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Whether you plan to breastfeed or formula feed, you’ll need bottles. Whether it’s for exclusive feeding, for pumping, or for storage, bottles that mimic the breast are the best option for your baby because it promotes a smooth transition and a healthy latch.
While nipple confusion and problems latching are rare, it can be scary, especially for new moms, so having a bottle that gives you an extra bit of comfort can mean the world.
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Who the Mimijumi is For
The team at Mimijumi developed this bottle for breastfeeding moms who want to avoid nipple confusion. Moms who are moving from breast to bottle often have a big dilemma.
Bottle feeding can often also make your baby too lazy to breastfeed. It offers them instant gratification, whereas latching to a breast is a bit harder and they have to work for a letdown. The flow is much slower.
However, the Mimijumi solves that problem. The slow flow nipples are meant to mimic the flow of the breast so your baby won’t get the instant gratification from rapid feeding. They’ll still get the nutrients they need, but they’ll have to work for it, just like they do at the breast, so they won’t get used to being fed.
Visually, the Mimijumi looks like a breast as well, so the hope is that your baby will not only receive a reward for working for their food, but they’ll also associate the same look and feel of a breast with eating.
This bottle could definitely be cost-prohibitive for some, so it’s best to buy one to make sure your baby likes it before splurging on several. However, if it does work for you, it’s definitely worth it.
What You Should Know
Using any bottle on a baby learning to breastfeed is tricky. There’s always the potential for undoing the progress you’ve made, no matter what type of bottle you choose, but that’s the benefit to using a bottle that’s specifically designed like a breast.
There are others out there besides the Mimijumi, and they’re all intended to make it easier for moms, whether it’s returning to work, focusing on maintaining a busy social life with a baby in tow, or simply wanting other people to be able to join you in feeding your baby.
Supplementing your breastfeeding sessions with Mimijumi, or any of the other great breastfeeding bottle options on the market means you can continue about your day knowing that your baby is getting everything they need.
Dad won’t feel left out, you might actually get a little shut-eye during those hectic night feedings once in a while, and you have a little extra peace of mind.
Just make sure you read up on the Mimijumi as well as the other alternatives to make sure you choose the right one for you or try them all to see which one your baby likes the best.
The Mimijumi Bottle
The flesh-colored nipple very closely resembles a breast and is designed to feel like one also. The hope is that it will work well for transitioning from breast to bottle and back.
It comes in a 4-ounce and an 8-ounce version and every bottle comes with a cap and a slow-flow nipple.
Features
You’ve probably already caught on to some of the more unique features that Mimijumi has to offer. Here’s a more in-depth look at what you can look forward to if you decide to give it a try.
Material
The bottle itself is made from high-quality Swiss nylon, so it’s a lot firmer than a pure silicone bottle. It offers a firm base that helps eliminate spills. The bottle is strong and sturdy, so they’re also durable.
The nylon material is also clear and glass-like, so they have a more sophisticated appearance, which many moms prefer.
The nipple is made of medical-grade silicone. The texture is soft and smooth and babies have a hard time differentiating it from a real breast. It doesn’t have a plastic feel like some other silicone nipples do.
It’s a great natural feeling that helps you avoid nipple confusion, which is something else that plagues a mom’s mind early on.
No harmful chemicals
It wasn’t long ago that food containers were lined with BPA, and that included baby bottles. These days, BPA has been banned by the FDA, but that doesn’t mean manufacturers don’t still try to get away with using it.
It’s cheaper, so it allows them to cut costs and corners in their manufacturing processes. The Mimijumi bottle doesn’t contain any BPA, nor does it have any other harmful chemicals like latex, BPS, lead, or phthalates.
You also won’t find any Estrogenic Activity agents here. It’s a completely safe bottle that you can use without any harmful effects on your baby.
Non-skid base
There’s nothing worse than filling your baby’s bottle with milk and then accidentally bumping it over before getting a chance to put the lid on. Most bottles don’t have non-skid bases.
And it’s not that they have slippery bases either, they’re just not designed to grip the counter.
Mumijumi, on the other hand, is made with a non-skid base that will hug the surface it’s sitting on, so it wont fall over at the slightest bump.
You can fill the bottle without it sliding all over the place and still hold a wiggly baby in your arms.
Leak-proof nipple
If you’ve ever held a bottle upside down, you know that not every nipple is leak-proof. In fact, a lot of them will drip all over the place. But if you turn the Mimijumi bottle upside down with any liquid inside it at all, it won’t leak a drop.
It contains a non-free flow mechanism that prevents the liquid from coming out without any force behind it (i.e. when your baby sucks on it).
This is a great feature because it can be really frustrating to find a bottle toppled over at the bottom of your diaper bag. Not only have you lost all of the milk your baby needs to drink, but now everything is wet and needs to be cleaned.
The mechanism is also a great way for your baby to learn to control the flow. It doesn’t provide an instant gratification as other bottles do. Instead, the milk only comes out when your baby works at it, and if your baby sucks slowly, the milk only comes out slowly.
Angled neck
There are a few other bottles out there that have angled necks like the Mimijumi, and the benefit here is that when you invert the bottle while feeding, the nipple remains horizontal. This allows your baby to latch correctly, much like they would at your breast.
Your baby will be able to grasp during feeding and enjoy a more natural experience. The tilted neck also enables you to keep your baby in the proper upright position rather than lying flat.
Anti-colic vents
Like most bottles on the market today, the Mimijumi bottle comes with anti-colic vents that help reduce the ingestion of air. This can reduce gas build-up, fussiness, acid reflux, and a lot of other discomforts.
The vents allow air to enter and exit the bottle without ever mixing with the milk. It minimizes the amount of air your baby swallows during feeding, in conjunction with the non-free flow mechanism.
Ease of Use
The combination of a non-skid base and a wide mouth makes these bottles easy to use, especially while holding a hungry baby. If you’ve already spilled too many bottles to count, you’ll be able to appreciate this.
Because the nipple screws directly onto the bottle without an extra lid, you can also open and close them with one hand. It’s just one more part you don’t have to worry about. There’s also not the added problem of trying to get the perfect, no leak seal.
The problem comes with putting the travel cap on. It doesn’t stay in place very well, which can be frustrating, but thanks to the non-free flow mechanism, you don’t really need the travel cap because the bottle shouldn’t leak.
Cleaning
The bottles are also very easy to clean. They don’t have a lot of weird angles or funny shapes, so you don’t need a bottle brush to reach every corner. The mouth is wide enough to reach inside as well, making it convenient.
They also don’t have a lot of parts, which makes them easy to clean and store. It won’t take you a lot of time to clean or set up.
Milk Flow
While your baby controls the flow with these bottles, some people do complain that the nipple is still too fast. You can graduate to different flows as your baby grows out of the slowest, but even the slowest may be too fast for some.
Others report that the nipple is too long and hard for a newborn to use. If you observe the shape, the nipple is quite long and much longer than a human nipple would be. It may cause some newborns to gag if they’re not already acclimated to breastfeeding.
Quality
The bottle is rigid, and while the build quality is excellent, your baby may actually notice the difference. While the nipple is made of medical-grade silicone, it’s not quite as soft as a human breast and may take some getting used to.
Pros
- Contains no harmful chemicals
- Easy to open and close with just one hand
- Non-skid bottom
- No lid or extra parts makes it easy to use and clean
- Non-free flow mechanism prevents leaking
- Baby controls flow
- Design reduces instant gratification and mimics the breastfeeding experience
Cons
- Milk flow could be too fast for some newborns
- The nipple may cause gagging in newborns
- Expensive
Alternatives
If you’re not sure which bottle is right for you, there are plenty of alternatives. Most bottle manufacturers advertise that they’re most like the breast, so it can be confusing. Here are some of the best alternatives to the Mimijumi. Custom Java Development Services
Comotomo Natural Feel Baby Bottle
The Comotomo bottle is made completely of silicone, so it’s soft and squeezable. It truly does resemble a breast. For moms who want a more natural experience, this may be a better option.
The downside to silicone bottles is that they don’t have a firm bottom, so they spill easier. Silicone also absorbs colors and odors much easier than other materials. The Comotomo also has more parts, but the wide mouth makes it easy to clean.
Comotomo baby bottles are deisgned to most closely mimic breastfeeding to reduce bottle rejection and nipple confusion issues. Ultra wide-neck design allows easy cleaning by hand without a brush. Nipple and body is made of 100% safe hygienic silicone.
Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Bottles
The Tommee Tippee Closer To Nature bottles have a softer nipple, so they could be a better choice for newborns. The hourglass shape gives you a more ergonomic grip and will make it easier for your baby to grasp when they get ready to learn.
Tommee Tippee also offers both plastic and glass construction, so you can choose which one you like best.
Breast-like nipple shape for an easy and natural latch—acceptance guaranteed* and 97% mom recommended. Super-sensitive slow flow nipple flexes like mom for a comfortable feed, smooth silicone feels closer to skin.
Medela Calma Breastmilk Feeding Bottles
If you really want a bottle that will make your baby work to get the milk, these bottles will only work if your baby creates a vacuum first to get the milk flowing. If you don’t want any breast or bottle confusion at all.
There’s also a flow control valve, and it won’t drip, much like the Mimijumi. The nipple is compatible with all Medela breastmilk bottles, which works really well if you have a Medela pump.
FAQs
Answer: The answer to this question is one of personal preference. Some moms prefer a specific material, whether it’s glass, plastic, or silicone. Other moms focus more on the nipple shape or color.
Other moms may only care about the features of a particular bottle like whether it has a wide mouth, anti-colic vents, fewer parts, or is dishwasher safe.
Some of the most highly-rated brands are Tommee Tippee, Philips Avent, Munchkin Latch, Dr. Brown’s, Medela, and Platex. They’ve been around for a long time. The verdict may still be out on newcomers to the scene, like Comotomo and Mimijumi.
Answer: You can always buy Mimijumi bottles on their website, and their website also has a store locator that helps you find stores near you that carry Mimijumi bottles. You will also find Mimijumi bottles at Walmart and on Amazon.
Answer: Mimijumi bottles are completely dishwasher safe. Just take them apart and put them on the top rack. You can wash the body, cap, nipple, and anti-slip base. You can also sterilize them by boiling them for 5 minutes.
Answer: The answer to this question depends on your intentions for bottle feeding. If you’re not sure you’ll be bottle feeding much at all, you probably don’t need many more than 1-2 bottles, just in case.
If you know you want your spouse or other family and friends to take part in feedings, you’ll want to make sure you have some bottles around that they can use, so make sure you get at least 5-6 bottles
If you’ll be strictly pumping and feeding or you know you’ll be going back to work eventually, you’ll need 8-12 bottles.
However, keep in mind that until you know which bottles your baby likes or takes to, you won’t want to buy more than 1 of each kind. Mimijumi bottles are pricey, so if you really want to try them, it might be worth the price.
For other moms, it’s not, and they’d rather give something more affordable a try first.
Final Thoughts
The Mimijumi bottle has some really great features, but it doesn’t work for everyone. The anti-slip base and the ease of use and cleaning are perhaps some of the best things about it.
If you really want your baby to experience something similar to breastfeeding, there are other bottles out there that offer better nipple shapes and squishier bottles.
As far as price, the Mimijumi is expensive, but for some, the combination of features and natural look is worth it.
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