Which Natural Response nipple suits my baby best?

Newborn babies tend to follow the same pattern when breastfeeding as they do while bottle-feeding. We recommend watching your baby’s cues to find the best nipple flow rate.

The Philips Avent Natural Response nipples are available in flow rates from 1 to 5 in the United States and Canada and from 1 to 6 in other countries. Nipples with the highest flow rate 6 are more suitable for thicker liquids or babies who want a fast flow.

Start with the nipple that comes with the bottle and adjust from there. If you have no success after a few feeding attempts, change to a different nipple flow rate. Use a higher flow rate if your baby falls asleep during feeding, gets frustrated, or plays with the nipple instead of drinking. Use a lower flow rate if your baby is gulping the milk down or if milk drips out of its mouth during feeding.

Enthusiastic babies use strong suction and compression while drinking, resulting in greater milk flow. Therefore, they usually need a lower nipple flow, such as nipple number 1 or 2, to avoid overflow. Slow and steady drinking babies are likely to prefer a higher nipple flow (such as nipple number 4 or 5/6) to ensure enough milk flows, regardless of age.

If you used the previous Natural nipple, your baby may need a higher flow rate with the Natural Response nipple because they are used to more milk flowing quickly with less effort.

Finding the right nipple is important:
If your newborn baby is consistently not taking enough milk throughout the feeding sessions or has complications in getting milk, switch to a nipple with a higher flow rate.  
If persistent feeding issues occur, consult a healthcare professional.