Dr. Brown's Natural Flow Anti-Colic Options+ Bottles Review: Do They Really Help With Gas?
This guide is based on the maker’s published information and common owner feedback, not on lab testing. We may earn a commission if you buy through our links. How this works.
Few things are as hard on new parents as a baby who cries after every feed. You burp, you rock, you walk the hallway, and the discomfort keeps coming back: gas, spit-up, a tight tummy and very little sleep for anyone. It is natural to wonder whether the bottle is part of the problem.
Dr. Brown's Natural Flow Anti-Colic Options+ Bottles are designed around that concern. They are among the best-selling baby bottles in the world, and they are recommended by many parents and pediatric professionals for babies who struggle with gas and colic symptoms.
This guide explains how they work, what the trade-offs are, and whether they are right for your baby.
What Are Dr. Brown's Options+ Bottles?
These are baby bottles with a two-piece internal vent system: a vent insert that sits in the neck of the bottle and a reservoir tube that runs down the middle.
In an ordinary bottle, air has to get back in as the baby drinks. It usually enters through the nipple and bubbles up through the milk, and some of that air is swallowed. A vacuum can also build up, which makes the baby work harder and can collapse the nipple.
The Dr. Brown's vent sends incoming air through the tube to the space behind the milk, so it does not mix with the liquid. The brand describes this as vacuum-free feeding that is closer to breastfeeding, and says the system is clinically proven to reduce colic. It also says it helps reduce spit-up, burping and gas, and helps preserve vitamins C, A and E in the milk by limiting air bubbles.
"Options+" means the vent is optional. As your baby gets older and feeds more comfortably, you can remove it and use the bottle like a standard nipple-vented bottle.
The bottles come in narrow and wide-neck shapes, in plastic or glass, and in small sizes for newborns and larger ones for older babies.
Key Benefits
Less air in the feed
Routing air away from the milk is the purpose of the whole design. Less swallowed air can mean less trapped gas.
Help with colic symptoms, spit-up and burping
Many parents report calmer feeds and fewer episodes of discomfort afterward. Every baby is different, and a bottle is only one factor.
A steady, comfortable flow
Without a vacuum building up, the baby can feed at their own pace, and the nipple does not collapse.
Use it with or without the vent
You are not locked into the extra parts forever. When your baby outgrows the gassy stage, the bottle becomes simpler.
A nipple shaped for a good latch
The Options+ nipple has a contoured shape intended to help babies latch comfortably, which is useful for families combining breast and bottle.
Flow levels that grow with your baby
Nipples are available from preemie flow upward, so you can match the flow to your baby's age and feeding style.
Why Users Love Them
The points that come up most often in parent feedback:
- Noticeably less gas and spit-up. This is the most common reason for five-star feedback, often from parents who switched from another bottle.
- Calmer feeds. Babies who gulped and fussed are described as feeding more steadily.
- Trusted name. Many parents bought them on the advice of a pediatrician, lactation consultant or NICU nurse.
- Easy to find parts. Replacement nipples and vents are sold almost everywhere.
The complaints are just as consistent, and they are important:
- More parts to wash. Each bottle has a bottle, nipple, collar, vent insert and reservoir tube. Cleaning takes longer, and the narrow parts need the small brush that comes in the box.
- Leaks when used incorrectly. Overfilling, overtightening the collar, shaking with the vent in place or warming with the vent in can cause leaks. Following the instructions prevents most of them.
- Volume markings can fade with repeated washing on some plastic versions.
- Not every baby improves. Some parents see no difference.
Our Analysis
This analysis is based on the manufacturer's published information and common parent feedback. We have not conducted clinical testing.
What they get right
- The vent addresses a real mechanism: air mixing with milk during a feed.
- The removable vent gives flexibility as the baby grows.
- A wide range of sizes, materials and nipple flows.
- A long history of use, including in hospitals.
Where they fall short
- Cleaning time. If you are washing eight bottles a day by hand, the extra pieces add up. A dishwasher basket and a sterilizer make it more manageable.
- Assembly matters. A tired parent at 3 am can easily put it together wrong, and that leads to leaks.
- Colic has many causes. Crying that goes on for hours can be related to feeding technique, flow rate, formula tolerance, reflux or nothing identifiable at all. A bottle can help with swallowed air and cannot fix everything.
Who should buy them
Parents of babies who are gassy, spit up often or seem uncomfortable after bottle feeds, and families who want a widely recommended bottle from the start.
Who might prefer something simpler
Parents of babies who feed comfortably from any bottle, and anyone who values the quickest possible cleanup above all else.
Talk to your pediatrician if your baby cries for long periods, is not gaining weight, vomits forcefully or seems to be in pain. Those signs need medical advice, not a new bottle.
Specifications
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Vented anti-colic baby bottle |
| Vent system | Internal two-piece vent, removable |
| Neck styles | Narrow and wide-neck |
| Common sizes, narrow | 4 oz (120 ml) and 8 oz (250 ml) |
| Common sizes, wide-neck | 5 oz (150 ml) and 9 oz (270 ml) |
| Materials | BPA-free polypropylene, or glass |
| Nipple | Silicone, Level 1 usually included |
| Flow levels available | Preemie through Level 4 and Y-cut |
| Cleaning | Top-rack dishwasher safe, sterilizer safe |
| In the box | Bottles, nipples, vents and a small cleaning brush, varies by set |
Tips for Avoiding Leaks
- Fill only to the marked fill line.
- Do not overtighten the collar.
- Remove the vent before warming, and replace it afterward.
- Stir formula instead of shaking with the vent in, or use the travel cap when shaking.
- Check that the reservoir tube is pushed firmly onto the insert.
Where They Excel
- Gassy, fussy newborns. The classic reason parents switch.
- Babies who spit up a lot after feeds.
- Combination feeding. Families moving between breast and bottle.
- Premature babies. Often used in neonatal units, under professional guidance.
- Parents who want to start with a widely trusted option.
The story told most often is a simple one: feeds got calmer and evenings got quieter after the switch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use the vent?
No. The bottle works without it. Most parents keep the vent in during the early months, when gas and spit-up are most common.
When should I move up a nipple level?
When your baby seems frustrated, sucks hard, or takes much longer to finish a feed. If milk dribbles or your baby coughs, go back down.
Are they dishwasher safe?
Yes, on the top rack. A basket keeps the small parts together.
Can I use them with breast milk and formula?
Yes, both.
Narrow or wide-neck?
It is mostly a matter of preference. Wide-neck bottles are easier to fill and have a broader nipple base, which some breastfed babies accept more readily.
Conclusion: Are Dr. Brown's Options+ Bottles Worth It?
Dr. Brown's Options+ bottles are popular for a clear reason. The vent system is designed to keep air out of your baby's feed, and a very large number of parents say it reduced gas, spit-up and fussing. The price you pay is extra washing and a little care with assembly.
If your baby is uncomfortable after bottle feeds, they are one of the first things worth trying. If your baby already feeds happily, a simpler bottle will do.
See the available sets and current price below.
