Dr. Brown's Natural Flow Anti-Colic Options+ Narrow Bottles, 4 oz, 4-Pack
Dr. Brown's Options+ Narrow is a BPA-free polypropylene 4-pack with an internal vent that channels air past the milk to cut gas, spit-up and oxidation. It is dishwasher-safe and the vent is removable as your baby matures. Anti-colic benefits are real but modest and vary baby to baby.
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What does the research say about the Dr. Brown's Natural Flow Anti-Colic Options+ Narrow Bottles?
Every claim below is tied to a source you can open, quoted verbatim — how we research picks.
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“by increasing the temperature from 40 to 95°C, the BPA migration increased four times in new baby bottles”
BPA migration from baby bottles rises sharply with heat.
Bisphenol A release from food and beverage containers — a review (PMC) · 2023 ↗ -
“The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that baby bottles and children's drinking cups could no longer contain bisphenol A, or BPA”
Since 2012 the US FDA no longer allows BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups.
National Center for Health Research · 2012 ↗ -
“In contrast to fussing, we found no significant differences between randomised groups in the duration of reported crying or colic.”
An anti-colic / fully-vented bottle did not significantly reduce colic in a randomised trial.
Infant feeding bottle design, growth and behaviour: a randomised trial (PMC) · 2012 ↗
Educational summary of the research — not medical or veterinary advice. Evidence strength varies and individual results differ; talk to a qualified professional before changing your (or your pet's) health routine.
How does the Dr. Brown's Natural Flow Anti-Colic Options+ Narrow Bottles compare?
| Dr. Brown's Options+ | Glass anti-colic | Comotomo (silicone) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Material | BPA-free polypropylene | Borosilicate glass | Medical-grade silicone |
| Anti-colic system | Internal 2-piece vent (removable) | Internal 2-piece vent | Dual vents in nipple |
| Parts to wash | ~5 | ~5 | 2 |
| Leaching risk when heated | Very low (no BPA, PP) | None (inert glass) | Very low (no BPA, silicone) |
| Durability / weight | Light, can cloud/stain | Heavy, inert, breakable | Soft, squeezable, drop-proof |
Buy it if
- Parents of newborns wanting a BPA-free, fully-vented bottle from day one
- Babies who spit up, gulp air, or are gassy and may respond to venting
- Bottle- or combo-feeding families who want a slow Level 1 flow
- Buyers who want a removable vent so the bottle simplifies as baby grows
Skip it if
- Parents who want the fewest parts to wash (silicone two-piece bottles win)
- Anyone who wants guaranteed zero leaching when heating — choose glass
- Families expecting a vent to reliably 'cure' colic; evidence is modest
Is the Dr. Brown's Natural Flow Anti-Colic Options+ Narrow Bottles worth it?
A solid, honest default: genuinely BPA-free, the most thorough venting on the market, and a smart removable vent. Buy it for the BPA safety and air reduction, not as a guaranteed colic fix, and accept the extra dish duty.
Check price on Amazon Live price & reviews on AmazonQuestions, answered
- Are these bottles really BPA-free?
- Yes — they are polypropylene, and since 2012 BPA has not been permitted in US baby bottles, so any compliant new bottle is BPA-free. Source NCHR: FDA bans BPA from baby bottles ↗
- Will an anti-colic bottle stop my baby's colic?
- Maybe a little. Venting reduces swallowed air, but a randomised trial found no significant reduction in crying or colic versus a standard bottle. Some babies benefit, many do not. Source Randomised bottle-design trial ↗
- Is it safe to put hot milk in plastic bottles?
- They are BPA-free, but heat still drives chemical migration from plastics, so warm milk gently and avoid boiling liquid in the bottle; choose the glass version if you want zero leaching. Source BPA release vs temperature review ↗
- Dr. Brown's Options+ vs Comotomo: which baby bottle?
- Dr. Brown's uses a removable internal 2-piece vent — the most thorough venting — but that means ~5 parts to wash; Comotomo's dual nipple vents mean just 2 parts. Both are very low leaching risk when heated (BPA-free polypropylene vs medical-grade silicone). Choose Dr. Brown's for maximum air reduction, Comotomo for the fewest parts and a soft, drop-proof body.
- Do vented bottles actually reduce gas and spit-up?
- The internal vent channels air past the milk, which reduces swallowed air, gas and oxidation. Be realistic about colic specifically, though — a randomised trial found no significant reduction in crying or colic versus a standard bottle. Venting helps some gassy babies; it is not a guaranteed colic cure. Source Randomised bottle-design trial ↗