Successful Breastfeeding Essentials: Calma Bottle by Medela #Review

Welcome to my Successful Breastfeeding Essentials series! This is the second review of several products that have helped me have a successful breast feeding experience. Starting September 1st at the end of the reviews, I’ll host a giveaway in which one winner will receive all of the items in the Successful Breast Feeding Essentials series. Be sure to check out the Udder Covers Gift Set review and come back in a few days for the My Feeding Friend review, too! Today, we will take a look at the Calma bottle by Medela!

We have used Medela products since Donovan was born and really like them. They are well designed, easy to clean, and generally compact, making them easy to travel with. And my Medela breast pump has made pumping milk for those times when Daddy or big brother wants to feed or when I can’t be there much easier. So when I heard that Medela had designed a new bottle specifically to support breastfeeding, I was eager to try it out.

The Calma bottle’s nipple is very different from conventional bottles. Regular bottles release milk continuously, whether the baby is sucking or not, forcing the baby to change the way he feeds in order to stop the milk flow and breathe. This creates nipple confusion and can make transitioning back and forth between bottle and breast difficult. Unlike regular bottles, Calma will only release milk when the baby sucks and creates a vacuum, just like when breastfeeding. And it has a vented nipple to help avoid gassiness. For more information on how Calma was designed, check out the Why Calma page on Medela’s website or take a look at the Calma News Release for info, images, and video.

We gave Calma a try when Avery was just a few days old. As with Donovan, I started pumping breast milk early so that Daddy can feed the baby, too, and so that I can have an occasional break from being the only source of food. It took Avery a moment to figure out that he was supposed to suck on the rubber thing in his mouth in order to get milk. But, once he got latched on to Calma, he ate like a champ. I like that the nipple slows feeding down so that he swallows less air. And I also like that the Calma nipple fits on any of Medela’s bottles, so we could use it with the bottles we had already. The nipple is also a one-size fits all deal. There’s no need to buy larger nipples as the baby grows. The only downside is that the three components of the nipple (rubber nipple, milk flow regulator, and stabilizer) are a little more complicated to take apart, clean, and reassemble than regular nipples. But, that’s a small price to pay for a bottle that is more compatible with breastfeeding!

Buy It: To see where you can purchase Calma, click here: Where to Buy.

Win It: Come back September 1st for your chance to win a Calma bottle and other great breastfeeding support prizes!

*I received the above item for review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.