Are Lansinoh Glass Bottles Lead-Free?

Lansinoh glass bottles are a great option when needing a larger than 5-6 oz wide mouth bottle in glass for your infant.  There was some question about three years ago as to whether the paint on the logo was lead-free.  This type of information stays on the internet forever, so we wanted to clear things up.  

Lansinoh changed their logo in 2023 and sources from Lansinoh recently stated to Lactation Connection in writing that the bottles contain no lead so you can be assured that they are now lead-free aka Pb-free if you are purchasing the Lansinoh 8oz Glass Bottles with the new logo.

We would not recommend buying older bottles with the older oval logo shown above out of an abundance of caution.  Above is an image of the older logos along with the dates of use by Lansinoh.  Below are images of the new glass bottles and where you can purchase to be assured you are receiving only the new style. 

Lactation Connection as a company prides itself on sending you what is pictured so as another example if you are buying Spectra bottles two-pack you will see pictured the new beige cap style which is what you are being sent or the Spectra pink logo bottle singles which are also always sent as pictured.  The pink logo bottles are being discontinued so the pink Spectra bottles will only be available while supplies last.

Here's to finding the feeding supplies you need,

Tanya

Spectra Bottles: Spectra Pink & Gold Bottles + New Ivory Design

Big news: Spectra is making changes to their bottles!  

As inventory rolls over, all Spectra products will begin featuring a new bottle to replace the pink and gold ones.  The new bottle features an easier to grip and easier to read design as well as a gender neutral ivory colored collar, sealing disc and cap.  So if you have a boy, and you are using the bottles for feeding, going from pink to ivory is a bonus!  

The wider base is very helpful to prevent tipping and crying over spilled milk, but they will not fit in the bottle holder; if you were unsure, that is what the round hole on the S1 and S2 was for.  Since it only held a single bottle, most moms weren't using it anyway.  Lactation Connection offers a Dual Dock Double Bottle Holder that is specifically designed to hold all Spectra bottles including the new ivory design!

The new ivory bottle design is compatible with all Spectra breast shield flanges!

The bad news is that if you love the Spectra gold logo bottles with the white collar, they are being discontinued which means if you want those, you need to buy them up fast.  You can always see what bottles are currently available for breast milk storage and feeding here.

Beware, because unlike Lactation Connection, most companies do not update their product images like we do.  When you buy from us, we pride ourselves on keeping our images up to date.  And if we have a change that we could not predict, we contact you before we ship! Breastmilk Bandit's Dual Dock Bottle Holder acommodates two Spectra bottles and tames your tubing as well!  Unique design will securely hold the new ivory bottles as well as the pink and white gold bottles. The new double bottle holder is available in blue and white. Pink is coming soon!

So far, the Spectra pink bottles can still purchased separately for breastmilk storage and feeding separately.  But again, if you are purchasing a premium accessory kit from anyone other than Lactation Connection, you may not receive the bottles you think you are getting in the kit or even if you are purchasing a new Spectra breast pump.  View our selection of breast pumps for up to date images.

If you have questions about any of our products, there is a link to click on each product detail page like the one pictured here: 

Just go the product on our website that you have a question about, and you will find the option to ask a question on the product page!  We are happy to help!

Here's to storing your breast milk your way!

Tanya

Which Bottle Nipples are Best for Breastfeeding?

Recently a question came in from an expectant mama as to whether the Avent bottles were best for breastfeeding.      

In years past, I recommended Avent bottles more often than not.  Today, with design changes to Avent and other great choices on the market, I thought I would help this mother and others with information on choosing the right bottle for your baby with today's blog.

Nipple Confusion and Flow Preference

First, let me say that introducing a bottle before six weeks can be problematic.  It is essential that your baby learn to latch well and nurse from the breast frequently during not only the learning period but also during the three week and six week growth spurt phase so that mom's milk supply can be stimulated by the increased suckling during those time periods.  Infant's nurse differently from a bottle which is why the term nipple confusion is prevalent.  When nursing from the breast, the baby uses a wave motion to draw the nipple into the mouth, but when using a bottle the baby traps the bottle nipple in the roof of the mouth or thrusts the tonged toward the bottle nipple opening to control the overwhelming flow from the bottle. In addition, feeding from a bottle gives the infant immediate gratification whereas the infant must suck for approximately 30-60 seconds from the breast to achieve let-down. As human beings, we tend to prefer immediate gratification even thought this is not best for the infant.  Suckling at the breast aids in tooth and jaw development in addition to many other benefits. If there is a medical need to supplement prior to the six week mark, a feeding syringe is best to avoid preference of a faster flow.  See our blog post on syringe feeding.

Introducing a Bottle

Once the infant has passed the six week growth spurt and you are ready to introduce a bottle, the type of bottle nipple used can make for a smoother transition from breast to bottle and vice versa.  I always recommend silicone slow flow nipples with a large area for the baby to latch.  See image below for an example of this type of bottle nipple.  

Shallow or narrow nipples do not allow for the infant to flare out or rosebud their lips like they do on the breast. Or at least not onto a soft are but only only onto hard plastic.  This shallow nipple discourages infants to take enough of the nipple into their mouths.  This behavior can transfer to breastfeeding causing the infant to only take moms nipple and not at least the recommended inch of the areola into their mouth.  If this shallow latch happens on the breast, it causes nipple pain in mom and poor milk transfer for the infant.  The milk transfer is not well achieved unless the infant latches onto the areola where the breastmilk pools in the milk sinuses.  Pacifiers with this breast-like shape are also recommended such as the Ninni Co Pacifier.

Below are some links to bottles and nipples that meet the criteria for the infant to latch well onto the bottle and back onto the breast:

Spectra Bottles with Nipples

Motif Luna Bottles and Motif Luna Nipples

Many experts believe that in addition to a wider base, a graduated sloped shape is recommended such as the Evenflo Balance Nipples as optimal for infants.  

Nipple Flow

In addition, breast fed babies feed more efficiently due to their increase in jaw development so there is no need for a higher volume flow when purchasing nipples.  You only need to purchase slow flow or newborn nipples in most cases unless your baby has suck difficulty or tongue tie, etc.  Bottle companies often put an age range on nipples to encourage moms to purchase more from the company, but you only need to replace nipples when they yellow or if they drip too quickly. If you baby needs an even slower flow, the Pigeon Super Slow Flow can be very beneficial and it is compatible with Spectra, Motif and Lansinoh wide-mouth bottles as well as the Evenflo Balance + GLASS bottle.

Pigeon Nipples

Best wishes as you prepare for baby!

Tanya

Troubleshooting: When to Replace Breast Pump Parts & Accessories

If your breast pump is not suctioning the way it used to, the problem often lies in one of two breast pump parts.  Most breast pumps have a valve plus a diaphragm, filter or backflow protector.  The number one cause of low suction is a dirty, torn or worn out valve.  If you valve is the type that has a valve head and membrane shown here, it is imperative that you remove these parts when cleaning.  The valve membrane will retain a build up that decreases the suction.  Taking the membrane apart from the head is essential to remove this build-up.  If you see that the membrane will no longer close completely with the head or if it has a tear, replace it as soon as possible.

If your breast pump has a duckbill valve (shown below) which in most cases is a clear or white valve, the tip of the duckbill must be able to close completely.  If it remains open, the amount of pressure your pump can provide is decreased.  As a rule, if you are pumping three times per day or more, replace duckbill valves every six to eight weeks at minimum.  This is a small maintenance expense that will reward you in the dividend of a healthier milk supply.

One example of essential breast pump parts that need replacement are the Spectra S2 parts that include the white duckbill valve and the backflow protector.  These two parts are the most commonly replaced parts for Spectra breast pumps and if either of these parts is used for longer that eight weeks, the amount of pressure your breast pump has can be decreased.  The longer you use a breast pump with parts that are not functioning at capacity, the greater the chance of decreasing milk supply.

The most commonly replaced parts for each brand are listed below:

Spectra - duckbill valve, backflow protector
Ameda - duckbill valve, diaphragms

Motif - duckbill valve, diaphragms 
Hygiea - duckbill valve, bacteriostatic filter
ARDO - duckbill valve, membrane pot
PJ's Limerick - micron filter, silicone gasket
Bailey Nurture III - filter

Breast pumps that do not have closed systems such as Medela do not need parts replaced as often, but open system can lead to exposure of bacteria to breast milk so we do not recommend these pumps.

Lactation Connection offers subscription services for replacement parts on our most popular brands so that you don't forget to replace them on a regular basis.  We only sell authentic manufacturers parts for Spectra, Ameda, Hygeia, ARDO, Limerick, Bailey, Rumble Tuff and BelleMa to ensure quality of performance in your breast pump.

Salud! Here is to a healthy milk supply!
Tanya