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Someone had recommended that we use Avent baby bottles with our newborn. They look really nice, are BPA free, and seem to have a nice concept to help reduce the baby from swallowing gas. The larger nipple size is also supposed to cause less confusion when switching between breast and using a bottle. If you are here reading, you probably have the same problem I've had - the bottles leak!

There is not much worse than having a fussy hungry baby start feeding only to have the newborn drenched in milk / formula. As I do with most problems I encounter these days, I look online. There was a "solution" posted on a guy's blog named Crunchy - which clearly worked for him. Unfortunately, the solution does not work for me and I'm guessing many others.

The problem is very annoying. I tested the bottles with using just water and trying Crunchy's solution of lining up the nipple vents with the collar fins, etc. I tried doing the opposite of what he recommends. Sometimes the bottles leaked, sometimes they don't. I tried not tightening the lids as much, I tried tightening them a lot. It turns out that tightening them a lot worked best - but then the vent design doesn't seem to work so well when the baby is feeding - which negates one of the main benefits of the Avent bottles. Sometimes a nipple and collar on one bottle would leak and when placed on another bottle it wouldn't leak. I just can't seem to find any rhyme or reason. The worst is when the baby starts to feed and the formula just starts pouring out below the collar - wasting the milk and making a mess. Leaky bottles are NOT fun.

The Avent bottles are not cheap either, which just adds to the frustration. I called the Phillip's customer support number - the makers of the Avent bottles - 1-800-542-8368.

The person was extremely polite, took all of my information, and then explained that sometimes if the bottles were used for mixing formula, small bits of formula powder get into the grooves of the bottle / collar and cause problems with forming a proper seal. The recommendation is to use special "sealing discs" on the bottles when mixing formula, and then once mixed, put the lid and nipple on. They said that they would send out a set of these sealing discs at no charge and they would send out new collars in case the original ones I bought were damaged from my mixing powder in the bottles. I was extremely skeptical that this solution would work - as we had mostly used breastmilk in the bottles and the bottles were barely used. Also, I'm not sure how putting a sealing cap over the bottle when mixing will keep the powder from getting into the grooves / fins, etc. But I figured we'd give it a try.

In the meantime, while at Baby's R Us, we bought a dozen Evenflo plastic (BPA free of course) bottles that were only $10 for a dozen! That's about the price of a single Avent bottle. Perhaps I'll post my experiences with the Evenflo bottle elsewhere.

After a few days, we received the sealing discs and new collars in the mail. Before putting any formula in the bottles, I decided to test the new collars with just water. Sure enough, the bottles leaked. One bottle seems to leak significantly more than another, so maybe there is something that is wrong with particular bottles. Either way, they both leaked unless the lid was made very tight - again - negating the benefit of the vents.

I called customer service again. Again they were extremely polite. The woman I spoke to said that they would send out replacement bottles since the new collars didn't work. I said I was skeptical that new bottles would make any difference. She said that the formula could have done damage to the bottles. I said that the bottles were not that old and we rarely even used formula in the bottles. She said she is only authorized to send out replacements, but I could speak to a supervisor if I'd like. I of course opted to speak to a supervisor.

I'm on a very brief hold - maybe 1 minute - and a supervisor comes on the phone. He was also very polite - but not really any more helpful. He said they would send out new bottles if I okayed it. I said that looking on the internet, I have seen that many people have problems with the Avent bottles leaking and I don't think it is an issue with the particular bottles I received, especially since I received them from three different stores. He said that with the amount of products they make, there are going to be some problems and people don't post as many of the positives online as the negatives. I asked if they could issue a refund if I return the bottles - I'm not convinced new bottles would fix the leaking issues. He said that only the stores can issue refunds and he is only able to send a replacement. I asked if they have any other products that don't have leaking issues that function as baby bottles. He said that as I have the honey colored bottles, they also make a milky colored bottle that is very popular. He said that there have also been complaints about the milky colored bottles leaking. He said that if the new bottles leak, I should call and they will continue to work towards a solution.

I am now waiting to receive the new bottles, which I will possible attempt to return to the stores where I bought the bottles, for a full refund as I really doubt that new bottles will perform any differently. It would be a different issue if they said they were aware of some manufacturing defects in some bottles which have been corrected - in which case I'd gladly try new bottles. No - they don't admit to any particular problems - suggesting the issue was due to mixing formula in the bottles.

All in all - a very unsatisfactory resolution. I may try one of the new bottles just to confirm that it has the same leaking issue - I don't want to disparage the product unfairly. The company does provide extremely polite and responsive customer support - it is just that their solution seems inadequate at this time. Unfortunately, if they are distributing a product with a design flaw, they are going to continue to have a difficult time providing polite customer support.

In the meantime, as I said above, I'm using the Evenflo classic bottles with the slowest flow nipples. Our baby seems to get the food quite a bit faster than with the Avent bottles - even the 1-3 months Avent nipples. She has been fussy while eating with the new bottles at times, but I'm not sure if that is because of the bottles/nipples or just her changes from day to day. Interestingly, she has seemed less gassy since using the Evenflo bottles.

I may have to check out a few more bottles and then put together a post with my findings on each.

So I got the replacement bottles. I opened a package of 2 of the bottles and tested them out with just water. Interestingly, the caps seemed to fit a bit snugger and unless I had the bottle very loose, it didn't leak. I went ahead and mixed up a bottle of formula - using the caps they sent. I'm not sure at all why the mixing discs would make any difference - as the powder can still get into the grooves of the bottle and the ring, but I followed what they said. Baby did a great job drinking from the bottle - although it was harder to burp her. I'm wondering if she did get less gas in, but that might be why she didn't burp as easily as with the Evenflo bottles? Anyway - later that night, my wife went to feed her using pumped breast milk and sure enough - it leaked. Ridiculous. I'll be giving another call to Avent next week just to let them know the new bottles didn't solve anything.

I've heard many people rave about the Mr. Brown's bottles - but a few people report those leak as well. I'm thinking my baby would do a lot better with the Evenflo if they had an even slower flow nipple. She is able to drink 2 ounces of formula in 5 minutes with the Evenflo, and that could be why she sometimes coughes and gags while eating.

I'm curious what Avent will suggest next time I call. Very frustrating.

I have been using Evenflo since my baby was born. He is three months and I just found som Avent bottles that I was given at my babyshower. They leak. I was very surprised because the way less expensive Evenflo don't leak at all. My baby drank quicker from the avent newborn bottles than he does from his slow flow Evenflo bottles though but the Avent did leak. I'm glad I did not pay for them as they were a gift. I'm staying with the Evenflo. He has no problem with them although I think I will change the flow rate to a quicker flow since he is now 3 months. Good luck. I'm sorry your Avent experience was not a good one but I'm glad I am not alone in that.

new mom,

Thanks for posting your experiences. I never did call back Avent about the leaking replacement bottles. Now I have multiple bottles they replaced that are unopened that I just never used. Instead, we bought cheap Evenflo bottles from Toys R Us and we've been using them since. Once the baby got to be over 3 months, we did get the next larger size nipple (I think they come in slow, medium, and fast flow) and that has helped our baby feed faster.

I have noticed at times the Evenflo bottles leak too. Interestingly, this seems to occur when the nipple gets clogged with some formula. Once I clear the nipple, the formula won't leak out around the collar.

It's really too bad about the Avent bottles as they do seem really nice. There is little worse than having a fussy, hungry baby get soaked with formula and not get food. We're sticking with the Evenflo.