From Breast, to Bottle, to Baby: Tommee Tippee Launches New Complete Feeding System for U.S. Moms

WESTPORT, Conn., June 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Tommee Tippee®, the number-one brand of infant and toddler feeding products in Great Britain, today introduced the new Closer to Nature® feeding system -- so intuitive it's as if Mother Nature designed it herself. For simpler and more natural feeding, the Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature feeding system offers an electric or manual pump to express milk from the breast like baby, incorporates an ingenious protection pod and tray to protect and prepare the milk, then feeds baby with the award-winning Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature bottle and nipple that feel and act like Mom.

Many healthcare organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization, recommend breastfeeding exclusively for babies during the first six months of life. According to a recent statistic published by the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC), on average, expectant moms in the United States hope to breastfeed for 9.6 months. Yet 70 percent of moms completely stop breastfeeding and pumping milk within the first five months, according to the CDC. Among the most commonly reported reasons that moms don't breastfeed: convenience, returning to work or school, and the ability to share feeding duties with someone else.

"Breastfeeding is beautiful, natural and beneficial for both mother and baby," said Brenda Liistro, General Manager of Mayborn USA. "Our goal was to design an ingeniously simple feeding system that lets Mom go from breast to bottle and back again, conveniently and confidently, and easily lets others share in the feeding and bonding, if she chooses."

The Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature feeding system includes both an electric and a manual breast pump. Both products feature natural-feel expression with massaging ripples that are designed to mimic the feel of a baby breastfeeding to encourage milk letdown. The electric pump incorporates a unique, soft silicone cup that flexes to fit the breast for maximum comfort and offers individualized expression with four levels: one to stimulate letdown, and three additional levels that can be adjusted for comfort and individual expressing needs. The electric pump can be used with batteries, providing even more convenience for Mom. The manual pump provides discreet operation suitable for use anywhere. With only three parts, the manual pump is perfect for use in and out of the home.

Tommee Tippee has developed an ingenious milk storage system that eliminates the need for and the risk of spillage in transferring expressed milk from a storage container to a bottle. With the Closer to Nature feeding system, milk can be pumped directly into a Closer to Nature bottle for immediate use or into its unique milk protection pod. The protection pods can be sealed and then stored in stackable trays in the refrigerator or freezer. When ready to use it, Mom can simply insert the protection pod with breast milk into a Closer to Nature bottle filled with water to defrost and/or warm her milk, attach a Closer to Nature nipple and be ready to feed.

The Closer to Nature line of baby bottles was inspired by nature and developed in conjunction with midwives, breastfeeding mothers and babies to provide easier and more natural feeding. The resulting dome-shaped baby bottle and ultra-soft, ultra-wide and supple nipple closely resemble the size and shape of the breast, allowing the same flex and movement as breastfeeding. Those attributes make feeding a more comfortable and intuitive bonding experience for parent and child and help support easy switching from breast to bottle and back again, an important consideration for parents who want to breastfeed but need the convenience of a bottle.

"Feeding your baby should be a joyous experience," says Tommee Tippee's Liistro. "We want moms to know that whatever they decide, Tommee Tippee has a feeding product designed to work with them and their baby, to breastfeed, bottle feed or both conveniently and confidently."

The Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature feeding system is now available exclusively at Babies"R"Us and Toys"R"Us stores in North America. The electric system is $149.99 MSRP and includes: a single electric breast pump, one bottle stand, two spare valves, one 5 fl. oz. feeding bottle with slow-flow nipple and protection lid, two protection pods, six breast pads and a steri-box that doubles up as a carry case. The manual system is $46.99 MSRP and includes: one single manual breast pump, one spare valve, one 5 fl. oz. feeding bottle with slow-flow nipple and protection lid, two protection pods, six breast pads and a sterilizer box that doubles up as a carry case. To make the system complete, six 4 fl. oz.  Closer to Nature Protection Pods with one Storage Tray are sold separately for $12.99 MSRP.

Additionally, Tommee Tippee now offers complementary breast-care accessories for added comfort and discretion, including a breast pad starter pack for $12.99 MSRP, disposable breast pads sold in a set of 50 for $8.99 MSRP, nipple shields with a carry case for $12.99 MSRP and a feeding discretion wrap for $32.99 MSRP.

For more information on Tommee Tippee and its products, please visit www.tommeetippee.com. To join the conversation with other Tommee Mommies and Daddies, please find us on Facebook and Twitter at www.facebook.com/tommeetippeenorthamerica  and www.twitter.com/tommeetippee_na.

ABOUT TOMMEE TIPPEE

Tommee Tippee, from the UK-based Mayborn Group Limited, is the number-one brand of infant and toddler feeding products in Great Britain and one of the top brands of infant products and accessories in the global market. Loved by parents and children alike, Tommee Tippee has received numerous brand accolades in Great Britain, including top ranks in the prestigious Mother and Baby Awards, a head-to-head assessment of competitive products voted on by moms themselves. The Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature line of baby bottles has been chosen as Great Britain's best baby bottle, winning the Gold award in 2006/7, in 2008/9 and again in 2009/10. In 2009, Tommee Tippee was the first and only children's feeding brand to be selected as a UK Superbrand in a nationwide poll of consumers, putting it on par with brands such as Microsoft®, Coca-Cola®, Nike®, Lego® and Google®.

SOURCE Tommee Tippee