Bear-y Sweet bottle-lovey®
Helping babies say yes to the bottle.
So you can...
Bottimals brings mom’s familiar scent into bottle time.
The removable heart pad carries your scent, while the soft bottle-lovey fits around most baby bottles — designed to make bottle time feel more familiar when someone else is feeding.
- Adds a familiar scent for soothing feeding moments
- A bottle attachment that’s a soft, cuddly stuffy
- More ways for loved ones to help with feeds
What is a bottle-lovey?
The bottle-lovey is a soft, cuddly friend that wraps around your baby’s bottle and carries something they already know and love: mom’s scent.
How does the bottle-lovey work?
Mom wears the heart pad for several hours or overnight, then tucks it into the bottle-lovey’s heart pocket. Wrap the bottle-lovey around your baby’s bottle and feed as usual, with a familiar scent nearby.
What’s included?
Each package includes one bottle-lovey and two heart pads.
Extra heart pads are sold separately.
Who is the bottle-lovey for?
Babies moving from breast to bottle, babies starting daycare, and families who want dad, grandparents or sitters to share feeds. Safety tested and approved for babies ages 0+.
Why does mom’s scent matter during feeding?
Babies are naturally drawn to their mother’s scent from birth. Bottimals was inspired by peer-reviewed research on maternal scent and infant feeding behavior.
Product details & specifications
How it works
Bringing mom’s scent into bottle feeding
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Step 1: Wear the scent pad
Place the removable heart pad close to your skin to capture your natural scent.
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Step 2: Insert into the lovey
Slide the pad into the pocket inside the bottle-lovey.
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Step 3: Attach to your bottle
The lovey fits around most baby bottles and sits near baby during feeding.
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Step 4: Bring comfort to feeding time
Your scent helps create a familiar and calming feeding experience.
Little details that help babies say yes.
Mom’s scent, right where baby snuggles.
A heart pad tucks into the heart pocket.
Designed to fit most baby bottles.
Keep the bottle and nipple you already use.
Soft, familiar and cuddly.
A friend that can help bottle time feel more like home.
Anyone can say yes to feeding.
Dad, grandma and daycare can share the bottle.
A thoughtful gift they’ll actually use.
Made for bottle transitions, shared feedings, and the moments when someone else needs to help.
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Perfect for
baby showers -
Great for
new parents -
A meaningful gift
they’ll actually use
The science
Babies recognize mom's scent
From birth, babies rely heavily on scent to recognize and bond with mom.
Research shows that a mother's scent can significantly:
- Calm distressed infants
- Stimulate feeding instincts
- Support feeding behaviors
- Reduce stress response
The bottle-lovey brings this powerful sensory cue into bottle feeding. Even when mom isn't there.
Why bottle refusal happens
Bottle feeding feels different to babies
During breastfeeding, babies experience familiar sensory cues: mom’s scent, warmth, softness, closeness.
When those cues disappear while transitioning to a bottle, some babies resist the change.
A note from Julianne
From one mom to another
When my son Blake was a baby, he refused every bottle we tried. If I wasn’t there to nurse him, he simply wouldn’t eat. Our days revolved around feeding time and planning anything became stressful.
It was especially hard on my husband who felt helpless and couldn’t share those important bonding moments with him.
So… I started looking into why some babies struggle with the transition from breast to bottle. And what I discovered is how much babies rely on their mother’s scent to feel safe and ready to feed.
If you’re experiencing bottle refusal, just know, that you’re not alone mom. I’ve been there and so have many others.
My hope is that bottle-lovey brings freedom back into your day and takes the stress out of feeding.
Stories from moms like you
Frequently asked questions
What parents want to know
What is bottle refusal?
Bottle refusal is when a baby has difficulty accepting or consistently feeding from a bottle. It is especially common for breastfed babies transitioning to bottle feeding.
Signs of bottle refusal may include turning away from the bottle, crying during feeding, pushing the bottle out, chewing on the nipple, or waiting until mom is available to breastfeed.
All information provided is for educational purposes and should not replace medical advice from your healthcare provider. Bottle feeding requires adult supervision at all times.
Why do breastfed babies refuse bottles?
Bottle refusal is when a baby has difficulty accepting or consistently feeding from a bottle. It is especially common for breastfed babies transitioning to bottle feeding.
Signs of bottle refusal may include turning away from the bottle, crying during feeding, pushing the bottle out, chewing on the nipple, or waiting until mom is available to breastfeed.
How common is bottle refusal?
Bottle refusal is a common challenge for breastfeeding families. In fact, studies show that many breastfeeding moms experience some level of bottle refusal when introducing a bottle to their baby.
If your baby is struggling with the transition, you’re not alone. Many families work through bottle refusal with time, patience, consistency, and extra comfort during feeding.
How do I transition from breastfeeding to bottle feeding?
To transition from breastfeeding to bottle feeding, try creating a bottle experience that feels calm and familiar for your baby.
Helpful tips include:
- Introduce the bottle before it becomes an urgent need
- Let another caregiver offer the bottle
- Try feeding when your baby is calm but hungry
- Create a comforting environment
- Add familiar sensory cues, like mom’s scent
Bottimals was designed to help make the breast-to-bottle transition feel more familiar by bringing the comfort of mom’s scent to every feed.
Why does my baby only want to breastfeed and not take a bottle?
Many breastfed babies prefer breastfeeding because it provides more than just milk. Nursing includes familiar comforts like mom’s scent, warmth, closeness, and connection.
When those familiar cues are missing, bottle feeding can feel like a completely new experience. Bottimals helps bring a piece of mom into bottle time by adding her comforting scent, helping the transition feel more familiar for your baby.
How long does bottle refusal last?
Bottle refusal is different for every baby. Some babies adjust within a few days, while others may take several weeks of practice and patience.
Creating a consistent, positive bottle experience can help your baby build comfort and confidence over time.
What helps with bottle refusal?
Bottle refusal is often helped by patience, consistency, and making bottle feeding feel more familiar.
Parents commonly try:
- Different feeding positions
- Different bottle nipples or flow speeds
- Having someone other than mom offer the bottle
- Feeding in a calm environment
- Adding comforting cues your baby already knows, like mom’s scent
Bottimals helps support bottle refusal by combining the bottle-lovey® with mom’s familiar scent to create a more soothing feeding experience.
Why does mom’s scent calm babies?
A mother’s scent is one of the first ways a baby recognizes comfort and connection. Research shows that familiar smells, especially mom’s natural scent, can help babies feel calmer and more secure.
Because breastfeeding includes mom’s scent and closeness, bringing that familiar cue into bottle feeding may help make the transition feel less stressful.
How can dads or caregivers help with bottle feeding?
Dads, partners, and caregivers can help by creating a calm, consistent bottle feeding routine. Sometimes babies accept bottles more easily from someone other than mom because they do not expect breastfeeding.
Using a familiar comfort cue, like mom’s scent, can also help caregivers create a bottle experience that feels more reassuring for baby.
How can I prepare my baby for daycare if they won’t take a bottle?
If your baby is starting daycare and refusing a bottle, begin practicing before their first day when possible. Introduce short, calm bottle sessions with another caregiver and give your baby time to adjust.
Adding familiar cues from home, like mom’s scent, can help make bottle feeding in a new environment feel more comforting.
How can I prepare my breastfed baby to take a bottle before returning to work?
Returning to work can feel stressful when your baby refuses a bottle. Start introducing bottle feeding gradually before your return date so your baby has time to adjust.
Creating a feeding routine with another caregiver and incorporating familiar comforts, like mom’s scent, can help support the transition and give the whole family more confidence.
Do babies recognize their mother’s scent?
Yes, babies can recognize their mother’s scent. Smell plays an important role in helping babies identify comfort, security, and familiarity from the earliest stages of life.
Bottimals uses this natural connection by allowing mom’s scent to stay close during bottle feeding.
Can the Bottimals bottle-lovey fit any bottle?
Bottimals bottle-lovey® was designed to fit most standard baby bottles. The adjustable design gently hugs the bottle, creating a soft and comforting feeding companion for your baby.
How do I use the Bottimals scent heart?
Place the removable scent heart close to your skin to capture mom’s natural scent. For best results, wear it for about 2 hours or overnight. Store the heart pads in a resealable bag until they need to be used. Once ready to use, insert the scent heart into your Bottimals bottle-lovey® before feeding.
This helps bring a familiar piece of mom into bottle time, even when someone else is feeding.
What is a bottle-lovey®?
A bottle-lovey® is a comforting companion designed specifically for bottle feeding. Unlike a traditional lovey or stuffed animal, Bottimals gently hugs your baby’s bottle and incorporates mom’s scent to help create a more familiar feeding experience.
How does Bottimals work?
Bottimals combines the comfort of a soft bottle lovey with the familiar scent of mom to help support babies during the transition from breastfeeding to bottle feeding.
Simply add mom’s scent to the removable scent heart, place it inside your bottle-lovey®, and attach the lovey around your baby’s bottle. The result is a bottle experience that feels a little more familiar, comforting, and connected.
Can Bottimals help with the breast-to-bottle transition?
Yes, the Bottimals bottle-lovey® was designed to help support babies during the transition from breastfeeding to bottle feeding.
Breastfed babies are used to the comfort of mom’s scent, softness, and closeness while nursing. Bottimals helps recreate part of that familiar experience by combining a soft bottle lovey with mom’s natural scent, bringing comfort and connection to bottle feeding.
Is Bottimals safe for newborns? What age is Bottimals for?
Absolutely! Bottimals was thoughtfully designed for babies transitioning from breastfeeding to bottle feeding. It can be introduced whenever your family is ready to start practicing with a bottle.
As with any baby product, Bottimals should always be used with adult supervision during feeding and removed when your baby is sleeping or unattended.
