Wide Neck vs Regular Neck Feeders, and Which Nipples Fit

When parents buy spare nipples for the first time, the most common problem is that the new nipple does not fit. The reason is almost always the neck size of the feeder. This guide explains what neck size means, the difference between wide neck and small/regular neck feeders, and how to check yours before you order.

What "neck size" means on a feeder

The neck is the open top of the bottle, where the nipple sits. A screw-on ring (the collar) holds the nipple in place. For a nipple to fit, its round base has to match the width of the neck, and the collar has to match the thread on the bottle.

Feeders come in two main widths:

• Small or regular neck: the narrower, traditional opening.
• Wide neck: a much wider opening, with a wider, flatter nipple base.

Wide neck: easier to fill and clean

A wide neck makes it easier to pour in water or milk without spilling, and a bottle brush goes in more easily, which helps with cleaning. Wide neck feeders are often shorter and broader, and many have handles.

In our shop, most PPSU feeders are wide neck, as are our plastic feeders and some glass feeders such as the YES Baby Glass Feeder 120ml and 220ml Wide Neck. The steel feeders from Meier Baby and Fisher-Price are wide neck too.

Small/regular neck: the common size

Small or regular neck feeders are slimmer, so they are easy for an adult to hold in one hand, and they fit into narrow bag pockets. Most of our glass feeders are small/regular neck, including many of the 60ml, 120ml and 240ml designs with silicone sleeves. A few PPSU feeders use this neck too.

Neither type is better for every family. Many parents simply stay with the type they started with, so that all their nipples and collars can be swapped between feeders.

Which Minitree nipple fits which feeder

We stock Minitree replacement nipples in two sizes, two nipples per pack:

• Minitree Small Neck Silicone Nipple, size S: for small/regular-neck feeders.
• Minitree Wide Neck Silicone Nipple, size L: for wide-neck feeders.

On these packs, size S is the small-neck nipple and size L is the wide-neck nipple. The box marks them 0% BPA.

Neck sizes are not completely standard between brands. A wide-neck nipple from one maker may not sit perfectly in another maker's wide-neck bottle. So check before you buy, as below.

How to check your feeder before buying spares

1. Look at the product page or the box. Many of our feeder titles name the neck, for example "Small Regular Neck" or "Wide Neck". The box often says it too.
2. Compare with the nipple you have. Take the old nipple out and look at its base. A wide, flat base belongs to a wide-neck feeder; a narrow base belongs to a small/regular neck.
3. Measure if you are unsure. Measure across the outside of the bottle's opening. Wide necks are clearly wider than regular ones when you hold the two side by side.
4. Ask us. Send a photo of your feeder and its nipple on WhatsApp and ask which spare fits before you order.

When to replace nipples

Whatever the neck size, nipples wear out before feeders do. Replace a nipple if it is torn, sticky, swollen or out of shape, and otherwise as often as the maker's pack recommends. Our guide to cleaning and sterilising feeders explains what to look for.

You can find feeders of both neck types in our feeders collection, and spare nipples and brushes in Brushes & Nipples. Cash on delivery anywhere in Pakistan.