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Overview

This review covers the specific product listed under this ASIN: Dr. Brown’s Anti-Colic Options+ Narrow Baby Bottle, 4 oz, 4-pack, made of BPA-free polypropylene plastic, sold with the Level 1 slow-flow nipple for newborns (0 months+). It’s worth being precise here, since Dr. Brown’s sells this same bottle body across multiple sizes (4oz and 8oz), in both narrow-neck and wide-neck versions, and in both plastic and glass — this review reflects the 4oz plastic narrow-neck Options+ version specifically. Options+ bottles are also visually distinct from Dr. Brown’s original “Natural Flow” line by their green (rather than blue) vent components, which signals a genuinely functional difference explained below.

What Makes “Options+” Different

This is worth explaining clearly, since it’s the entire reason this product exists as a separate line rather than just being “the” Dr. Brown’s bottle. Both the Original Natural Flow bottle and the Options+ bottle use the same core technology: a patented two-piece internal vent system designed to eliminate the vacuum that forms as a baby feeds, which is the mechanism behind Dr. Brown’s long-standing reputation for reducing colic, gas, and spit-up — a benefit that’s been studied and referenced in pediatric literature going back to at least 2006. The difference is flexibility: the Original bottle requires the vent system to always be in place, while Options+ is specifically designed so you can remove the vent entirely once your baby is older and feeding well, without needing to switch to an entirely different bottle. Dr. Brown’s still recommends keeping the vent in for most feeding situations, but the option to simplify later, once colic-prone newborn feeding has passed, is the whole value proposition of this line.

Anti-Colic Performance

This is where the product earns its strong reputation, and it’s consistently backed up across sources. Today’s Parent’s hands-on parent-tester panel specifically found that the gas- and spit-up-reducing benefits of the vent system outweighed the extra hassle of assembly and cleaning, and it’s a sentiment echoed widely in both professional reviews and everyday buyer feedback. The vent system is also credited with helping preserve nutrients in breast milk during feeding, a claim Dr. Brown’s backs with its own research and that’s repeated across several independent parenting sites.

The Trade-Off: More Parts, More Cleaning

This is the most consistent and fair criticism across every source we found, and it’s worth taking seriously rather than glossing over. Today’s Parent specifically counted six separate pieces per bottle, including two dedicated to the internal vent system alone — a meaningfully higher part count than simpler bottle designs. Baby Foode’s review echoed this, noting that cleaning the anti-colic vent system requires disassembling it and washing with different-sized brushes to reach every nook properly, and recommends rinsing the vent promptly after each feeding to prevent milk or formula residue from drying and getting stuck in the parts. This isn’t a defect — it’s simply the practical cost of the anti-colic mechanism working the way it’s designed to. If a fast, low-maintenance bottle routine matters more to you than anti-colic performance, this is worth weighing honestly before buying.

Leaking: A Real, If Inconsistent, Complaint

This deserves a straightforward, balanced treatment rather than being minimized. The well-respected parent-review site Baby Bargains, which has tracked Dr. Brown’s bottles across many product generations, specifically notes that Options+ bottles leak somewhat more than the Original line when shaken vigorously — a real, if fairly specific, trigger. Baby Foode’s review similarly reports that some users experience leaking, while noting plenty of other users don’t have this issue at all, suggesting the problem may be tied more to assembly technique or shaking habits than to a consistent manufacturing flaw. Buyer reviews collected by Motherhood Community include both extremes — some parents calling the bottles flawed and prone to leaking, others reporting no issues at all. The most consistent practical advice across sources: avoid shaking Options+ bottles vigorously to mix formula (use a spoon, fork, or the travel cap instead), since shaking appears to be the most commonly cited trigger for leaks at the collar.

Design and Materials

The bottle body is made from BPA-free polypropylene plastic, with a medical-grade silicone nipple — standard, expected materials for this category, and nothing in independent testing flagged concerns here. All parts are dishwasher safe on the top rack and compatible with standard sterilization methods. The narrow-neck design (as opposed to Dr. Brown’s separate wide-neck line) is the version most frequently recommended by pediatricians and most commonly used in hospital NICU settings, according to multiple sources, likely due to its slimmer profile and long track record in clinical use.

How It Compares

Within Dr. Brown’s own lineup, Options+ is a genuinely sensible middle ground for parents who want the anti-colic benefits early on but don’t want to be locked into the full vent system indefinitely — Baby Bargains puts it plainly: parents are equally happy with Options+ as with the Original, and continues to highly recommend the line despite the minor extra leaking risk. Compared to competitors like Philips Avent’s AirFree system, Motherhood Community’s comparison found Dr. Brown’s more complex vent system is generally considered more effective at reducing gas by parents who’ve tried both, but also more prone to leaking due to its higher part count — a trade-off worth weighing based on what matters more to your family.

Pros and Cons