Avent Rant

Sharla - posted on 04/19/2010

When my first baby was born in Sept 2009, I too purchased the Avent bottles. However, I quickly discovered that the darn things leaked every time I used them!! I absolutely hated them and the mess they made every time I tried to feed my little one. I traded them in for the Playtex drop-in bottles and I absolutely love them! I will NEVER use Avent again!

Abbi - posted on 04/19/2010

I use the Avent bottles, and LOVE them! Once in a while I have the leaking problem, but not too often..... you just have to remember that the reason they leak like that is because of the superior air flow system.... your baby never has to stop to take a breath. sometimes I have to undo and retighten the rings, but I don't often have that problem... I just make sure that it's on straight and tight.

Louisa - posted on 04/11/2010

I also had problems BF. And Avent is our preferred bottles, I went to glass but have gone back to Avent as we love them so much. I have found that sometimes if you have them on too tight they can leak, try loosening them just a bit. Also helps baby as she doesn't have to work so hard to feed. Good luck xo

Sarah - posted on 04/11/2010

I solie nursed up till 3 months then I had to suplemtet half and half up till he was 6 months now he is solie formula but Iv always just used the cheep bottle from Walmart they work they dont leak and my son would swich back and forth just fine. I recommend them never had a prob with them and they dont make you pay out the butt for them :)

Kerry - posted on 04/11/2010

my friend had the same problem and she rang avent to complain they said to not have the lid so tight and she said she has had no problems since!

Lynn - posted on 04/08/2010

If you over tighten them they leak we had success with just making sure they were snug. Good luck:)

Bobbi - posted on 04/08/2010

Ours did the same thing, so I threw them out and used some Playtex ones designed for nursing babies; they seem to work good. No leaks.

Debbie - posted on 04/08/2010

There is a tiny 3D dot on the white base of the nipple. It's hard to see, easier to feel for it since its the same color. If you align that dot with the bottle where there are no threads, that might help you get a better seal. Once we discovered the dot, it did help decrease the number of spills pretty significantly, but didn't stop them completely. Now, when I fill the bottle with formula, I check the bottle for leaks and keep trying to get a better seal until its not leaking. After I heat up the bottle, I check for leaks again. The combo of using the dot method and double checking for leaks before I give her the bottle really helped us. The bottle used to leak all over her multiple times a day. Now that rarely happens.

But I agree those bottles are a big pain and I would never recommend them to anyone.

Jessica - posted on 04/08/2010

We have the same problems, but still use them. You should have to really REALLY tighten them, and I recently bought Avent sippy cups. It seems that Avent just likes making their products complicated. There are a ton of parts that all have to be taken apart and sanitized, I wont buy anything else Avent again!

Jessica - posted on 04/08/2010

um.... just switch. not that hard!! i never feed my lulu a bottle, only my boyfriend does since i work 5 hours sat and sun. but he loves using the NUK bottles :)

Tia - posted on 04/08/2010

I agree with the twisting backwards and then re-tightening. I used Avent for my now 4 year old daughter, and that worked for me to stop the leaking. I use Born Free glass bottles now, and I've never had a leaking problem with them.

Tara - posted on 04/03/2010

The first one I used did this, I then had a look at the information sheet with the bottles and it said this happens when the bottles are done up to tight (something to do with the air vent). Since then I don't tighten them too hard and have had no problems since.

Naomi - posted on 03/29/2010

I noticed that these bottles make a liquid seal. I usually just wet the nipple before putting it in and screwing it onto the bottle and havent had any more leak problems. You can also detach the top, push the nipple out and back in and reattach to the bottle- whatever allows a bit of liquid to come between the nipple and the plastic :) Hope this helps you!

Kelly - posted on 03/29/2010

I was using those as well after coming to terms with not being able to bf as well. They leaked way too much and so ended up going with Playtex bottles and love 'em! I tried returning to so many places and half wouldn't even take them back. Called Toys R Us where I bought them off my registry and she says I know I have them too just try tightening the tops more, geeze, if I did that I would crack the things! Got way too frustrated with them and I did send an email to Avent but never heard boo back yet and that was like 4 months ago! Not impressed!

Megan - posted on 03/29/2010

Avent sippie cups leak too. :P

Laura - posted on 03/28/2010

Not that this helps a whole lot, but in case you feel like getting different bottles, this is what I have discovered. I breast fed as much as possible, but now that my son wants nothing more to do with that we are using bottles. I used the born free for a while & they were great! No leaks, no mess, the were slick for mixing powdered formula in (other than the extra pieces you have to wash) and they create far less gas for baby. However they were on loan to me, so I decided to buy my own. As great as Born Free are, I didn't like the price tag. We switched to Nurture Pure & some Momo's. (I personally believe babies should have limited exposure to plastic until 10 mths - hence the glass.) Neither are as good as Born Free, but are a good enough, cheaper alternatives, just takes a bit more skill for when it comes to adding in powdered formula.

Cath - posted on 03/28/2010

Yep, I'm another one that has this problem. The key for me is like PPs, wiping the thread from formula, water or BM, THEN doing the backwards twist thing. I seem to just automatically do the backwards twist thing these days.

However.... it doesn't happen to us every time, and I do wonder if it's just a couple of the lids. Next time it happens I'm going to mark that lid with black texta, then see what happens next time I use it. Just a thought....

Melinda - posted on 03/28/2010

I went to their website and the FAQ section. What I do is when I make the bottle, I wet my hand and run it around the top of the bottle. I also wet the nipple and the ring before sliding the nipple in. Then put it on. Don't twist too hard. Apparently this is a new design and if there's even the slightest bit of trash (cereal, formula, etc) it will leak. I felt the SAME way as you did. Other than the leaking the bottles are GREAT!! I hope this helps!

Amy - posted on 03/26/2010

I use the playtex drop in system, would not change it for the world!!! you dont have to clean and sterilize the bottle part, just the nipple. its so awesome and i have never had a problem with them leaking. the lids hold on tight and they are not too wide that my daughter can even hold them on her own!

Brittney - posted on 03/26/2010

I Have the old and new Avent bottles and they both leak..even with the washer part. The twisting backwards works for me too. It doesn't seem to fasten all the way down so I try 3 to 4 times before it stops leaking. My son Trenton has taken to the NUK bottles, The NUK bottles also have steps that transition into sippie cups and all kinds of levels! You don't even have to go buy more bottles...they have handle attachments and all kinds of stuff. :)

Jessica - posted on 03/25/2010

Once you use them for a while the leaking stops (for the most part) They must also be aware of the issue because very recently they changed there design. I just picked up 2 more and they are different. They now have a washer piece that is put in after the nipple Is placed in the ring. The new ones don't leak at all.

Audrey - posted on 03/25/2010

Are you using the hard plastic BPA free, or the soft Polypropylene ones? I have heard that the poly version leaks less but it has an extra part. I would call Avent's customer service line and see if they would consider trading them for you.

I used the old clear hard ones with my son (BPA free ones were not out yet) and as long as I assembled the nipples into the ring when they were wet, and did not over-tighten them then were fine.

My Kaitlin didn't like the Avent nipples so we ended up with BornFree and they are working well for us.

Good luck!

Gotsome - posted on 03/25/2010

Thanks everyone for all your great suggestions! Sadly we have tried most of them, but I think I'll give some another go!!

Emma - posted on 03/25/2010

I have always used avent bottles the first couple of days i used them they leaked but since i have done the following i have NEVER had a problem! I always wipe any dried formula off from around the top of the bottle so it gets a good seal with the teat and also let my boiled water cool for 20 - 30 minutes then there is not as much pressure in the bottle. I have to confess i make up all the milk feeds for the 24hrs and store them in the back of the fridge, i was told not to unless i really had too, i took that as it cant do much harm!

Katy - posted on 03/25/2010

Yep, have to agree they are a pain, I am even more stupid as I moaned about it first time round and now I am using them again. I must say it is all in the twisting, going backwards seems to work, most of the time!!! Have no guilt, it is only everyone elses expectations. Your baby is healthy and happy and fed, so no guilt required my dear! I had someone have a huge go at me in the local mall, so I told her I had an operation on my breasts so I couldn't. She looked very shocked, hopfully it will make the rude cow think before she judges people next time!

Sissy - posted on 03/25/2010

Same here!! I just twist the lid backwards then tighten it. Seems to work.

Whitney - posted on 03/25/2010

I was breast feeding my son but he now has two teeth and has bitten me twice! So I am weaning him. I use born free bottles and have never had a problem. He even uses the sippy cup from them and does really well with it.

Bridget - posted on 03/25/2010

Breastflow bottles are amazing, and affordable. Adiri bottles are amazing too, but pretty expensive. Both are SOO similar to the breast and are great quality.

Angie - posted on 03/25/2010

I had the same problem and just stopped using them. I buy my daughter Tommie Tippie and they are so close to the breast (I pump so at night she BF's), she loves them, and they don't drip and spill everywhere.

Akilyn - posted on 03/24/2010

What did I do? I stopped using them. Dumb things leaked all over the place. I switched to Dr. Brown's and LOVE them.

Stacy - posted on 03/24/2010

You're right!! I have the same problem. It sounds funny, but I've noticed that if I rest the top on the bottle, then turn it backwards a time or two, and then tighten it, then I can get the stupid thing not to leak! Its like it gets cross-threaded. If you try a couple of them, and then look at the distance between the nipple/band and the neck of the bottle, I've found that if they look like they are sitting a bit higher, it is going to leak for sure!



Neither of my children would nurse, so totally know how you feel about the guilt! I also have some Playtex bottles (they have a bent angle) I really like them, other than there being 6 parts to wash!