A bottle is a hollow vessel made of wood, leather or glass, for carrying or holding liquids. The oriental nations used skins for this purpose, but in Europe and America glass is now used. Wine and porter bottles are the most common kinds, but champagne bottles also exist. These bottles are usually of a taller design than wine or porter, to be able to support the pressure from the carbonation. The smaller kinds of bottles are called vials or phials and these are usually only used for alcohol (as in gin).
Glass bottles were first invented in the early 18th century. The first ones were spherical in shape, but later designs began to appear that were more flattened at the bottom, to make them easier to hold in one hand. The earliest glass bottles were made from lead, but modern versions are generally made of more durable borosilicate glass that is stronger and more transparent.
Polypropylene (PP) is a common plastic material, which has a high strength and chemical resistance and can withstand temperatures up to 100 degrees Celsius. It is used to manufacture medical devices, packaging trays and batteries, among other things. It is translucent to opaque and is a good choice for water bottles.
Another common plastic, Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), is often seen in disposable water bottles and some baby formulas. It is tough and has good transparency, making it easy to see the contents of a bottle. It is also very lightweight.
Other types of plastics are sometimes used for making bottles, including Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC or vinyl), High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE). They may not be as strong or as clear as PET, but they are still good choices for most uses.
Some bottle makers use a process known as injection molding to make their products. This is a fast way to produce large numbers of identical bottles. It is less expensive than blow-molding and can be done using simple equipment.
Bottles can be decorated with raised letters, patterns or other graphics that are incised on the inside surface of the mold part. This is a process called embossing. This is done to improve the appearance of a finished bottle or to help identify its manufacturer.
Many babies are reluctant to take a bottle from anyone but their mother. However, it is important to have someone other than the lactating parent offer a bottle to the infant. That will give the baby an opportunity to learn that a bottle is a safe place to get milk when the mother is not available.
If a baby is having trouble taking a bottle, it might help to have them burp mid-feed. This can clear out some of the air in their throat and prevent them from gulping down too much air, which can cause colic. Many bottles have a hole on the nipple that can be used to do this, but some manufacturers also offer special anti-colic valves.
