Dr Brown's Options+ Teat Levels Explained: Find Your Baby's Flow

Quick answer

Match the teat to your baby's feeding behaviour, not just the age on the pack. Start with the slowest flow that keeps your baby calm and swallowing comfortably, and only move up when feeds become slow, fussy or drawn out. If you are combination or breastfeeding, Dr Brown's Preemie Flow Narrow Teat is the slowest-flow option and a sensible starting point.

Why flow rate matters more than the number on the pack

Teat levels are a flow guide, not a deadline. The suggested age range printed on a teat is a starting point; your baby's suck strength, stamina and feeding position all change how fast milk arrives. A fast flow can overwhelm a baby who is still learning to coordinate suck-swallow-breathe, while a flow that is too slow leads to long, tiring feeds and a baby who falls asleep before finishing.

This is why the same teat can work for one baby at three weeks and be wrong for another at three months. Watch the feed, not the calendar.

The signs your baby is on the wrong flow

Too fast: milk pools at the corners of the mouth, your baby gulps, coughs, pulls off, arches or seems to fight the bottle. Too slow: feeds stretch past 20-30 minutes, your baby works hard, gets frustrated, or dozes off still hungry and wakes soon after.

A comfortable feed looks calm. You should see a steady rhythm of sucks and swallows with brief pauses, and your baby should finish content rather than exhausted.

How the Options+ system changes the calculation

Options+ teats work with the internal vent system, which is designed to reduce the vacuum build-up that makes some babies swallow air. That matters when you change levels: a faster teat plus a vented bottle can feel very different from a faster teat on a non-vented bottle, so change one thing at a time.

If you are moving from breastfeeding to a bottle, keep the flow slow at first even if your baby is older. Breastfed babies often do better on a slower teat because it mimics the effort and pacing of the breast more closely.

When to move up, and when to hold

Move up a level when feeds are consistently slow, your baby loses interest or gets frustrated, and you have already checked the basics: teat not clogged, bottle assembled correctly, and your baby is awake and hungry. Hold at the current level if feeds are calm and your baby is gaining well, even if the age range suggests otherwise.

Never jump two levels at once. Give a new teat two or three feeds before you judge it, because babies often need a day to adjust to a different flow.

Narrow neck or wide neck: check the fit first

Teats are not interchangeable between bottle ranges. Dr Brown's Narrow Neck teats fit Narrow Neck bottles, and Wide-Neck teats fit Wide-Neck bottles. Before you buy a new level, confirm which bottle you own, because the flow level is only useful if the teat actually seals on your bottle collar.

If you are not sure which range you have, measure the bottle opening or check the collar: narrow neck collars are visibly smaller than wide neck.

Step-by-step: choosing and changing teat levels

1. Step 1: Start slow: Begin with the slowest flow that keeps your baby feeding calmly. For preemies, newborns and breastfed babies, that usually means a preemie or level 1 teat. Checkpoint: if a feed takes under 10 minutes and your baby seems overwhelmed, you may have started too fast.
2. Step 2: Watch one full feed: Time the feed and note the rhythm. Look for steady sucking and swallowing, brief pauses, and a baby who settles afterward. Mistake to avoid: judging the teat from the first two minutes, when babies often need time to settle into a rhythm.
3. Step 3: Check the bottle and teat match: Confirm your teat fits your bottle range. Narrow Neck teats only fit Narrow Neck bottles, and Wide-Neck teats only fit Wide-Neck bottles. Checkpoint: if the teat leaks or sits loosely, stop and check the range before changing flow levels.
4. Step 4: Change one level at a time: Move up only when feeds are consistently slow or frustrating, and give the new level two or three feeds before deciding. Mistake to avoid: jumping two levels, which can cause gulping, coughing and milk spilling.
5. Step 5: Recheck as your baby grows: Reassess every few weeks, especially around growth spurts, when appetite and suck strength can change quickly. Next step: once flow is no longer the issue and your baby is sitting well, consider moving to a sippy spout.

Options+ teats worth knowing about

• Dr Brown's Options+ Narrow Neck Preemie Teats: Preemie Flow Narrow Teat is Dr Brown's slowest-flow teat, made of super-soft, high-grade silicone, and fits all Dr Brown's Narrow bottles. A good first choice for preemies, newborns and breastfed babies who need a slow, predictable pace.
• Dr Brown's Options+ Level 4 Teats: Options+ Level 4 Wide-Neck Teat is a fast-flow teat with a suggested age range of 9 months+, with a contoured breast-like shape. The right direction for older babies who are draining bottles quickly and want a faster feed, but not a teat to rush into.
• Dr Brown's Options+ Narrow Neck Bottle Sippy Spouts (2-Pack): Options+ Narrow Neck Sippy Spouts turn a Dr Brown's Options+ Narrow Neck bottle into a sippy bottle by replacing the teat. Useful once teat levels are no longer the issue and you are moving toward cup drinking.