Feeding
done honestly.
Whether you’re nursing, pumping, formula feeding, or doing all three at once — I’ve been there. I’ve tested the bottles that claim to reduce colic, the pumps that promise to revolutionise your mornings, and the highchairs that are somehow both £350 and hard to clean. Here’s what actually works.
Newborn · 0–3 months
The bottle and breast phase
- Newborn-flow bottles (2–3 sets)
- Breast pump if nursing/pumping
- Nursing pillow
- Milk storage bags
- Burp cloths × 10 minimum
Settling in · 3–6 months
Flow rate starts to matter
- Medium-flow bottle teats
- Bottle warmer (optional but useful)
- Steriliser for bottles
- Formula dispenser for night feeds
Weaning begins · 6–9 months
Solid food enters the picture
- Highchair (this is when you need it)
- Suction bowls and soft spoons
- Silicone bib — the waterproof kind
- Long-flow bottle teats
- Food processor or blender
Self-feeding · 9–12 months
Finger foods and first cups
- Sippy cup or open cup (AAP prefers open)
- Finger food–friendly snack pots
- High-back highchair or booster
- Mess mat under the highchair
Not sure what you need?
Tell me where you are and I’ll point you to the right guide
My baby won’t take a bottle and I don’t know which to try
Start with the anti-colic bottle guide — it covers shape, teat flow, and which brands our colicky babies actually accepted.
Bottle guide →
🤱I’m going back to work and need to figure out pumping
The breast pump guide covers hospital-grade vs personal, insurance options, and which portable pumps are actually quiet enough for an office.
Pump guide →
🥣My baby is nearly 6 months and I need to start thinking about weaning
The highchair guide is your first priority. After that, read the weaning starter kit guide — it covers everything else in order.
Highchair guide →
🥛We’re formula feeding and I’m overwhelmed by the options
The formula guide cuts through the marketing. It covers UK, EU, and US formulas, what to look for on the label, and what the differences actually mean.
Formula guide →
Sarah’s top pick right now
The bottle she goes back to every time
Anti-colic bottle · Best for breastfed babies
Comotomo Natural Feel Baby Bottle — 250ml
We tested twelve bottles across two colicky babies. The Comotomo was the only one both accepted without a three-week settling-in period. The wide neck is the closest thing to a breast shape on the market, which matters when you’re combination feeding and a baby who fights the bottle.
- ✓Wide breast-shaped teat — closest to nursing
- ✓Squishable silicone body
- ✓Dishwasher and steriliser safe
- ✓Slow-flow teat reduces overfeeding
What I liked
- ✗More expensive than Dr. Brown’s or Avent
- ✗Wide neck is harder to fill quickly at 3am
- ✗Not great for fast-flow feeders over 6 months
What I didn’t
All feeding guides
Every feeding review, in one place
Guide
Nursing Pillows & Feeding Support: What Actually Helps
From the Boppy to the My Brest Friend — which nursing pillows genuinely make latch easier and which are glorified decorative cushions. Tested through two different nursing journeys.
Baby-Led Weaning vs Purées: What We Actually Did (And What Worked)
We tried both approaches across two babies with completely different temperaments. The gear you need changes depending on which method you choose — this guide covers both and helps you decide.
Guides being written now
What’s coming next in the Feeding hub
Best Anti-Colic Bottles 2025: 12 Tested, 3 Worth Buying
Comotomo, Dr. Brown’s, MAM, Philips Avent Natural — tested on two colicky babies. Which ones we’d actually recommend and which ones cured nothing but cost a lot.
Notify me →
Best Breast Pump 2025: Spectra S2, Elvie, and Medela Compared
Which pump actually fits into a working parent’s life, which is quiet enough for an open-plan office, and whether the Elvie is worth £350. (The answer might surprise you.)
Notify me →
Best Highchair 2025: IKEA Antilop vs Stokke Tripp Trapp vs 4 Others
Six highchairs used across six months of solid food. We tested foldability, cleanability (the real test), and whether the Stokke is worth ten times the IKEA price. Spoiler: complicated.
Notify me →
Sarah’s note on feeding
“There is no single right way to feed your baby. Breastfeeding, formula, combination — all of them work, all of them are valid, and all of them have gear that makes them easier or harder. This hub doesn’t have an agenda. I’m not going to tell you that you should be nursing or that formula is fine to default to. I’m just going to tell you which products worked in my house, and which ones ended up in the charity bag.”
Sarah Edelman — Founder, Fortuna Est · Mum of two · London
Every Sunday morning
Get the feeding guides as they’re published.
The bottle guide, highchair guide, and breast pump guide are all coming in the next 6 weeks. One email per week. No filler. Just the new guide and one honest thing I found useful.