How does an anti-colic baby bottle work and which system should you choose?

An anti-colic baby bottle lets air into the bottle while your baby drinks, without your baby swallowing that air. This way the bottle cannot create a vacuum and your baby does not have to stop drinking to let air in. There are three types of anti-colic systems. The difference lies in where the air enters the bottle. View the Difrax anti-colic S-bottles straight away.

Why does a baby bottle need an anti-colic system?

In a bottle without an anti-colic system, the air in the bottle runs out while your baby drinks. The bottle then creates a vacuum. Your baby has to stop drinking to let air into the bottle, and swallows extra air in the process. That air can cause tummy cramps, spitting up and burping. An anti-colic system tops up the air in the bottle while your baby drinks. Read more about the causes of cramps in tummy cramps in your baby.

What types of anti-colic systems are there?

Valve in the teat. Air enters the bottle through a valve in the teat. The air then travels through the milk to the back of the bottle. As a result, air bubbles can stay behind in the milk.

Straw or tube. Air travels through a tube to the back of the bottle and does not mix with the milk. The tube is narrow and needs a special brush to clean it. With thicker feeds, such as thickened formula, the tube can become blocked.

Valve in the base. Air enters the bottle from the bottom, straight into the back. So the air does not have to pass through the milk. This is the system in the Difrax anti-colic S-bottle.

How does the Difrax anti-colic S-bottle work?

The patented anti-colic valve in the base provides a constant air supply. As a result, the bottle cannot create a vacuum and the milk keeps flowing evenly. Together with the S-shape, the valve keeps air from mixing with the milk: 100% milk, 0% air. Thanks to the S-shape, the teat always stays filled, even when there is only a little milk left. You don't need to keep tilting the bottle further, as with a straight bottle, so you and your baby stay relaxed during feeding. This is how the S-bottle reduces the risk of tummy cramps, spitting up and burping.

The S-bottle is fully dismantlable thanks to the screw-off base, with no narrow or hard-to-clean parts. The S-bottle is also available as a glass baby bottle.

Which feeding position suits an anti-colic bottle?

The most natural feeding position for your baby is semi-upright, with their head turned towards you. With a straight bottle, you have to keep tilting the bottle further as it empties. Your baby then has to bend their head back and you have to lift your arm higher and higher. Thanks to the curved shape of the S-bottle, the milk flows to the teat by itself. You hold the bottle almost horizontally and you both stay relaxed.

View all anti-colic S-bottles or read which S-bottle to choose.