The best anti-colic bottle to prevent stomach cramps

Anti-colic means anti-stomach cramps. A lot of babies suffer from stomach cramps or colic in the first six months of their life. There can be several causes of this. One of the common causes of baby cramps is swallowing too much air during feeding. Swallowed air can cause stomach cramps, but it can also lead to vomiting and burping. For this reason, it is important to limit the amount of swallowed air as much as possible. You can do this by using a bottle with an anti-colic system.

What is an anti-colic system?

With baby bottles (see our easy grip baby bottles) without an anti-colic system, the bottle teat develops a vacuum when drinking. This is because the air runs out and can’t be renewed as long as your baby is drinking. In order to let new air into the bottle, your child has to stop drinking, which leads to the intake of unnecessary extra air. An anti-colic system ensures a supply of air while drinking, so your baby doesn't have to interrupt their feeding and vacuum sucking is prevented.

Air in your baby’s food causes stomach cramps

With standard anti-colic baby bottles, the required air is sucked into the bottle via a valve in the bottle teat. This means that the air has to pass through the food to the back of the bottle. With this, it is inevitable that some of the air will end up in the food. Your baby will swallow this air, which will cause cramps. Air in the food also negatively affects the quality of its nutrients and vitamins.

Anti-colic system ensures less unnecessary air

It is important to separate food and air. A good anti-colic bottle separates the necessary air from the food. This way, your baby will not swallow unnecessary air, and stomach cramps will be prevented or reduced. Nutrients and vitamins will also be better preserved.

Types of anti-colic systems

Besides the system where air is sucked into the bottle via a valve in the bottle teat, there are also two other well-known anti-colic systems. A system with a straw/tube and an anti-colic system with a valve in the bottom of the bottle.

Anti-colic system with a straw or tube

The advantage of an anti-colic system with a straw or a tube is that the air doesn’t mix with the food. A disadvantage is that the tube is narrow and therefore difficult to clean without a special brush. This system is also not suitable for thicker foods, such as foods thickened with carob gum. The tube/straw gets clogged and loses its function.

Anti-colic valve in the bottom of the baby bottle

The Difrax anti-colic baby bottle has an anti-colic system in the bottom of the bottle. The silicone anti-colic valve is placed on a special bottom with air holes. While drinking, the necessary air is sucked into the bottle through the holes and the valve in the bottom. Because the required air goes directly to the bottom of the bottle, it doesn’t have to pass through the food. This way, less/no air will end up in the baby’s intestines, and nutrients and vitamins A, C and E are optimally preserved. The bottle is completely demountable, including the valve in the bottom. This makes the bottle easy to clean by hand and in the dishwasher. Super hygienic!

Ergonomic drinking position

The most natural drinking position for a baby is lying or sitting up straight, facing you. When using a straight baby bottle, it needs to be tilted vertically to allow the milk to flow to the teat. As the bottle gets emptier, it needs to be tilted further and further. In order to properly hold the bottle teat in the mouth, the baby will need to tilt its neck backward (unnecessarily straining the neck), and the feeder will have to move their arm higher and higher. This is not an ergonomic feeding position.

The Difrax S-bottle has a curved shape. Because the bottom of the bottle is higher than the top during the feeding, the milk continues to flow naturally toward the bottle teat. This means that the bottle can be held horizontally during the feeding. Your baby does not have to put any strain on its neck and the feeder can keep their arm and shoulder in a natural position alongside the body.

Click here to go to all Difrax Anti-Colic Baby Bottles.