A bottle is a piece of glass that is used for holding liquids such as water, milk, soda pop, juice and wine. It is made by fusing silicates with soda or potash, lime and, sometimes, various metallic oxides into a molten mass that is cooled rapidly to prevent crystallization or annealed to eliminate stresses. Glass can be transparent or opaque, brittle, flexible, shatterproof, photochromic or made to reflect light.
Bottles can be manufactured from a variety of materials, but there are three basic kinds: plastic, glass and stainless steel. Each type has its pros and cons, from price to durability. For example, glass bottles are sturdy and don’t contain any chemicals that may give parents pause, such as BPA. However, they are heavier than some plastic bottles and might be more expensive than other types. Bottles also come in many shapes and sizes, from standard (tall and straight) to angled or wide. They can also have a short, cylindrical neck or a long, curved “shoulder” that makes it easy to stack.
Using a bottle is often easier for babies than breastfeeding, but there are some challenges. Babies can get fussy or irritable when they’re drinking from a bottle, and may have difficulty latching on to the nipple. Choosing the right bottle can help alleviate these problems, as can changing formula or adjusting other factors such as the baby’s age and feeding habits.
The nipple of a bottle can be made of latex or silicone, but both have their disadvantages. Latex can wear out more quickly, and some babies are allergic to it. Silicone is softer and more flexible, but it can also tear or become sticky over time. It is recommended that new parents try a few different kinds of bottles and nipples to find what works best for their child. If a baby is having trouble with an issue such as gas or reflux, talking to a healthcare provider might help.
A bottle episode is an episode of a TV show that’s filmed on one prebuilt set with only the main cast members, and is cheaper and faster to make than a regular episode. It’s usually a genre episode and features an exciting plot twist or some other kind of special effect, but the strict definition can be expanded to include any episode that’s cheaper, simpler or shorter than a normal episode. For example, an animated episode that takes place in several different locations might be a bottle episode if it has fewer sets and a smaller cast than usual.
