six, six months six to eight. Alan says, “but your babies will go through growth spurts and they will want more milk. Between 7 and 14 days is usually, usually a growth spurt. Three to six months there’s usually a growth spurt in there. Four months there’s a growth spurt and six month there’s a growth spurt. If you noticed that your kids are drinking a little bit more do not get panicky. That is totally normal but if you’re worried always ask your pediatrician.
Make sure that you are, like, on first-name basis, basis-is, first-name basis with your pediatrician, and always make sure that they’re taking a leak because the one thing that I could tell you is that while I’m giving you general guidelines if your babies were born prematurely, if your babies had twin to twin issues there are a lot of reasons why the numbers should be changing. But of course, I do not know you and your babies; so that is just my recommendations.
Now let’s talk, the next thing, the next thing I want to talk about is formula versus breast milk. The great debate dawn of time, I feel like this has been an argument since the dinosaurs. It’s probably like your first argument that you’re going to have, perhaps with somebody, that is the like the mega breast feeder. Who’s like how could you even consider giving your baby a bottle? How could you consider giving your baby formula? I want to say guess what guys? Nobody lives in your house, nobody lives your life, nobody walks in your shoes. You know what’s best for you and your family. But right there’s always, a but, I will tell you that breast is best.
If you’re still pregnant and you’re like I don’t know. I’ve had, I’m going to tell ya, and this is like the God’s honest truth, I have done classes where people were like I don’t even want to talk about breastfeeding I’m just going to go right to bottle-feeding because of XYZ. And then I say but guys like do you even know why we breastfeed our babies. And let’s say we just want to be super selfish because I could say that yeah of course breast milk is a perfect cocktail made for our babies. It’s the perfect balance of nutrients vitamins and protein, right, I know that you got that and fat. By the way, plenty of fat in your breast milk.
Love that so it was specifically made for your children that’s the first benefit of them. The second benefit is that it is chuck full of antibodies which protect your baby and help them fight off viruses and bacteria. You cannot find that in formula; that is the biggest reason of why I tell people to always try breastfeeding. Right so, if you breastfed I do want to know that it’s not like a walk of shame. I did both, I did formula feeding and breastfeeding out of the gate. I want to be on the record, and say that when I said what I, like, know that I mean what I say. I don’t like when people are too much on a soapbox about, like, breastfeeding, breastfeeding, breastfeeding, no.
Yes, try to breastfeed. I like to educate you and tell you why I want you to breastfeed. Now let’s talk selfishly for a second, because you know that breastfeeding can be actually very selfish and wonderful. First of all, you burn calories like nobody’s business so by breastfeeding your body is working, working, working, working, working, working, working. That you burn an excessive amount of calories. Love it! Getting down to our pre-pregnancy weight. What KARA! I said it, acted it, next thing it releases oxytocin, and oxytocin is like this this magic. Inside of us, which does a million things, in addition and I think one of the reasons its most important is that this helps shrink the size of your uterus. after delivery. You go back to normal quicker and it also helps kind of slow down the bleeding post-delivery. I would say that’s another selfish reason, right? But I’m also going to tell you here’s, like, the big selfish reason – do you know that statistically people who breastfeed have a lower incidence of breast cancer and ovarian cancer and it could also reduce your risk for osteoporosis?
I didn’t know about the osteoporosis, until today when I was researching it. I had no idea. I’ve always been you know, like try if you can’t, though don’t stress man. Kara’s going to be fine so there is formula. There is, it is completely safe completely 100% safe. I promise you, you are not putting chemicals into your babies. You should not have any guilt, but you should speak to your pediatrician about which formula you should be using. If you’ve gone into a Walgreens or Rite Aid or Wegmans or an Albertsons wherever the heck you’re buying your formula; and you look on the shelf it is overwhelming. The choice is overwhelming with all the formula choices out there. Speak to your pediatrician and find the one that is best formulated for you and your babies. They have breastfeeding supplemental formula for mamas that are doing both. They have formulas that have a higher calorie, if your little babies need to gain a little bit more weight. They have formulas that are soy based, formulas for gentle stomachs. They have like super-duper potent formulas that are you know better for your baby if your baby has a lot more digestive issues.
So, know that it is not like “oh my babies are going to be born”; I’m going to use this. Here’s what’s going to happen, not so easy, and babies could be on separate formulas which is why I don’t have any to what I think is crazy and wonderful, is that Dr. Brown actually sells bands that go around your baby bottle. And what they do is they could distinguish one bottle from the other. If you don’t feel like buying bands, you could buy Mabel’s Labels. Mabel’s Labels is dishwasher-safe you know just totally safe all-around, won’t wash off. You could put a little label on whose bottle this is, so when my twins were born Anna was on a much more, like, almost, like, a medical based formula. Where Johnny was drinking, like, everyday nonsense, like, that’s it, like, he could have even had the Cosco stuff. It didn’t matter but I did I could not tell in the bottles which was which, so you have to make sure that you are labeling which bottle has which. Have any of you had your twins on separate formulas? I would love to hear from you and if you could share a little bit of your story that would be fantastic.
I do want to let you know about the formula thing. Now, we already talked a little bit about the plastic versus the glass versus there’s even these liners now. Guys here’s the crazy thing, one thing that I did not know up until today. I’m away I’m getting right in there, so we can like talk about this one thing that I did not know, I mean I always knew that I loved Dr. Brown’s, but did you know that the majority of Dr. Brown’s bottles are made within the United States. And guess what it is literally on the box. Some products are made here, some products are not but if you’re like which ones were made here – at the bottom of the box. Could you see that? You could actually read that, but these bottles specifically say made in the USA.
I think it’s really outstanding I did not know that. Most of our baby products are made outside of the United States. I could tell you that there’s companies, like right, like step two is made here. So these are made in the US and I’m not saying like pro-U.S for all of my families that are outside of the country. What I am saying is because they are made within the U.S., not only do we know that the product was regulated but the factory was also regulated. So, this is my understanding of what it is. But there are certain requirements that we have here in the US, which are not always done overseas. So, I do feel better, I really do, I genuinely feel better about telling you that. So that may be something that you want to look into.
So Shaaban just said that one was on regular formula and the other was on Alimentum Nutramigen. I am right there with you my friend. I had the same issue, the Nutramigen or the Alimentum sometimes can be darker but in the middle of the night, like if that bottle, is prepped – you may not be seeing so much that you know whose bottle is whose.
We already talked about the plastic, we talked about that. The beta PVC valeted free numerous awards blah, blah, blah we love it so much. Now we’re getting down to the nitty-gritty. I got my burp cloth, we’re going to feed some kids.
I want to give you rules and now I wish that there was, like, some kind of, like, um chorus , um Orchestra not Orchestra, organ music behind me. And be like the golden rules of bottle feeding by Natalie Diaz and then I want the echo. I made up some golden rules that I want you guys to really consider following and I almost want to say, well, I always say my word is not law. I’m going to tell you a lot of things, that I’m going to tell you right now should actually be considered law in your house.
The very first one which is so important please, please, never mix breast milk and formula in the same bottle. That is my first law of breastfeeding. The first law I’m going to have a tablet on my tablet but it’s going to be an iPad because that’s what a tablet is today. Never mix breast milk and formula never ever. Because if you do and the baby doesn’t finish that bottle you have to get rid of it within one hour. After one-hour bacteria starts to be built up at its garbage. If you have breast milk and you had formula please do not do that.
Okay, if you’re a mom, yeah Kathy! Shout out Kathy saying it’s law too! So never mix breast milk and formula in the same bottle. Alright, can I see a pinkie promise, type in pinky promise guys that you’re never going to do that, never mix breast milk and formula. I want to actually see you guys for everybody that’s out there – type pinky promise. Because that’ll make me feel better, ready for our next law of bottle-feeding by Natalie Diaz. Law number two never use a microwave please, please, please for me. For your kids, for your spouse, for your grandparents everybody. Never use a microwave, for you know, heating up your formula.
Let’s go back to using, that you can use it for popcorn. You can use it for warming up last night’s leftovers. You can use it for warming up coffee, if you’re the type of person that could only drink hot coffee. But you should never ever, ever, use it for warming up breast milk or formula or any other beverage that you are going to give your children. Can I get a pinkie promise? What?
Julie, Did you know that I was writing up new laws because I’ve been watching way too many Handmaid’s tales. That’s what I literally binge watched this entire weekend. I’m like wow, I could start my own government and it’s going to be called the government of bottle-feeding rulers so never use the microwave. Why? I do like to tell you why, when you eat things up and you can see this. If you’ve ever warmed up rice in the microwave, you could heat it up too much and the core temperature could get hotter than the outside temperature. So when you feel it, you’re like, oh it’s cold no big deal, but the inside core is like lava. If your baby drinks lava, need I tell you lava and baby drinking not okay. It will burn their lips, their gums, their tongue, their throat, their esophageal, their larynx, their esophagus, their stomach. They are so small that from the time that the baby takes a sip from here to there it will still be hot. Please do not use a microwave. I do love you, our pinky promise.
Next rule, my next law of Natalie Diaz bottle-feeding laws please make sure that you are using the correct nipple. How do I know, not how do I know which one is the correct nipple? Why I’ll tell you Marny, I will tell you which one it is. Yes, we are anti-lava drinking. Julie could we make that a meme please. We always say we’re going to make our own. Could that be we’re against a lot of drinking and Twiniversity.
With Dr. Brown’s, when you buy certain bottles. Okay and please, know I’ve got to show you this now, because now I feel like we’re so into this conversation. If you’re buying replacement nipples or buying the next set of nipples that you’re going to graduate to, please know that there’s two different sizes. This is for the long neck and this is for the wide neck. We can have a whole discussion on this so now when you buy bottles most of them will come with a level one. Could you see that it says one on that? Do you see that it says one? Look, you can see it. Don’t judge my manicure it’s been a while. Do you see that it says a level one now?
Now as you progress, and like you say, let’s we’re moving into like the transition bottles. Could you see this is the two in one transition bottle? This transition bottle comes with a nipple already on it but then does have a sippy cup transition. I could swear and head them out, I’ll show you that in a minute.
Now this nipple is a level 3, could you see that? Can you see that? Could you see the number 3? So, this little nipple is or little whatever you’d like to sing it this is a level 3. Everybody should start at a level 1, if not a preemie flow depending on how old your kids are.
Cathy, you could find them on Amazon and we’ve found them on Amazon. I’m sure you could find them on Amazon too. And Cathy, by the way, is talking about that she couldn’t find a preemie nipple. It’s a slower flow, what level is what the number is, how fast liquid is going to come out of this. At a level one this is going to mimic most breasts so this is going to be the slowest flow, then you will graduate to a level two.
A level two is a significantly faster flow but still not the fastest that it goes. And then you will eventually move up to a level 3, which is the quickest flow. So, Nat’s Golden Rule – please always make sure that you are using the correct nipple. Now before this live feed began, we were very fortunate to get some questions that came in.
I don’t even know if Megan’s on with us but Megan was saying that she has a slow eater and a faster eater. Now how do we know when to move our nipple level? Right and by the way, I love saying nipple it’s not weird in my house. Your house it might be weird to say nipple. My kids don’t even blink when I say it, or I could talk about placenta and uteruses and vaginas and whatever. My kids don’t even care because look at the industry that I’m in. Which is good, I love that when my daughter, when it’s time for her to breastfeed she’s going to be like “ I got this. I know what’s happening I know what a good latch looks like.” Weird but wonderful. So, I’m thankful, that’s what I’m thankful for today but to my kids like this is all normal to them and I think it should be normal.
So how do I know what level nipple to move up to? Well when I recommend, and this was, I was talking to a dad in New York City, Jay, who was like “I don’t know, what to do I’m worried about it. How do I know when to go?”
Yeah, Jay, you’re right, how do you know when to go. Jay, you got a thousand things to worry about how the heck are you supposed to know? So what I always recommend if you are contemplating changing from a level 1 to level 2 or a preemie to a level 1, do not do it until you speak to your pediatrician. And don’t just be like “Hey, Dr. Keith I have an idea let me do this. I think I want to do this….”
Don’t go to the doctor, you go there enough. Anyway, bring your bottle with you, make the appointment during feeding time. Feed the babies in the office and say, “Hey Doc, this is what’s happening like is this? Do I need to go to a faster flow? Am I holding the bottle incorrectly? Does she have a lip or a tongue tie? Is that why she’s not drinking fast enough?”
The doctor needs to physically see what’s happening. What we came, what we learned with Jay, is that when Jay was, and Jay is a stay-at-home dad, was raising these kids. Really an exceptional parent and he was like, “Nat, I’m telling you. I’m seeing that this baby is having reflux issues or whatever.” And I’m like guys you have to feed the baby in the office because you could tell your doctor a million times this is what’s happening. This is what I look like you know this is what the baby’s doing but until that doctor could see it with his or her own eyes it may not be that obvious. That you know something needs to change so please promise me that you will always use the correct nipple for the age of your baby. The age and stage, and this by the way, I shouldn’t say age and stage. At stage age. does not come into factor, you do not say like, “oh with six months we’re going to move to a level three.” No that is not the way that it goes. You have to move according to the speed of your baby and how much they could handle it. But wait there’s more.
Now, I told you you’re going to start off with the level one and eventually you’re going to get to the level three. Don’t throw level ones in the garbage, keep your level one nipples when you are flying. It’s like a gift from God, because it will have a slower flow. And so when the baby is on the plane, the baby will have to take bigger like smaller sips and bigger gulps which really helps with their ear pressure. That tip was given to me by a flight attendant 13 years ago. And still to this day, one of the best tips that I have ever gotten. So please make sure that you always are using the correct nipple with whatever stage your baby is in.
Now trick question, does that mean that your babies might at some point be using two different level nipples? I’m a Hulk Holganning it guys. Alright so what is it, will they be using two separate nipples? Yeah, of course, they may be, you know, right now we were talking about Megan; and Megan was saying how she’s got a slow reader and a fast reader. You may want to level the playing field but please make sure that you are always making sure, that you’re giving the right baby, the right bottle and you’re assembling the right bottle – If they are using two different level nipples.
Okay alright now all of you ready for our next law of breastfeeding. I’m not bottle feeding, bottle feeding, B-o-t-t-l-e the next law is never prop a bottle. Never prop a bottle, chant it with me. Never prop a bottle, come on guys. never prop a bottle.
I cannot stress this enough, this is law — never prop a bottle. If you prop a bottle, what happens, so sorry, even I’m going to have to demonstrate on Kara what happens. I am now going to make some chicken soup, warming up a cup of tea from earlier today. We prop this bottle, this milk is coming out. Okay, by the way there’s a brand new bottle. So, it’s not going to come out that quick, but this bottle. Look the milk is coming out, drip, drip, now I prop this bottle. This baby does not want to drink anymore. This baby’s like, you know, what I don’t want any. And now this baby is like, “I’ve had enough, I’ve had enough, and when your baby is putting their tongue against this nipple, more is going to come out so it’s the babies trying to say, like, “Save me, I don’t want it. I don’t want it,” and she’s trying to push it out. But because parents are not thinking, when your baby is pushing it out, she’s, may, actually increasing the flow of what’s coming out of this bottle. And your baby could aspirate, and your baby’s going to choke and there’s bad things that are going to happen.
Now, does that mean that you intentionally tried to put your baby in harm’s way? Absolutely not, I know you would never do that. I know anybody, who by the way, is checking to Twiniversity and watching a live feed. We are not the type of people that are going to purposefully injure our babies ever, but accidents happen. Even if you have the best of intentions you’re like, “Hey Kara, listen I just need to run and sign for the Fed-Ex. Might be my 18,002 Amazon Prime packages arrive today.” Please, please, please, please do not prop the bottle. Just stop feeding Kara for two seconds. It is not your fault, God forbid something, well it would be your fault, God forbid something happens, but I am telling you right now. Please do not prop the bottle, okay I love that you guys are saying this. I love that you’re serious about it.
And because we’ve now had serious time, let’s bring it on up. What time is it guys? What time is it? what time is it guys? Guys technically we only have ten more minutes of this live feed and I have about 800 more tips to give you. But it is prize time and right now, I would love to give away a seat in either our New York City or Chicago or online class. So please, if you would like to join us for a Twiniversity class, if you are expecting, no matter where you are on God’s green earth you have access to Julie and I through Twiniversity Classes.
Hmm, I think I’m teaching September too. Right Julie, I don’t even remember. I think I am, but if you would like to join us for an online class, if you are expecting or have kids; I would say no more than one month old at this time because that’s who could get the best benefit from it. I really, really, really would love if you just say I want to come to class. I want to come to class, and Julie will pick a winner and you guys will have access. We’ll send you a code to use for our online class or in-person class. It is entirely up to you. The best part is if you go to our in-person class you will get to meet Julie or I.
Yes, it is very extraordinary, it’s a fun experience because basically what we’re doing here now for an hour; I do for three and a half hours in New York City twice. We have two classes, so yes, if you want to come to class just say that “I want to come to class” and that is what we will do for you.
Okay, now there is so many more things, coming from my moms who have their babies already. Can I ask you guys a question? We are go. We’re actually already developing a new class for parents that have kids, from six months to one and a half years old. What are some things that you would like us to cover? I would love, love, love if you would just let us know like Marnie. I would love to know what you think we should have in that class, specifically because you know already a lot of what we do. So, if you can, just let us know, I would be very grateful.
Yay, my gosh how exciting. Um, everybody wants to come to class. Kara, I can’t believe they love us. Okay, now next thing you’re ready for, our next law of breastfeeding, we should have titled this, “Why do I keep saying breastfeeding, I’m out of my mind today guys – bottle-feeding.” Where is my coffee? I just thought about that, yes there’s a squirrel whatever. Julie go ahead make fun of me.
The next law that I want to have on breastfeeding is please don’t force feed your baby. If you’re feeding
your baby and your baby is now rejecting your bottle; please don’t be like babies, drink it, you have to drink it. She doesn’t have to drink it, she does not have to drink it. She should drink it, we should try to coax her into drinking it but please do not do not force feed. This kid, all right there is some crazy studies that show that babies that are feel like you got to eat, you got to eat, you got to eat turns into finish what’s on your plate, finish what’s on your plate finish, what’s on your plate turns into childhood obesity. Just throwing that out there letting you know.
Oh Jennifer, picky eaters are always a good one. Early intervention we could have a whole discussion on early intervention. You guys know that we were in therapy for seven years. Me and my twins, not me, I should still be in therapy but no. The kids received services from early intervention for a very long time and know that that is very, very, common.
Did Josh win? Josh did you win? I see Shabban said, “Congrats to Josh” Congrats Josh. I’m so happy that you get to join us. I can’t wait to meet you whether it’s in the online class or in New York City. I will meet you! Get to New York City though it’s so much more fun and dinner is included. What? I said it. Yeah don’t force feed your kids. Please, please, please and we are coming to a close and I’m getting nervous because I have so many more things that I want to tell you.
I make up my rule, my laws. I probably should print them up. I’ll send them to Julie we’ll come up with a list of breastfeeding laws. Breastfeeding, while I do, I keep saying that ah bottle feeding, bottle feeding breast milk is really what I’m thinking. Because that is what we did, we bottle fed breast milk. I did not like breastfeeding at all. I did it because I had to but really, absolutely, it was just crazy.
We just picked another winner. Julie, please invite her to my class in New York City. I would look, it’s actually next week. I hope that you can make it but please I hope that if you can make it, you are more than welcome to be my guest in our class in New York City. I would love to have you, I never get to have people in New York. Everybody’s in the online classes, but yes, if I can please, I would love if you could join us. So, Julie could you send her a link for that please? If she could come next, where you can hope that she can.
Alright, now my next kind of laws were that we didn’t get to cover as much, were toss after an hour. We already talked about that have enough bottles for the day, we already talked about that.
Always make sure that you are testing the temperature of the milk. Okay, don’t be like, oh it’s, it’s cool enough never make assumptions. Always assume that you are going to burn your child and double-check. Same thing with the bathwater, never assume. You know what they say about assuming you guys, know what they say it makes an ass out of you and me. That is what they say about assuming so never assume when it comes to parenting or really anything else in your life. Don’t ever make assumptions.
Those were the things that I came up with today. I did really, really, really want to let you know that’s why we partnered with Dr. Browns, and by the way Dr. Brown’s is one of our oldest partners here at Twiniversity. And when you come to class in New York City, you do get like the mother of all swag including Dr. Brown’s bottles and stuff.
Sadly, we have an issue with shipping, so our online classes don’t get a good amount of swag. But when we do, demos and classes you will not see me using any other bottle but a Dr. Brown’s bottle and really it is because of this venting system. Like no joke, kids this venting system they are the only bottle that is on the market that has this exclusive venting system. Now these are the options bottles and the odd you know, that the options bottles because it’s green the old Dr. Browns had a blue insert, these have a green insert. Which means that you could use them with or without the venting system. And what the venting system does and it really, really, really does do it reduces colic, it reduces spit-up, it reduces gas it, reduces burping and it eliminates the negative pressure and air bubbles in a bottle. Because see, you could see better, it has liked this little vent in there. This actually opens here, I don’t know if you could actually see it. You could see a little bit, right you could see me through it so what it does is when the baby’s drinking and has these little bottles. The little bubbles, the bubbles go into the venting system and come out the top, and that way they’re not re-drinking the bubbles.
This is an issue when it comes to those bags when it comes to other bottles, but this is definitely one of the most beneficial. Like, seriously, like, I really mean it and I know that they’re pricey. And if you look at the items, that Twiniversity recommends. Although I do get some hate mail on Amazon, by the way, about how I recommend things that are expensive. I don’t purposely recommend things that are expensive. I recommend things that are effective and that are worth the money. Do you see the difference? Because I can be telling everybody, oh go out right now and buy a Bugaboo stroller. But I never do that, because I know that Bugaboo strollers have had a significant history of needing repairs.
Although it may be a good stroller. First of all, its 87 billion dollars, I’m not going to recommend it that’s not what’s going to happen because not everybody could afford that. And even if grandma’s buying it why should we do that? I do not purposefully recommend items that are pricey. I recommend items that are effective and are going to be worth you spending your money. So that is why I always recommend Dr. Brown’s bottles; and when I recommend the bottles I do always recommend the wide neck, nine ounce versus the 8 ounce tall.
And if here’s the reason, why do you see the concave sides of these little babies, are going to be able to hold on to it? And it’s not going to slip as much versus the traditional bottle. Okay, when they have the traditional bottle it’s going to slip depending on how heavy it is. So that is always why I recommend the nine-ounce wide neck versus the tall traditional and Dr. Brown’s makes a slew of products that continue with your kids’ journey. They make a transition cup, it’s actually a two-in-one transition bottle. When you get it, it has the level three nipple that I was talking about. Right hold on, let me take everything out of here.
It’s got the level three bottle it’s got the level three nipple and it, but it, also comes with, besides a little cleaning thing, it comes with a transitionary top. So now here’s what’s cool about this pardon me, I’m going to open this up old school. Okay, so here’s what’s cool about this is because your kids will have already gotten used to dealing with this bottle.
And holding this bottle in whatever, and now, and here’s the venting system when you’re done using it as a bottle. As a level three bottle, you take this off you remove the venting system. You have the bottle there which by the way ironically matches my tattoo. I’m just saying Dr. Brown’s ICU, I know what you’re doing uh, then you switch out the nipple for the little transition top that they give you, and now it’s your kids for a sippy cup. In the same bottle that they have gotten used to using, can I use this on other bottles. Yes, it is all inter-changeable so you do not have to buy, you know, an entirely new system. You just need to have the new tops. Please I’m telling you right now, Dr. Brown’s is the way to go, if you are registering it I mean it from the bottom of my heart.
And just in good times, let’s have a final prize. Shall we final prize time? Final prize time it is. Time for final prize time. Let’s do another $10 Amazon gift card only because you’re going to need some bucks to buy yourself some transition cups Dr. Brown’s bottles. Oh, by the way, also, they also make me nervous. It is just called the baby’s first straw cup. I had to actually look to see what it was. And do you see that it has like a little dongle. I don’t even know what this thing is called but depending on it’s your baby’s first straw cup. Which by the way, Marnie, if you have oral motor development issues you should go to a straw cup sooner than later. One of the biggest issues with the freaking straw cup is that when your baby is drinking out of the straw, the straw just stays stationary into wherever the straw is coming down. But Dr. Brown’s made the babies for a straw cup. And it has a little dongle that will always move. Do we like the word dongle? I don’t actually think they call it a dongle, it probably hasn’t made. I don’t know what they call this bottom piece, so it has a little bottom piece that no matter where your kid is drinking out of this straw cup it is always going to grab the fluid on the bottom.
They also make sippy bottles too. So, when you’re transitioning from a bottle to a sippy cup. See this top, I should have taken this out of his package but of course it’s wrapped up for the protection of your children. This is wrapped up in a store, but honestly I think it would be easier to break into the Treasury a la Nicholas Cage movie. I think that was an easier time than getting into the packaging. This has handles, so if you do not like to see that this is the taller one and it has handles and then your baby could just drink, drink, drink, drink, and you got that too.
I would love two things from you, okay? If you want to win Amazon gift card all I really, just, want you to do, it’s a shout-out thank you to Dr. Browns. because it’s called the flexible straw. Julie just told me, I really just want you to thank them. And not just thank them because they’re a partner of ours, and because this is a sponsored opportunity but they never say no to us.
Never say no. We work with a lot of people. They are so wonderful to work with and their products are exquisite when we have families that have Micro-preemies or we have families that are really, you know, in need of something. It’s just they are always there for us, so, just like they are making products that are always there for your babies the heart is actually in their corporation. And I’m not saying that the rest of the corporations in the universe stink I’m saying that you could see why they spend so much time and so much money on product development and research. And getting their bottles out there and working with nonprofits like Graham’s Foundation, which is for Micro preemies. They’re just extraordinary people so that is really what I want you to just say thank you. I want you to see them I want you to recognize them for who they are and not just as a partner of Twiniversity. But as a humble pillar in the baby industry, there’s when you go to these baby trade shows there is 86 bazillion different companies that are selling you this is new one. That’s new when this bottle does this and this bottle does this and this funnel does that and Dr. Brown just basically sits there and says this is what we do. If you want to win it’s going to be a $20 Amazon gift card which will help you cover your Dr. Brown’s flexible straw cups or transition cups or baby bottles or whatever it would be our honor to give that to you. So just shout out and say thank you. And look Jamie’s even confirming what I said that they provide you know products of the NICU.
They’re really, really, really, really, really, exquisite people. Guys, I just want to say thank you from me to you. If you have a minute, I would love, if you would go review my book on Amazon. You read it or if you would just go on to Twiniversity and review our classes. If you got to take them, I hope to see you very, very soon. I am waiting for this summer to end so that I could get back on our regular schedule and the twins go back in school. And me and Julie have a regular work day again instead of me working at midnight 2 a.m. or 6 o’clock in the morning, it is crazy.
And congratulations Moe Brown you have won our $20 Amazon gift card thanks so much for playing with us today. I thank you. Julie, thank you all of our regular Twiniversity people thank you so much and until next time. And I will see you next time, I’ll actually see you on Friday or Thursday. Julie when will I see them? We have something coming up, Julie will tell you we have another live feed coming up on Thursday and Friday. More prizes, cool prizes, great prizes, prizes that you’re going to love too. So, know that you will see me this week, keep an eye out make sure that your alerts are on from when we have a live feed ads. Guys see you later alligators. I love ya and thanks so much for watching. Bye kids!
