It’s crazy how time flies. Scarlett will be a month old on Thursday. I feel like it was just yesterday when I was sitting in the hospital with her in my arms. But the reality is, the days of holding a tiny 6-pounder are quickly passing. And so are the days of her only needing a few ounces of breastmilk. This girl can EAT and I’m doing my best to keep up. Like other breastfeeding moms, I feel tethered to my house because I’m my kid’s sole food source.
Scarlett is exclusively fed breastmilk. And that means mama is on a short leash. If you read my first post in my First Weeks As A Baby Hostage series, then you’ll know I’m all about giving little ones what they need while finding ways to extend that leash. In this case, that means I gotta pump and bottle feed.
As a breastfeeding mama, I strongly believe bottle feeding is a necessity to ensuring that freedom. My journey to maintaining my freedom & finding the best bottles for my babies lead me to a perfectly named bottle known as the Boob. (Note: This post is not strictly for breastfeeding moms. What I’m writing here works for bottle fed babies using breastmilk and formula.)
My Freedom…My Joovy Boob
The wonderful bottle known as the Boob is produced by Joovy. If you’re not familiar with them, they make amazing baby and child-rearing products. The Boob really is one of the best brands of bottles out there and I’m lucky I found it. Like his younger sister, my son Westley received breast milk either from me or the bottle. Two years ago, my husband and I researched and tried a few different bottle brands from Tommee Tippee to Medela. All seemed to be okay and helped to loosen up my breastfeeding restraints, but I wasn’t thrilled with how Westley was responding to any of them. He always seemed gassy and my husband seemed frustrated. Then one day while staring blankly at the bottle wall at Buy Buy Baby, the word “Boob” jumped out at me. I remember thinking “That’s a hilarious name for a baby bottle brand.” I figured I’d give it a try.
Photo Credit: Joovy
So I purchased a Joovy Boob bottle for a few dollars and went home with it (and too many other baby items.) To say I was pleased is an understatement. After a few uses, I found some interesting improvements in Westley’s feeding. And now with Scarlett, I’m seeing the same. Here are some of those improvements and learnings I experienced by making Boob our preferred bottle choice.
Going From A Boob To The BOOB Is Easy
In my birthing class, I was constantly made aware of how going from breastfeeding to bottle feeding can cause nipple confusion. I noticed a delay with my son when I switched from the breast to the bottles that came with my pumps. This bothered me and made me want to cut back on bottle feeding. I appreciated my freedom, but not at the expense of my son. After switching to Joovy exclusively for bottle feeding, the drinking delay diminished quickly. I think Joovy’s claim that their nipples are “shaped like mom to promote easy and natural ‘latching'” is spot on.
Works With My On-The-Go Breast Pump
Occasionally I need to use my breast pump on the go. What’s great about the Boob is Joovy makes a wonderful adapter that works with lots of pumps, like my Medela Pump In Style Advanced Breast Pump. So now I don’t have to play musical bottles in the car or in public – pumping in a Medela bottle, pouring my milk into a Boob, then feeding Scarlett without spilling any liquid gold.
It’s great because I can pump straight into the bottle and feed Scarlett without being under a breastfeeding cover while I’m on the go! FREEDOM!!! (Dear Joovy, if you’re reading this, consider making a pump altogether. I bet it would be awesome.)
Say Bye Bye to Burps
I noticed my children spit up and burp less with the Joovy Boob. Joovy claims their CleanFlow Vent system – an extra silicone ring that fits inside the bottle – allows for proper venting which reduces air intake. They claim that this allows for a reduction in colic. I’d agree with that. Scarlett is definitely less gassy / colic-y on the Boob versus other brands. Now when I’m out running errands, I feel a lot less worried knowing my hubs and Scarlett are having an easier time at home when it’s time for her to eat. I don’t have to worry about coming home to a screaming, gassy baby and a migraine-having husband.
A Few Boob Bloopers
So even though I am team Boob, there are a few minor issues. They definitely do not offset the benefits, but I want to make you aware of them so you can avoid the problems I encountered.
There Are A Few Things To Vent About
The CleanFlow Vent is great. The problem is if you’re a sleep deprived parent then you might have an “Oops” moment and forget to place the ring on The Boob. If you do that, say goodbye to your precious liquid gold. If you’re a breastfeeding or pumping mama, then you know how precious every drop of breastmilk is, especially as you’re building your supply. Unfortunately, this time seems to overlap with the time when you’re getting your ish together on less than 6 hours of sleep. So you may very well forget the ring. Don’t freak out. The good news is, it’s not like a boatload of milk comes flying out.
You Should Put A New Ring On It
Overall, the pieces that make up the Joovy Boob system last. The only thing we really needed to replace were the sealing rings. They start to wear out after awhile. Unfortunately, I found this out the hard way. Last year I was enjoying my freedom with my son, when I heard him make a strange noise in his car seat. Much to my horror I pulled over and found him covered in milk. The sealing ring came loose. I won’t lie, I was pissed and immediately called Joovy. Oh did I unload on the poor guy who got my call (I’m sorry Dave). I told him that it was unacceptable for the ring to loosen and get milk all over my kid. I have to tell you, that Dave was incredibly personable and comforting. Instead of saying that there’s nothing he could do other than explain that the problem was the ring was worn, he sent me new rings and other bottles to try. Insert SHOCKED FACE. Not only did he help me understand that the rings wear out after a long time, he won me over with his service. So now, I seriously won’t switch from Joovy. They’re always my first stop when looking for new baby products. I have their Loo Potty Chair and Groove Ultralight Lightweight Umbrella Stroller and I love them too.
After all of that, I’m just going to say it, I love Boob! So if you’re interested in trying the Boob, you can find them at:
And when you’re ready to make the transition from bottle to sippy cup, they have a great option that builds naturally on the Boob – the Dood. The Dood looks and feels similar to the Boob which I think made it easier for Westley to make the transition from bottle to cup. I’ll be honest, he wasn’t crazy about the spout, but practicing with the Dood helped him embrace the concept of drinking from a sippy cup. (We ended up making the full bottle to cup transition by using The Little Green Pouch. Check out how we did that in this post).
So let me know if you end up trying out the Joovy Boob and let me know if you have any questions. Hope this helps you break free of the boob-y trap too!
